When students across Texas head back to school over the next few weeks, they’ll have to put their cellphones away before class begins.
Following the passage of a statewide school cellphone ban, districts in the Fort Worth area are adopting new policies restricting when students can use their phones and other devices. Although some details differ from one district to the next, the new state law requires that students keep their phones put away from the beginning of the school day to the final bell.
Texas school cellphone ban takes effect
Texas lawmakers passed a bill banning cellphone use in schools during this year’s regular legislative session. Following the passage of the bill, school districts that didn’t already have cellphone bans in place are required to adopt one.
School boards in several North Texas districts, including the Fort Worth, Arlington and Northwest independent school districts, have approved similar cellphone policies over the past few weeks. Under most of those new policies, students won’t be allowed to use cellphones or other devices like smartwatches or tablets at any point during the school day, including at lunch or periods between classes. Students are allowed to keep their devices with them during the day, but they must be turned off and put away. Students may only have those devices out before the school day begins and after the final bell…