COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) – Franklin County public school districts are entering a new school year for the first time since Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation regarding cellphone use in schools.
In May , DeWine signed House Bill 250, requiring every public school to adopt policies.. Although schools were asked to draft policies over the summer, they are not yet required to enforce them. Final policies must be completed by next July, ahead of the next school year.
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“Local school districts will create the policies that work best in their environments and for their students, but the core mission of this bill is clear: minimize screen time during school time,” DeWine said.
However, many Franklin County districts are getting ahead of things. Although many school districts have had policies in place for a few years, districts like South-Western and Whitehall City Schools approved new policies this summer.
South-Western’s board passed a policy June 10. Students can use personal devices on the school bus, before and after school, during lunch and between classes. Any other time, devices must be silenced and kept out of sight. During afterschool activities, phones must be out of sight and powered off completely.