As Central adjusts to LB 140, which bans student use of personal electronic communication devices on school grounds, one local high school has been banning phone use for over a year now.
Benson High School became the first OPS school to adopt a phone ban in the 2024-25 school year, and students and staff report promising results.
“Last year, I looked at my grades from the previous year when we didn’t have the cell phone policy. And I saw that my passing rate had doubled. And I would say this year my passing rate is even higher. I’ve also had fewer students cheat on exams. I’ve seen fewer fights in our hallway. I used to break up a fight outside of my classroom once a week, and I haven’t even seen a fight this school year,” Benson journalism teacher Justine Garman said…