Well, it appears, for now anyway, South Dakota students can keep their phones tucked in their hoodies, backpacks, and, yes, occasionally, right out on their desks.
A proposal that would have limited cell phone use in public school classrooms across the state has officially been postponed by lawmakers. Senate Bill 198 aimed to prohibit students from using their phones during the school day. In other words, Snapchats and mid-morning scrolling sessions statewide could have been put on ice from first bell to last had it passed.
But according to Dakota News Now, critics of the bill pushed back, arguing that many local school districts already have their own cell phone policies in place. Their point? Why create a one-size-fits-all rule in Pierre when individual South Dakota districts are already handling it themselves?
Download the KKRC Mobile App Now
State Secretary of Education Joe Graves also weighed in, urging lawmakers to reconsider the approach. Graves isn’t advocating for a total phone blackout. Instead, he believes local educators should have the final say on how much screen time is appropriate in their classrooms. Translation: let teachers teach, and let them decide when it’s time for students to put down their phones…