Michigan lawmakers agree on restricting student phone use, but differ on how

By Clara Hendrickson

Cyberbullying. The mental health fallout from social media use. Distracted students. Quiet lunchrooms with children buried in their phones. Lawmakers agree Michigan needs to follow in the footsteps of other states that have implemented policies to restrict phone use at school. But they have put forward different visions.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called for legislation to limit phone use in class in her 2025 State of the State address. "We've seen encouraging data about how commonsense restrictions on phone use during class lead to more learning and less bullying. Kids listen. They raise their hands. They make more friends. They talk during field trips," Whitmer said.

The Michigan Senate has already passed Senate Bill 234, introduced by state Sen. Dayna Polehanki, D-Livonia, with bipartisan support to require public school districts to implement policies to limit students' cellphone use at school starting next school year. The policies could include a ban on the use of phones and other wireless communication devices such as tablets during class, breaks during the school day, lunch and recess. Under the legislation, the phone use policies must include exemptions for emergency situations, devices used for medical purposes, devices provided as an accommodation for students with disabilities and any other exceptions created by school leaders.

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