Governor Mike Dewine signed House Bill 250 into law in May, requiring Ohio school districts to restrict cell phone usage during school hours, with exceptions for students with health conditions that require monitoring. 

The law aims to minimize cyber bullying and distractions to learning caused by cell phones in schools.

“Our school children currently face countless distractions every day from the devices in their pockets,” said Governor DeWine. “By limiting these distractions, we will reestablish the opportunity for students across Ohio to immerse themselves in their classwork, learn from their teachers and create lifelong memories with their closest friends.”

The ban follows recommendations from the U.S. Surgeon General on the deterioration of the mental health of youth and the detrimental results of social media use, alongside recommendations issued by UNESCO to limit cell phone use in educational settings globally. 

Although these policies have received a lot of support from politicians, students have mixed opinions. 

We understand the reason for the cell phone policy and believe that the implementation has been beneficial in multiple ways. Not having access to cell phones during class encourages more active participation and concentration on classroom material. Furthermore, it allows more classroom conversations with peers, allowing students to strengthen existing friendships and build new ones.

Although we understand the reasoning behind the implementation of the policy, it also seems likely that distracted students will find ways to be distracted regardless. 

We also wonder about the value of banning cell phone use in study halls. Cell phone use during non-instructional class time could provide a break for students during the school day and improve their mental health. 

We acknowledge that the cell phone policy is relatively lenient at Beachwood, as students are able to access their phones between class periods, in the library and during lunch.  In contrast, some other schools require students to have their phones in Yondr pouches throughout the school day. Ultimately, we feel the cell phone policy is reasonable, and we are grateful for the leniency that Beachwood has implemented cell phone restrictive policies.