Hello. I am Sullivan Balint, a Sophomore year high school student from a school in Hamilton County, Chattanooga. Recently, a new law was stated by the Tennessee Governor, Bill Lee, which went into effect July 1st, 2025. This law bans wireless devices, such as phones, for all schools in Tennessee.

The bill itself, House Bill 932, titled "Communication devices at schools" defines a wireless communication device as:

"... A portable wireless device that has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data communication between two (2) or more parties, including, but not limited to: Cellular telephones, Tablet computers, Laptop computers, and Gaming devices"

Although this definition includes other devices, the main purpose is to prohibit phones.

We believe that this is a bad idea, because a majority of schools do not have a problem with people being distracted by wireless devices like phones.

This bill even affects students during lunch time, which is absurd, since lunch is supposed to be a free period in schools. They say that wireless devices promote "anti-social behavior", but people who did want to be social during lunch were already social, and those who didn't want to be social used their phones. This ban will not change that, and will only make all students time in school worse.

At the high school I go to, Juniors and Seniors NEED their phones to contact business partners for projects, and this bill completely screws all of that up.

Students like me, who need mental stimulation to be able to work better, such as that from watching a video on YouTube while working, are now unable to do this.

All this being said, I do understand where this ban is coming from somewhat. However, it reaches way too far into that bag. This is the reason why we, the students, teachers, parents, and everyone else, want the repeal, or change, of this law.

Thank you for reading.