Texas has restricted students’ use of phones and other personal communication devices during the school day. I believe this policy should be reconsidered.

Hello, I am Janiah, and I believe that if we remove the Texas phone ban law, we would have more stability and safety instead of taking away students’ access to their phones. I understand that phones can be distracting and that there could be bullying or harassment involving phones in schools. However, removing phones isn’t going to automatically stop these things from happening because bullying and harassment can occur outside of school grounds as well. Rumors can still spread even without cellular devices, but we are choosing to target the cellular devices.

As of right now, everybody knows that America isn’t always a safe place. Emergencies happen everywhere in America, including schools. Students may lose the ability to directly communicate with their parents, guardians, or emergency services when they believe immediate communication is necessary. We need our phones to contact emergency services, contact our parents, or even text our parents that we love them in case of a serious emergency.

Another argument I’ve heard defending the phone ban law is that people can use phones to cheat on tests. However, from my experience and my experiences in other schools I have attended in Texas, phones were taken away from us during tests and were not returned until the end of the day. If a student is caught using a phone to cheat, then they should receive the necessary consequences instead of blaming every student for one student’s actions.

Students are already not allowed to use their phones during educational hours and classes, but why can’t they use their phones during breaks or lunchtime?

I also understand that some students might want to record other students and post the videos online. However, there are ways to resolve this problem. The person being recorded could ask the person to remove the video, and if they do not comply, the student could report it to a principal or another appropriate authority.

We aren’t asking schools to allow unrestricted phone use during class. We’re asking for students to retain reasonable access to their phones when they are not being used for instruction, testing, or other prohibited activities, and especially during legitimate emergencies when we may need our phones.

I understand why schools want to limit phone use. Phones can distract students, facilitate cheating, and create privacy concerns. However, these problems can be addressed through targeted rules without completely removing students’ access to their phones.

I believe Texas should reconsider its current policy and find a balanced approach that protects students’ education while also recognizing the importance of communication and safety.