Thoughts on the New Jersey Phone Ban
- The Lawrencian
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
Written by: Asha Gavaghan (‘28) & Lianna Bakaradze-Marin (‘28)
On January 8th, former Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation prohibiting the use of cell phones just days before ending his second term. It is set to begin the 2026 to 2027 school year, and is supported by the new serving governor, Mikie Sherrill.
There have been questions and concerns about whether or not students will be able to use any electronic device in school in place of phones, such as an iPod or MP3 player for listening to music. While it hasn’t been directly stated if they are included in the ban, the legislation describes that internet-enabled devices will be prohibited from “bell to bell” in grades K through 12, so take this into consideration when planning to bring different devices to school. However, the ban is not one-size-fits-all. School districts will independently be responsible for enforcing their own policies, which may create variation on how phones will be kept from school to school.
By eliminating phones, the hope is to counter online bullying, improve mental health, and fix shortened attention spans. “I not only feel that the phone ban is fair, but it is absolutely necessary,” Mr. Carney, an art teacher here at LHS, explains. “It is my opinion that the phones and devices in general have had harmful effects on students in regards to their social skills, creativity, motivation, and general knowledge.”
Similarly, Family and Consumer Sciences teacher, Ms. Harvey states “I think the precautions we already have in place help, but they still rely a lot on individual teachers monitoring phone use. A full ban might remove distractions more effectively because it sets one clear expectation across the entire school instead of different rules in different classrooms.” Opinions on the ban's impact seem uncertain, as the district is yet to state how it will look for our school specifically. Ms. Harvey expanded, “It may help improve focus in class, increase participation, and reduce distractions. It could also encourage more face-to-face interaction between students. At the same time, it might take some adjustment at first, but over time it could create a more focused learning environment.”
On the contrary, some students at LHS express concerns for their safety in the classroom and regards to emergencies during school. 10th grader, Analis Barona Linn, shares “...to be quite frank, the United States as a whole isn't safe enough for students not to have access to an immediate way of contacting their parents/guardians. Between school shootings and ICE raids, kids need to be able to contact parents/guardians or another trusted person outside of the school quickly and without something so public as going all the way to the main office to do it.”
Other students voice their opinions about taking care of their wellbeing and having phones to assist in that matter. 11th grader Dash Westbrook-Shingler explains through personal experience, “I think the phone ban is a bad idea, because if there is an emergency and no one has their phones, it would mean [there’s] nothing we can do. Additionally, I know I work better when I can listen to music. If I don't have my phone, I can't listen to music, so I'm worried about getting burnt out.” How phones will be treated during emergencies is up to districts to decide, which as of right now, has not been spoken on.
Some students feel that the ban is understandable and justified, but not entirely necessary. The phone policy and phone pockets are enough to keep students from using their phones during class, but they also value the time that they have during passing periods and during lunch/resource to have access to their phones and communicate with parents and friends, as an example. Considering the precautions the district is already taking, the phone ban feels unneeded in some schools and concerns could arise from students and even families.
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