DUBLIN, Ohio (WSYX) — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 250 on Wednesday, requiring schools across the state to enact policies limiting cellphone use by students during school hours.
The bill will require all Ohio districts to approve new policies by July 1, about six weeks from now.
The law doesn’t force districts to ban phones, but DeWine said he thinks the attention that has been brought to the issue will lead school boards to be more restrictive with phones.
Teachers appear to be on board with the new law. Scott DiMauro, the president of the statewide teacher's union, said teachers don’t want to be in the middle of the disciplining students for phone use.
Teachers are tired of being the cell phone police,” he said. “Policies that leave access to cell phones to the discretion of individual teachers just sets teachers up to be the bad guys.”Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said parents are behind the issue as well -- but not all agree with a blanket ban on phones.
If something were to happen, if these kids had devices on them, then they would be able to call for help,” said Danielle Dickerson, a parent with teens in the Big Walnut district.She said phones are here to stay, and that parents need to teach responsible use, not just take the phones away.
You have to teach them how to operate within boundaries,” she said. “I don’t think it's a blanket statement of get the phones out. Let's learn how to live with them.”DeWine in March hosted a roundtable discussion with educators about cellphone use in schools. Several educators said then that they have been urging districts to ban cellphones in the classroom altogether.
The law that was signed will actually just direct districts to create policies on the use of cell phones in classrooms and on school grounds.
DeWine has highlighted this issue, mentioning it prominently in his recent State of the State address. He said the fact that lawmakers got the proposal to his desk within weeks shows that there is agreement that phones can be a distraction, and take away from learning.
I know from talking to teachers it's a big problem," the governor said at the time. "It's a distraction and it has a big impact on their mental health."At the bill signing on Wednesday, it was stated that certain exceptions will be made for students with specific educational plans (such as IEPs) and those with medical conditions.
ncG1vNJzZmivmpawtcKNnKamZ56axLR7zZqroqeeYsSwvsudZqigmaR6qLvVZp6orpWnu7C%2BjKagpJ1dmbK4tc2eZKyhl6N6o7XLpWShp6Wosm6uyKWjZqCSYn92fIylnKCho6GutbXOp2Slmadiv6a%2F06ugnKyZo7Ruv9Oum56mpGKwprjLqZ%2BoppViwrSxjKyaoaefocBur8Slo2aomKS7pr%2BMnaCsrKKWsLW1zqeqZqOZmcBuwMSepaxlpJ64tbvK