California Governor Gavin Newsom sent letters to state school districts on Tuesday urging officials to restrict students’ cellphone use in the classroom as the government drafts a bill to make the guidelines official. The letter, released to coincide with the start of the new school year, comes as multiple states consider similar legislation to minimize distractions and improve mental health conditions in the public school system.
“Every classroom should be a place of focus, learning, and growth,” Newsom wrote. “Working together, educators, administrators, and parents can create an environment where students are fully engaged in their education, free from the distractions on the phones and pressures of social media.”
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The governor’s letter suggested that school board officials should “act now” to protect the well-being of students, referencing the mental health risks social media can pose to children and teens. Newsom first proposed a form of cellphone restriction in 2019, allowing schools to regulate students’ screentime during class, but these guidelines are not often enforced. The letters are not a mandate and are not tied to district funding, but Newsom reminds educators that AB 272 already enables them to implement restrictions.
South Carolina’s State Board of Education has taken up a similar motion, but voting on the measure has been postponed until next month. Other states that have passed cellphone restrictions include:
- Florida, which became the first state to ban cellphone use during class last year via a ban on social media access while using a school’s Wi-Fi;
- Indiana, which in April passed a ban on wireless devices (cellphones, tablets, laptops or gaming devices) during class;
- Minnesota, which is requiring school districts in the state to adopt limits on cellphone use by the start of the 2025-2026 school year.
- Ohio, where Governor Mike DeWine is requiring school districts to establish policies on cellphone use to take effect no later than July 2025;
- Virginia, where Governor Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order last month calling for a “phone-free education” and limiting the time children spend on phones “without parental supervision.
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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