A cell phone has almost become an extension of a kid’s arm. Most teenagers feel lost without it and have trouble not checking it multiple times a day – even in school. 

In an effort to curb usage at school, Sen. Lincoln Fillmore and Rep. Douglas Welton and The Policy Project have joined forces to introduce legislation during the upcoming 2025 General Session that would not allow students to use cell phones during school hours unless a district opts to allow them to. 

“With the rise of social media and smartphone use, we've seen a significant impact on both the mental health of our students and the quality of their classroom experiences,” said Fillmore. “The goal of this legislation is to empower school districts, teachers and students to create a more focused and productive learning environment. Through this effort, teachers can focus more on teaching and less on being the cell phone police.”

“Current practice in Davis School District is for individual schools to establish expectations for cell phone use at school,” Christopher Williams, Director of Communication & Operations said. “A majority of our secondary schools don’t allow cell phones in classrooms, but they do allow cell phones in hallways and at lunch time. In a few rare circumstances, teachers allow – and closely monitor – cell phone use in classrooms when that use supports an academic purpose.”

Right now, school districts have the authority to set their own cell phone policies. The proposed legislation still gives districts autonomy but requires them to “actively choose to permit cell phone use rather than permitting it by default,” a legislative statement said.

Experts say the evidence shows cell phones in schools are detrimental to a student’s mental health and academic performance. The risk for poor mental health doubles when a teen spends more than three hours a day on social media, according to the release.

“Smartphones have become a major distraction in Utah schools – disrupting classroom environments, decreasing academic performance, and contributing to bullying and social isolation,” Emily Bell McCormick, President of The Policy Project said. “Parents and families need support, students need guidance and teachers need assistance responding to this growing epidemic. We must take collective action to reset the norm around smartphones in schools.”

 The proposed legislation is intended to help students focus more fully on their education and peers addressing the disconnect that continues to grow. 

“We are working with legislators on the proposed legislation, and there is a lot of time between now and when the 2025 Legislative Session begins in mid-January for the proposed legislation to be debated, tweaked or changed,” said Williams. “But the district's intent, after the bill goes through the legislative process and becomes law, is to follow it completely.”