by JD Davidson
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will have to settle for school districts enacting appropriate cell phone policies rather than the state restricting students’ cell phone exploit during the school day.
In his State of the State address last month, DeWine called on lawmakers to implement statewide restrictions on cellphones. Instead, the Legislature passed a law requiring districts to develop a policy.
The House and Senate, which passed the bill unanimously, added a policy requirement to the bill passed slow Wednesday that changed the name of the state’s “Military Enlistment Diploma Seal” to the “Military Diploma Seal” and offered fresh pathways for high school students to earn the seal.
If DeWine signs the bill, every public school would have to adopt policies regulating student cell phone exploit during the school day. Additionally, the Department of Education and Labor would have to adopt a model policy that schools can exploit.
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said in a statement that he agrees with the need for local policy rather than a statewide ban.
“In talking to teachers, I agree that each school should develop its own policy based on grade levels, teacher and parent input, rather than a one-size-fits-all state policy,” Husted said. “The facts are clear: eliminating smartphones in schools leads to improved academic achievement and reduces bullying and disciplinary problems.”
In his State of the State address, DeWine called cell phones a major distraction in public schools.
Republican and Democratic lawmakers agreed but balked at supporting DeWine’s plan for statewide cellphone restrictions when he introduced it last month. Leaders from both parties said policies need to be developed at the local level for each school district.
“I think the idea of eliminating smartphones from school activities is a great idea,” said Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima. “The governor talked about encouraging this. Each of us has learned to read without using smartphones. I think this is something important that needs to happen, beyond bad content on the internet.”
House Minority Leader Allison Russo of Upper Arlington also said individual districts should make decisions at the local level.
“I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all for every school district and every situation,” Russo said.
Despite reservations, Reps. Tom Young, R-Washington Township, and Phil Plummer, R-Dayton, presented the bill this would effectively ban the exploit of cell phones during classes, with constrained exceptions.
This bill has not yet been put to a vote.
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Ohio native J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience at newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He served as a reporter, editor, editor-in-chief and publisher. Davidson is the magazine’s regional editor Central Square.
