It could soon become harder for your students to check their text messages during the school day if a bill proposed by State Rep. Joel Kitchens becomes law. Under his bill, school districts across the state would be required to develop a policy effectively banning the use of cell phones, laptops, and other smart devices inside K-12 classrooms unless they are being used for instructional purposes. Luxemburg-Casco Intermediate School instituted a similar policy in recent years and parents in Gibraltar Area School District challenged their administration and school board to do something about cell phone use in the classroom. Kitchens says it is becoming evident that the devices are not just a distraction in the classroom, but it is also affecting the mental health of the children using them. 

Kitchens says much of the pushback has come from parents who feel like they need to be in contact with their children, especially in the wake of last month's shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in the Madison area. He believes this measure would help law enforcement investigate incidents more effectively and put more onus on school districts to communicate with their families more quickly. The bill is slated to go to committee in the coming weeks, so it could potentially be signed into law by the end of February.