Senators Tom Cotton and Tim Kaine have proposed bipartisan legislation to provide federal funding to incentivize classroom cellphone restrictions in response to a growing trend in states implementing bans or limits on students using cellphones in schools. The bill would provide up to $5 million to school districts for developing pilot programs to lay the groundwork for long-term cellphone bans. Virginia was one of the first states to implement a cellphone ban in schools, with high school students placing their phones in caddies and middle schoolers using magnetic pouches to lock away their phones. School officials in Fairfax, Virginia, aim to not only ban phones but also help students develop healthy habits with the devices to avoid disrupting the learning process. They recognize the need to balance cellphone use as a tool for students’ needs while protecting instructional time. Administrators and teachers are finding that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for cellphone policies. Kaine and Cotton emphasize that local officials should determine the right balance for their communities rather than the federal government dictating policy from Washington. The bill has bipartisan support but has yet to receive consideration in the Senate. The senators hope to attach it to a broader bill to expedite its passage through Congress.
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