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New Jersey Bans Cellphones in Schools

Are cellphone bans in schools a game changer for student wellbeing, or just another unfunded mandate that misses the point?
New Jersey Bans Cellphones in Schools
Above: A smart phone on a desk in a classroom at the UAlbany campus in Albany, New York. Image credit: Paul Buckowski/Albany Times Union/Getty Images

The Spin

Techno-skeptic narrative

Banning cellphones in schools is a game changer backed by overwhelming evidence. Students show improved mental health, fewer distractions and better classroom engagement when phones are removed bell-to-bell. Jersey City already reports more socialization, decreased suspensions and fewer students expressing suicidal ideation since implementing their ban.

Techno-optimist narrative

Research on phone bans produces wildly mixed results, with no clear benefits to student achievement or mental health. Teachers already face impossible burdens implementing unfunded mandates without proper planning or resources. Banning phones while students still have constant access to school-issued tablets and laptops is like locking the front door and leaving the back door open.

Metaculus Prediction


The Controversies



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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.18.0