GoKawiilIn a nutshell: Banning students from using phones in US schools has long been a controversial topic, but for the first time ever, more Americans now support all-day bans – as opposed to the devices only being banned in classrooms.
According to Pew Research Center, 77% of US adults now support in-classroom phone bans for middle and high school students, marking the second consecutive year that support has increased – the figure stood at 68% in 2024. Just 18% now oppose such a ban, while 6% are unsure.
The survey also shows that the long-running trend of more people supporting all-day bans has changed. For the first time, more adults (48%) support "bell-to-bell" school cellphone bans for middle and high school students, up from 36% the previous year. It's still far from universal support, as 43% oppose such a ban.
Younger adults aged 18-29 show the lowest level of support for in-class (57%) and all-day (28%) phone bans. Support increases with age, with those aged 65 and older showing the most support for the bans.
Republicans are also more likely to support both classroom and all-day bans, while Democrats are more in favor of classroom bans than all-day restrictions.
The big issue for most parents is that although they don't want their children distracted while learning, they also want to ensure that they're contactable during emergencies such as school shootings. Other reasons for opposing a ban in classes include it being too difficult for teachers to enforce, the belief that phones can be useful tools for teaching students, and that parents alone should decide if their child can use a phone in class.
In most states, parents' opinions on the matter count for little. Forty-two states have introduced measures restricting phone use in schools, though they vary from classroom-only and all-day bans to letting districts set their own policies.
Most students, of course, aren't in favor of these bans. One said she relies on music through headphones to concentrate on schoolwork, while others say that apps can support their learning. Student supporters, however, say that these bans give teachers more one-on-one time with them.