It’s just a bill
Friday, Jun 27, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* During spring session, the House failed to pass one of Governor Pritzker’s priorities that would restricted the use of cellphones in classrooms. IPM Newsroom…
Under Senate Bill 2427, each school district would create their own policy for banning cell phones in class by the start of the 2026 school year.
“In conversations with educators from around the state, there is one thing most commonly cited as an impediment to classroom learning: cell phones,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker cited a study from the Pew Research Center that found 72 percent of high school teachers say cell phones are a major problem in their classrooms.
Pritzker said students would be allowed to use smartphones in the classroom in certain circumstances, like if a student monitors a medical condition with their phone.
* Earlier this month, the Tribune took a closer look at why the bill didn’t pass…
A coalition of Illinois House lawmakers blocked the [cellphone ban] measure when it came to the House late in the session over concerns about unequal disciplinary impacts, according to bill sponsor, Democratic state Rep. Michelle Mussman of Schaumburg.
Concerns about enforcement disproportionately affecting Black and brown students became more pronounced as lawmakers reviewed the phone restriction alongside another bill limiting police from ticketing students for minor misbehavior, according to Mussman. Legislators were hesitant to pass a statewide school mandate while also debating a measure meant to scale back school discipline practices, she said.
Rep. Curtis Tarver, a Chicago Democrat and a member of the Black caucus, told the Tribune in February he worried about the “unintended consequences” of a phone ban, including inequitable enforcement. […]
In the end, negotiations around the measure came down to a “dance” between ensuring local school boards had control over their own policies while also protecting students from “inequitably applied” policies, Mussman said. Moreover, representatives were unsure how to implement guidance on “how a phone might be returned if it was confiscated, or what to do if anything was lost or broken,” she added.
* Even so, Chalkbeat Chicago’s Samantha Smylie reported this week that sponsors say the bill isn’t completely dead…
State Sen. Cristina Castro, the chief sponsor of the bill, said in an interview with Chalkbeat that she did not hear strong opposition to the bill, but believes the language of the bill needed some “fine-tuning.” […]
Bryen Johnson, director of political activities for the Illinois Federation of Teachers, one of the largest unions in the state, said the union generally supports the idea of removing cellphones from classrooms so students can remain focused on their lessons. But the union did not file a witness slip in support of the bill because of unanswered questions, including one regarding liability. […]
State Rep. Michelle Mussman, a House sponsor of the bill and chair of the House’s education policy committee, said in an email to Chalkbeat that lawmakers brought up several concerns such as access to phones in an emergency situation, who would be responsible if a phone was stolen or broken, and enforcement of a policy and whether it would be disproportionately applied to students of color.
Mussman said negotiations over the bill will continue over the summer. Castro says that she and Mussman are committed to getting the bill over the finish line. The bill could return during the fall veto session.
Thoughts?
- Amalia - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 10:07 am:
wonder how a cellphone ban would be taken by some parents. USSupCt just said parents can opt kids out of LGBT classroom instruction
- Perrid - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 10:17 am:
I don’t see why it needs a statewide ban. Each school should have a policy that, at minimum, students can’t use it during class. That really should not be a question. The whole point kids are there is to learn, which you do by paying attention and working. You can’t do that if you’re texting or scrolling. I’m not really against a statewide law, but it boggles the mind that it’s necessary.
Schools and teachers absolutely have the authority to tell kids to put their phones away or face disciplinary action, the same as any other misbehavior. That is and should be completely separate from calling the police, the two are not and should not be conflated by anyone with a brain.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 10:28 am:
It would help teachers to remove one thing they don’t have to spend classtime disciplining over. Phone bans in schools have been shown to work to help increase learning. My kids went to a private school (I know this is not an option for many) which had a cell phone ban K through 8 (they didn’t attend that high school) and it was wonderful to all concerned.
- Yooper in Diaspora - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 10:34 am:
It would be worth seeing how other states are addressing concerns about liability and inequitable disciplinary action. Asking someone to put away a phone is something I try to do in college classrooms, but from committee meetings to family gatherings, it now looks more rude to be reading a book than to be on one’s phone (or computer) when sitting among other people. That said, requiring students to not have cell phones present does help create a habit of knowing what it is like to navigate time and learning apart from the ability to be on the phone so often, so I strongly support the bill.
- Steve - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 10:48 am:
- he worried about the “unintended consequences” of a phone ban, including inequitable enforcement. -
It’s hard to believe that members of Illinois Federation of Teachers or IEA would discriminate against non-white students. MAGA members don’t control the government schools in Illinois. The cell phone ban is a great idea, no wonder other states are adopting it.
- M - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 11:16 am:
As a current middle school teacher, I am ridiculously frustrated that this has stalled. The amount of time and energy spent on enforcing phone policies is ridiculous. 90% of my students have phones out and are actively on them at some point in my class and my school has a “no phones” policy. I can ask them to put it away and most do but 2 minutes later it is back and out. The number of phone calls I have to make home about phones and usually the response is “I’ll talk to them.” And nothing changes.
Period—most schools have a policy but it is ineffective. Kids get more dopamine from phones than they do learning. I can be dancing at the front of the room but it will not beat the instant gratification that comes from their phone. I hate that it is necessary too but that is the moment we are in.
CUSD 300 is currently waiting on the results of a research study they conducted with all groups (students, staff, parents, and community). They gave an update at one of the last board meetings but the results were not ready yet.
- Pundent - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 11:35 am:
I agree that cellphones are a major distraction. But I’m not sure that waiting for the legislature to solve the problem is the answer. The teachers at my kids high school effectively police it but I would admit they are inconsistent. But that seems to be a problem for the administration to solve not the state.
- The Farm Grad - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 11:41 am:
M - Friday, how would you feel about an AI interface that you’d wear during class, and would enable you to better engage your students?
(i do agree with you regarding phones in classrooms. in fact, in silicon valley, many exclusive schools ban computers in grades k-8)
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 11:46 am:
===would enable you to better engage===
lol
wut
- Pundent - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 11:56 am:
=in silicon valley, many exclusive schools ban computers in grades k-8=
Yes and ironically that’s where many of the tech bros are sending their kids. But they tend to be a bit nutty.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 11:56 am:
Banning phones in classrooms is the best answer. The specific law or regulation doesn’t matter much.
I have relatives that are high school teachers and they report the phone situation is a nightmare.
- Really? - Friday, Jun 27, 25 @ 12:17 pm:
Students using their phones in class is absurd. Hard no to that concept. Next.