Banning phones in schools. Yay or nay? It’s certainly a topic that’s raised debate on both sides in recent years as more states look to enforce stricter rules. Interestingly, however, it does appear that public opinion is starting to sway heavily towards the ‘pro ban’ camp.
A new report from the Pew Research Center has just concluded that an overwhelming 77 percent of adults surveyed now support a ban on phones in the classroom. That’s a massive increase from the 36 percent reported just two years ago.
The ban on phones in the classroom is generally considered distinct from a full ban on devices in schools – commonly referred to as a ‘bell-to-bell’ ban. Support for a full ban remains firmly split in the Pew report, with 48 percent of adults supporting a full ban in comparison.
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Teachers have long been overwhelming advocates of stricter rules. A 2024 survey by the National Education Association found that a whopping 90 percent of teachers supported a ban on phones in class, whereas this 2025 survey by RAND found that 70 percent of school principals believe bans have a positive effect in school. Now, however, it appears that the general public is increasingly on board.
But what do you think? At TechRadar, we’re interested in hearing what our readers have to say. I’ve attached a poll just down below, and we’d also love to hear your concerns in the comments, if you have any.
Do you support a phone ban in the classroom?
The case for a ban
- Studies have suggested an improvement in suspension rates
- Evidence for improved performance is more mixed
On a gut level, it certainly feels like phones should be out of the classroom. As adults, we’re increasingly recognizing the perceived downsides of doomscrolling, social media, or other common phone-based habits. I know I’ve certainly felt frustrated at my own tendency to be distracted by my phone during work hours.
Luckily, we don’t have to just rely on gut feeling; however, as there is in fact some evidence to suggest that phone bans in schools result in better outcomes for students.
Perhaps the most convincing report I’ve seen is from the Education Next Journal, which collated evidence from Florida’s state-wide ban in 2023. While other states have followed suit, Florida is a particularly good case as it was the first state to actually institute a ban. In short, the data is strong here.
Interestingly, the report suggests a higher suspension rate in the first year of the ban, followed by a return to a base level, followed by an overall decrease. Test scores remained steady in the year after the ban but then massively improved in the second year. That suggests it takes a while for any positive changes to be evident.
Another excellent report is from the National Bureau of Economic Research, which studied students from 40,000 schools nationwide between 2019 and 2025. In this study, students reported a greater sense of well-being post-ban as well as decreased suspension rates long-term (after a temporary increase).
This report’s findings are a little less cut-and-dry than Education Next’s, however, as it didn’t find any meaningful effects on test scores. Overall, the report still skews toward viewing a ban favorably, and crucially reports on students’ own sense of well-being.
The case against a ban
- Parents cite child safety as a concern
- Questions remain around other tech devices
So are there any arguments against a ban? Well, the answer is actually yes; there are a few, and they’re mostly fielded by concerned parents.
The most common point I’ve seen raised is the issue of safety in schools. Some have commented that they’d prefer for their child to have a phone in the case of an emergency on school grounds.
Even though I don’t have kids, I can certainly empathize with parents in this case. Sadly, we know that violence continues to be an issue in schools, so it’s a very good point that absolutely shouldn’t be ignored when exploring this topic.
One other point that I’ve seen raised, and one that certainly also holds weight, is that even with a phone ban, children may still be distracted by other forms of technology in the classroom. If a child still has a laptop, for example, then they may still have access to social media, messaging, and so on.
This was actually suggested by the authors of the National Bureau of Economic Research report as one of the reasons why test results didn’t improve in their study. Certainly, it could suggest that you really need a holistic approach to technology as a whole in the classroom. Banning smartphones could just be the start.
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