In January 2025, lawmakers in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire introduced legislation to restrict student cellphone use during the school day. Andrea Campbell supported the Massachusetts bill, arguing that limiting phones would reduce classroom distractions and improve student learning. The movement follows research from UNESCO( United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization), which reported that banning phones during school hours can improve academic performance and reduce bullying. Although some argue that phones are necessary for communications and safety, growing research and classroom experience suggest that phones should remain banned during school hours.
One major reason phones should be restricted is the effect they have on attention. Studies on attention and multitasking show that even brief distractions interrupt focus. Research in cognitive psychology has found that after switching tasks, it can take significant time to fully regain concentration. In a classroom with limited learning time, these interruptions add up quickly. If students are checking notifications, scrolling through social media, or responding to messages, they are not fully engaged in the lesson. Over time, this can negatively impact academic performance.
Joelle Renstrom, a senior lecturer at Boston University, has studied this issue closely. She even conducted experiments where students placed their phones in pouches during class. At first, many students predicted they would feel anxious or annoyed without their phones. However, by the end of the experiment, most students admitted they were able to focus better. Interestingly, students also stopped leaving the classroom for unnecessary bathroom or water breaks, something that they had been doing just to check their phones. This experiment shows that even students recognize how distracting phones can be when they are removed.
Another important issue is the myth of multitasking. Many students believe they can listen to a lecture while texting a friend or scrolling on social media. Research shows this is not true. The brain cannot fully focus on two tasks at once. Instead, it switches back and forth, which lowers comprehension and memory. Joelle Renstrom explains that when students think they are multitasking, their brains are actually ‘jumping tracks,’ and it takes time to return to the original focus. This constant switching weakens attention and makes learning less effective.
In my opinion, phones should be banned in schools because they are simply too distracting. Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are designed to capture attention as long as possible through notifications and endless scrolling. In my own experience, I struggled to focus during years when phones were allowed in class. During my senior year, when phone restrictions were enforced at the state level rather than just individual teachers, I noticed a significant improvement in my focus and understanding of the material. School should be a place where students develop discipline, concentration, and strong study habits. Allowing unrestricted phone use in classrooms makes that goal much harder to achieve.
