Do any countries ban smartphones at school? Could the U.S. ban phones at school?

This week the UK’s Education Secretary Gillian Keegan announced cell phones will be banned in schools across England to improve student behavior. The ban includes class time and break times and is meant to improve student focus, decrease disruptive behavior and online bullying during school hours, and remove distractions caused by phones in the classroom.

Kids will still be allowed to bring phones to school, but not to use them during the day.

Did you know there are other countries that have already banned cell phones at school?

France, Finland, China, Italy and Portugal have already decided mobile phones are disruptive and not conducive to learning at school.

Could the U.S. be next to ban phones at school?

• Teachers want to have their classrooms free of disruptions

• Research supports keeping phones away from classrooms

• The United Nations released a report in July 2023 on the risks of technology in education and smartphones in schools, recommending devices should be banned at school.

• In the U.S. Surgeon General Murthy is speaking out about the harmful effects of social media on children and teens

How you can help in your community

Talk to other concerned parents and caregivers. Use this letter template to write to your school board or principal on why they should ban cell phones at school.