SELLERSBURG, Ind. (WDRB) — From the first bell of the school day to the last one, Indiana students will no longer be allowed to use their cellphones under a new state law that took effect before the start of the new school year.
Gov. Mike Braun signed Senate Bill 78 in March, requiring students to leave their devices at home or in their backpack, purse or locker for the entire day.
Before the law was passed, many students could use their phones during lunch and while passing from class to class. Now, they have to be turned off and put away all day.
The bell-to-bell ban is seeing mixed opinions from students, with some questioning whether the law is too extreme.
"I could see why they would want to make the law, because it can be a distraction for students," said CJ Duke, who is preparing for her freshman year at Silver Creek Senior High School. "I think that it can be unsafe because if there was to have something happen like a school shooting, not having a phone could be dangerous."
Duke is understanding, but thinks Indiana's new law goes a few steps too far. Seeing the law in action isn't something she is excited about as she prepares for her freshman year.
"Before, students would bring their backpacks to each class, but now they're staying in the office and the phones stay in as well," she said.
Students at Silver Creek used to be able to use their phones during lunch and while going between classes. Now, with Indiana's new state law, they can't access their phone during the entire school day.
"By the time the bell rings at eight o'clock, it needs to be in their locker and turned off," Principal Rob Willman said.
Willman believes this change will help students stay engaged and interactive during class. While there won't be any verbal warnings, Willman said if students are caught with their phones they will have detention after school.
"The further away that phone is the more focused you are," he said.
Every student at the high school has a locker. But New Albany-Floyd County Schools Superintendent Travis Madison said that's not the case for his district.
"We still want the phones inaccessible during the day, but it could be stored away in their backpack or a purse," Madison said.
Students at NAFCS will have their phones taken away and given back at the end of the day if they're caught using it during school.
Students at both schools can go to their school's office to call their parents if needed, but Duke said that in her experience, that option isn't always available.
"But what happened to my brother is, he went down and he said 'I want to call my mom,' and they said 'You can't,' and they wouldn't let him call my mom," she said.
The reason for calling a parent may determine whether the student is allowed to call or not. Each school district will have different rules about where kids should keep their phones during the day and the consequences they face if they don't follow the rules.
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