Weekend Poll: Should Wyoming Schools Ban Cellphones?

An increasing number of states are considering banning cell phones in school, while other states already have enacted such laws.

According to Education Week, Florida became the first state to ban students from using cell phones during class hours last year.

Now the Los  Angeles Unified School District, one of the largest in the country, has taken a similar step. California Governor Gavin Newsome is calling for a statewide ban on the phones during school hours. A new law in Ohio doesn't ban the phones, but does direct all of the state's school districts to come up with a policy on cell phones in school.

And it isn't just in this country. Several nations have school cell phone bans in place, including Israel, Great Britain, Russia and several others.

So should Wyoming ban cellphones during school hours?

Arguments For Banning Cell Phones In School

Proponents say the devices are clearly a distraction, and some go so far as to argue that simply the presence of the phones can cause students to lose focus, even if they aren't in use. But some ban proponents say the problems caused by smartphones go beyond simply being a distraction, arguing they allow for cyberbullying and have even been linked to depression.

Speaking of mental health. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is calling for a warning label on social media, advising users of the alleged negative impacts on mental health. While cell phones are not the only way to access social media, they are one of the most common ways.

Arguments Against Banning Cell Phones In School

But not everyone agrees that the phones should be banned in school.

For one thing, they allow parents to stay in touch with their kids when they are in school Some argue that decisions on smartphones should be left up to parents, not schools. Is this a parental rights issue? Some would say that it is

Smartphones can also provide students with instant information at their fingertips, ranging from dictionaries to maps to the ability to 'Google" information. Another argument against banning the phones is that if the idea of education is to prepare young people for the real world, familiarity with cellphone technology is part of that larger issue.

Of course, just passing a rule doesn't necessarily mean the phones will go away. Enforcing it without resorting to metal detectors and frisking students are they enter the school is problematic. Is driving phone use underground really a solution?

So should Wyoming schools ban cell phones? Take our poll and give us your opinion!