School boards across Virginia are about to start cracking down on students using cell phones.
Cell phones are a distraction in the classroom. That's the verdict of teachers, parents and even members of the General Assembly, who are sending the governor a bill requiring school divisions create a policy on smartphone screen time. Senator Stella Pekarsky is a Democrat from Fairfax County who is a former chairwoman of the Fairfax County School Board. She introduced a bill she says expands on a recent executive order from Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.
"I agree with the governor as to the importance of ensuring that our kids have cell phone distraction-free learning," Pekarsky says. "And I'd like to ensure that we take decisive and binding action that will now mandate that every school system have to put a policy in place."
Delegate Sam Rasoul is a Democrat from Roanoke who says it's important that students not be suspended or expelled just because they use a cell phone.
"The whole point of the cell phone policy is to do as much as we can at being proactive about having age-appropriate, cell phone policies throughout our Virginia schools, while at the same time not using that as an excuse to suspend and expel students," Rasoul says. "We want to set up students for success."
The governor now has an opportunity to amend the bill he received from Pekarsky and Rasoul, and then members of the General Assembly will return in April to consider any potential changes.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
