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House hearing on HB1160: lawmakers debate banning student cell phone use during instructional time
Summary
Representative Levi Jonas presented House Bill 1160, a proposal to prohibit student cellular-telephone use during instructional time, telling the House Education Committee the intent is to improve academic engagement and student behavior by removing phones during class.
Representative Levi Jonas on Thursday opened a hearing on House Bill 1160, a proposal that would prohibit students from using cellular telephones during instructional time.
Jonas told the House Education Committee the bill is intended to boost student engagement and academic achievement by limiting classroom access to personal cell phones. "The idea of this bill is to put the cell phones off and away for that hour, hour and a half," Jonas said, adding that the proposal is a starting point for districts that do not have a policy.
Several witnesses testified in support. Rachel Lochner, principal of West Fargo High School, described a school policy implemented in fall 2022 that restricts phones “from bell to bell” and said staff have seen fewer behavior incidents and improved classroom focus. "We're 2 and a half years into the policy at West…
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