Oregon bill to ban student cellphone use in schools advances in Legislature

By Evan Watson, KGW

SALEM, Ore. (KGW) -- Oregon has moved one step closer to banning students from using cellphones at school after a committee advanced a bill to the full House of Representatives.

The bill — HB 2251 — goes further than previous proposals. Beyond prohibiting student cellphone use during class, phones would also be banned during lunch and passing periods.

School districts would be required to enforce the no-phones policy and set consequences for students who break the rules if the bill passes.

Courtney Neron, the Oregon House Committee on Education chair, said in a work session Monday that the bill would bring some uniformity to student phone policies across the state.

"I know there are a lot of different perspectives on what we should do as a state...to try to address what we know is a distraction and often a safety concern," Neron said. "Frankly, it's really impacting our students and social dynamics in schools as well."

Portland Public Schools adopted a similar "off and away" policy in January. Other school districts are using magnetic locking pouches to keep students off their phones.

Lawmakers like Neron have said the goal of HB 2251 is to fight back against the stress, anxiety and lack of focus that research associates with technology and social media.

Mary Kate Houghton, an Alliance High School teacher, previously told KGW that teachers are desperate for help reigning in phones.

"They are working really hard to keep our students engaged in an algorithm that we can't fight," Houghton said. "I will never be more interesting than TikTok."

The bill has detractors, however, including committee vice chair Emily McIntire, who said the rigid nature of a full-day ban would be complicated for school districts.

"I have a lot of concerns with this one that we're going to have our kids that are currently struggling potentially choose to not come to school," McIntire said. "The only solace I take is that kids are super resilient and my hope and prayer is that this bill goes out and comes across the way the intent truly is."

Students have also protested recent district-wide phone bans, citing safety concerns, challenges communicating with employers and family members, and the potential misguided use of district funds.

The bill carries exemptions for students with medical conditions, such as those who use their phones to monitor insulin levels. It also allows carve-outs for individualized education plans.

HB 2251 now moves from the education committee to the full House for a vote.