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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
In the upcoming legislative session, Representative Rebecca Alexander (R-District 7-Jonesborough) plans to re-introduce a bill designed to limit student cell phone usage in schools.
Last year, HB2758, which would have restricted children in school from being able to look at or access electronic devices during classes, failed in the House Education Administration Committee as many of its critics argued against the specificity of the word “access”, feeling students needed the ability to utilize cell phones in case of emergencies.
Alexander believes that this year’s iteration of the bill will have bipartisan support, stating, “Sometimes, we throw a bill out there and we look at it and then it doesn’t pass, and we bring it back the next year and it passes. Sometimes, it’s a matter of us educating everyone on why we need this bill and the importance of it.”
She also purports that based on feedback from superintendents across the state the bill will look very similar to last year’s version.
Alexander also says that while she understands parental concerns of becoming disconnected from instantaneous communication, she ultimately thinks, “parents need to just let it go, trust that their schools are going to take good care of their kids and want the best for their kids.”
Should this year’s legislation pass, it would be at the discretion of each district on how to implement the changes, and some districts are ahead of the curve with policies already implemented. Warren County schools already require students to lock their phones in a specially designed pouch every day.
Tennessee is not the only state attempting to navigate the challenge of cell phones usage by students. Virginia and Ohio both have similar legislation in place, and a new study from Pew Research Center suggests that 72% of high school teachers say cell phone usage is a major distraction in the classroom.
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
