PHOENIX — As cell phone use plagues classrooms and pushes teachers out of the industry, Arizona State Superintendent Tom Horne announced a renewed push to enact a law to ban phones in classes.
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In a press conference Thursday morning, Horne stressed the challenge teachers face of commanding attention away from cell phones.
"It makes it that much more difficult to constantly be nagging on kids to put their cell phones away," Horne said. "It's become the heroin of our time."
Horne urged that people watching press legislators and Gov. Katie Hobbs for a ban to be codified in law. Under the "away for the day" approach Horne supported, schools would have no choice but to enact the bans.
"Last year I lobbied for a bill that would make sure cell phones are away for the school days," Horne said.
Although that bill passed the legislature, Hobbs later vetoed that bill writing that schools were already addressing cell phone use in classes. Her explanation letter said the bill would be unnecessary.
Horne was joined by Mitchell Rutherford of Tucson. Rutherford, a former teacher, recently left his position citing frustration over the "proliferation" of students using their phones in class.
Rutherford said that this legislature would be "an opportunity for freedom for our students."
He shared his struggles with trying to manage phone use in classrooms and stressed that students needed connection, tools and structure.
"School in America serves a much greater function than just academics," Rutherford said. "[Students are] here learning how to communicate and be a part of a community."
Rutherford said he noticed his students had become more disengaged and determined it was due to their cell phone usage.
"I was like omg it's cell phones," Rutherford said. "That's what's making my kids seem so apathetic, so disengaged so lonely and have too many mental health issues themselves."
Natasha Sailor, an Arizona resident, said it was her opinion that eliminating cell phone access to children could be "dangerous".
"Because of all the school shootings going around, I think kids should be able to get a hold of their parents," Sailor said "They can implement rules at their school to keep their phone usage to a minimum but I do think it's important that they get ahold of their loved one in crisis."
Horne acknowledged some parents give their children cell phones due to safety concerns but said the protocol in a school lockdown is to remove cell phones.
"You don't want students on their cell phones. You want them listening to instructions, and if they're all their cell phones it could interfere with the broadband that are needed for emergency communications," Horne said. "If it's a problem at home, the school needs to have a line where parents can call in."
When asked why this policy needs to be a statewide ban when school districts make their own policies, Horne said that if it wasn't, then some teachers would still be forced to contend with cell phones in classes.
State Sen. Shawnna Bolick, Payson school district governing board member Susan Ward and Supt. Dr. Bob Papalardo of the Apache Junction district were also present for the announcement.
"No teacher at any level should have to teach a class while kids are scrolling on their cell phones," Horne concluded.
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