State schools' chief Tom Horne has officially announced his intention to aggressively push forward legislation advocating for a complete ban on cell phone use in schools across the state. In a direct push against digital disruptions in classrooms, Horne calls for a focus on academic integrity and a reduction of safety concerns on campus. Horne argued that current lax policies on cell phone use are significantly diminishing the quality of education and increasing the hardship on already burdened educators.
"Imagine being a teacher and trying to teach a class while students were scrolling on their cell phones. That this has been permitted is outrageous. It decreases student learning significantly and makes life hard for teachers who already have heavy burdens. No teacher should have to compete against phones for the attention of students," Horne stated, according to an announcement on the Arizona Department of Education's website. This renewed effort comes after a previous legislative attempt was vetoed by the Governor last year, a move Horne deems "irrational and irresponsible."
The former Tucson public school teacher, Mitchell Rutherford, joins Horne in his advocacy, recalling his resignation from the profession due to excessive mobile device usage by students, which he claims substantially hindered his teaching effectiveness. Horne's campaign is gaining momentum with backing from state legislators such as Sen. Shawnna Bolick, Rep. Beverly Pingerelli, Sen. T.J. Shope, and Rep. Matt Gress, as well as school board members like Susan Ward of Payson and infrastructure support from Apache Junction district Superintendent Dr. Bob Papalardo.
Advocates for the ban encourage constituents to reach out to the Governor's office to express their support for the proposed legislation and to ensure that classrooms can once again be environments of undistracted learning. "Leaving this to districts means some teachers will still have to teach to classes of students scrolling on cell phones, which NO teacher should be required to do," Horne conveyed, underscoring the need for a comprehensive statewide solution, as mentioned by the Arizona Department of Education's website.
