Delaware County Review

State officials, including Senators Andrew Brenner and Jane Timken, along with Governor Mike DeWine, gathered yesterday to discuss the implications of Senate Bill 158, a legislative proposal aimed at regulating cell phone use by students in Ohio's public schools. This move is supplemented by Braden's Law, effective as of today.

Senator Brenner emphasized the challenges posed by cell phone usage in educational settings: "We have seen a significant amount of learning loss due to student cell phone use in schools. Ohio is taking the lead on this issue, and I believe this legislation will move quickly through the Ohio Legislature." Braden's Law, which Brenner spearheaded, establishes the offense of sexual extortion as a third-degree felony.

Senator Timken highlighted the pervasive nature of digital distractions: "The average child student in the classroom is getting over 11 notifications an hour... They are constantly wondering, 'What am I missing?' This does not provide for a conducive learning environment and also has a damaging social effect." She advocated for disconnecting students from technology to promote better learning.

Governor DeWine echoed these sentiments, proposing a plan for cell phone-free classrooms in his executive budget. "We need to make sure our classrooms are actually cell phone-free," he stated. "Constant notifications make it almost impossible for students to focus."

The officials deem the legislative efforts as pragmatic, aiming to enhance academic performance and reduce issues like cyberbullying. The hope is that eliminating cell phones from classrooms will strengthen instruction and interpersonal relations essential for development.

Schools across the state have already implemented policies addressing cell phone use, reporting improvements in student engagement, attendance, grades, and social skills since the enforcement of a related law last year.

In attendance at the conference were Fran DeWine, Ohio's First Lady; Dr. John Marschhausen, Superintendent of Dublin City School District; and Tina Husted, former Second Lady of Ohio.