KDSN RADIO News
Governor’s bill on cell phone use in Iowa schools clears subcommittee
The governor’s proposal to ban students from using cell phones during class time has cleared initial review in the Iowa Senate.
School districts would have to adopt policies for cell phone use by the start of the next school year. 6th, 7th, and 8th graders would also have to learn about the effects of social media as part of the bill.
Dave Daughton, a lobbyist for the School Administrators of Iowa and Rural School Advocates, said state officials need to provide sample policies and professional development before schools have to enforce the bill.
“What has happened a couple of times with some other legislation that went through — schools went ahead and implemented what they thought was right, and then got policy sample policies and things like that after the fact,” Daughton said, “which made them have to redo some of the work they did.”
Schools would be able to provide exemptions for students with health issues or disabilities who need to use personal electronic devices in class.
