The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) will shortly begin drafting a policy prohibiting cell phones and other personal electronic communication devices in classrooms.
The State’s FY 2024-25 budget has a stipulation that mandates school districts to adopt the policy approved by the State Board of Education in order to receive state funding.
At the end of June, a memo was sent by a legal advisor for SCDE to all state superintendents regarding the policy plans in case the budget passed. According to the memo, over half of the surveyed teachers supported a complete ban on the use of cell phones during the school day.
During his press conference last week, Governor McMaster discussed the issue and praised the state’s legislators for approving the proviso when he revealed his line-item vetoes.
“We all know that cell phone use is distracting. Four years ago, I began including a proviso in my executive budgets prohibiting the use of cell phones or other personal electronic communication devices by students at school. Studies show that students’ anxiety and stress related to social media are reduced when cell phone access during school hours is prohibited.I commend the General Assembly for including this proviso in this year’s state budget. Teachers should be free to teach and students free to learn without the burden of added distraction.”
On Thursday SCDE released a statement, and according to a spokesperson, it is as follows:
“We are confident that with the right policy and communication, school districts will want to adopt the policy as soon as reasonably possible. The Department will work closely with districts over the coming months not just to come into compliance with Proviso 1.103, but to free students from the distraction and pressure of constantly being on their phones. As referenced in the memo, the goal of full implementation across the state by January 2025 is achievable if the State Board takes action in August and local boards take action in September or October. Cell phones are a massive distraction in the classroom, enable all sorts of negative outcomes on campus, and their overuse is harmful to students’ development and mental health. Many teachers and parents are begging for help to deal with them, and Superintendent Weaver and the General Assembly are listening.”
