Ever wonder why we can’t get on our phones? Are you frustrated about the new law? Well, me too. I’m here to express my opinion about the matter. Although, I do have some information about the law Governor Abbott signed on June 20, 2025, the law in Texas that all cell phones or any other electronic devices shall not in use during the school day in grades K-12.
Many students across the state of Texas find the law displeasing, while countless teachers agree with the law and enforce it happily. Governor Abbott said “Educators and researchers have raised concerns about the impact that smartphones have on student learning and student engagement. Experts have explained that smartphones and social media affect the mental health of children. If we are going to be number one in education, it is going to require the undivided attention of our students in the classroom.”
While I don’t oppose the law, I do believe that phones can distract students during educational times. We all know that phones decrease academic performance. Phones also rank at the top of numerous teenage mental health issues. I also believe that phones have a use at school. For example, when one cannot grasp the concept of what the teacher taught, the internet often provides more of an explanation than the teachers, mainly due to the classroom size. The world rages about AI, the biggest controversial topic involves phone usage. I feel AI has a use for a lot of educational topics, however, we as students abuse this tool and ultimately never learn about the subject at hand.
Mr. Whitman, one of the English II teachers here at Ball High said “I think we are getting better engagement out of the students, so I am a fan.” I agree with Mr. Whitman, but still an extreme number of teenagers do not abide by the law, which I feel is that it’s going to damage their academic performance, so they don’t have the same opportunities as a student who pays attention in class and studies.
To be fair, each side should have the ability to able to express their opinions about the law, I asked one of my best friends her judgement on the law and this was her perspective, “It should definitely be a choice as it can used as an educational resource.”
Ida makes a great point. Before the law the no phone rule was a teacher rule depending on how they felt about phones, Phones have the ability be a good educational tool, but as I stated we as students sometimes abuse the opportunity of using them as such.
