By Genine Hopkins
The new smartphone ban that was signed into law by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer this month that will officially take effect in the 2026-2027 school year attempts to address distracted students in classrooms that can diminish the effectiveness during learning times. But Clare County school districts have already taken steps to curb cell phone use during class and don’t expect much to change except perhaps with the exceptions written into the law.
Farwell Area Schools’ new Superintendent, who formerly held the role of principal at the elementary school said the ban of cell phones in the classroom has been in place for at least a couple of years. The ban might have been the bane of some middle and high school students but for the most part, it has not been met with much resistance from parents or students, and has even worked in keeping students on task during school hours.
“We had a few students who were upset and challenged teachers but on a whole, they were cooperative and are now reaping the benefits of not having distractions during class time,” said Carrie Carncross, “It won’t be hard to make sure we are adhering to the new requirements.”
The same can be said for Harrison Community Schools, where Superintendent Judy Walton told the Clare County Review the ban was in full effect during all school hours since this current school year began. Since August 2024 (prior school year), there was a ban on the Middle School but high school students were allowed to use their phones during their lunch period.
“We felt that the decision to have students keep their cell phones in their lockers throughout the school day was prudent to maximizing their learning and preventing distractions in the classroom,” Walton said, “To be honest, law enforcement prefers this because in the event of any type of emergency, if students all begin to use their cell phones they clog up dispatch lines as well as take student focus away from the adult or adults who are in charge of their safety, and can actually create unsafe situations by drawing attention to locations through notification noises.”
Schools across the country are dealing with distracted students in classrooms due to screens – predominantly personal smartphone screens – that students use during lectures and other class time. The use of these screens has prompted many school districts and many states to institute bans. There are multiple reasons why the use of some technology can reduce educational outcomes and many students are using them to post to social media and play games while they are in school. Reduction in attention and comprehension of lessons is but one small part in addition to the stress and anxiety that social media has on tweens and teens. While students are encouraged to learn the skills in technology that may benefit them in future jobs, use of technology during time that should be devoted to lessons is counterproductive and reduces the student’s understanding of material.
Despite these negative outcomes, sometimes parents and students enjoy the connectivity that cell phones provide, especially during emergencies, allowing students to speak with parents or other caregivers and at times law enforcement in reporting emergency situations. But as Walton indicated, while that may put parents’ minds at ease, especially during emergencies, it can be counterproductive for law enforcement and for the students, who may fail to understand the instructions adults and teachers in the classroom are providing to keep them safe.
While the new law is only incumbent upon K-12 public schools to follow, it should be noted, especially with the high number of students dual enrolled in colleges such as Clare and Isabella County’s Mid Michigan College, that while colleges as a whole haven’t banned phone use and other technology during class, instructors have the freedom to choose what technology they allow in the classroom. This applies to all colleges and universities across the country, so it would be prudent to have your child check the technology the instructor allows in the classroom in the syllabus.
So while the law will make mandatory across the state a ban on cell phones in all public schools, Clare County schools have been ahead of the curve. The sad detail is that such a law was needed in the first place, with many students, both those who were using cell phones in the classroom as well as those who didn’t bring cell phones, having a distracted, learning experience.
