On July 31, 2025, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a bill to ban cell phones all day in schools. Now the bill sits in the hands of the State House of Representatives, which will determine its fate. But what would change at MHS if the bill were passed?

Specifically, this new law would ban cell phones from “bell-to-bell” use, meaning that students would not be allowed to use their phones in the hallways, in the cafeteria, or in their classrooms. Instead, phones would be stored in pouches or lockers. That being said, the state has not been very clear on other ways the phones would be stored. According to the Massachusetts State Legislature's webpage, there would be “other storage options for electronic devices.” 

The only reason students would be allowed to use their phones would be if they have a medical necessity or an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) that would require them to use and to carry their phone at all times. If the bill were to pass, schools would also have to have another way for students to contact their parents or guardians and vice-versa.

The Massachusetts Senate has expressed that high schools across the state would have several options for phone storage, the first being pouches. For example, Yondr Pouches are common in schools around the world. They are magnetic-locking pouches that students would put their phones in at the beginning of the day and could only unlock at the end of the day. However, many schools end up using them for only a year or two before switching to another system, such as those in Folsom, California, where, according to an NBC News report, “after just one year, administrators decided not to continue with the costly program” and instead shifted to an “off and away” phone policy.

Bubble wrap pouches are also an option. K-12 Dive, a website that focuses on news in school environments, highlighted DeWitt Clinton High School, in the Bronx, a borough of New York City. There, the students store their cell phones in bubble-wrapped pouches at the beginning of the day, and school staff give them back at the end of last period classes.

Another option would be cell phone lockers, similar to the cell hotels that MHS presently uses in individual classrooms. These “cell hotels” are numbered pockets students are supposed to leave their phones in for a period. However, as stated by the Massachusetts State Legislature, if the proposed law were to pass, students would have to leave their phones in lockers all day.

When asked how MHS would change the policy if the bill were to pass, Principal Karen Cahill said that the details would come down to “school committee policy with the district decision. So I would rely on a conversation from the superintendent's office and school committee to work with not just myself, but the other principals in the district to be consistent with whatever that decision is.” 

Education Week, a website that informs teachers about a range of ideas concerning student learning, has articulated that over 31 states (and Washington D.C.) have laws that mandate banning or restricting cell phone use in schools. Some states, like Georgia or Florida, only ban them for grades K-8, while others, such as Oklahoma, have banned them for all grades. Pennsylvania and Delaware have incentive policies, meaning that they allow schools to apply for grants to pay for pouches to store cell phones. 

So, are the policies worthwhile? If cell phones were banned all day, then students would have to talk to each other during lunch and build social skills. Even at Milton High School, where students are only allowed on their phones during passing periods, there is still enough time for teachers to worry about the impact of these devices on the students’ mental health.

“When I see students who are walking down the hall and can't even pick up their face, walking into other kids, or just so immersed in their phone and not interacting [with] other people, that's what's concerning to me.” said Principal Karen Cahill.  

On the other hand, many students prefer the present phone guidelines and would like to use their phones in the hallway and the cafeteria. Freshman Ella Farina said, “I can’t survive without it. It's a part of me.” 

Additionally, social media is known to cause a decline in overall student well-being and mental health, but what’s interesting is that this idea is not necessarily true in schools. The Lancet Region Health-Europe Journal published a study that surveyed 1,227 teens, ages 12-15. Some students attended schools with cell phone bans in place and others did not. The study found that banning cell phones in schools had no correlation with improved mental health.

Meanwhile, some parents and students worry about the risk in schools if kids are not able to access their phones. When asked about an all-day phone ban, Freshman Burmah Kearns said it would be “unsafe.”

Yet, phones can also cause issues during emergencies.  If a phone went off loudly during a lockdown, it would ruin the point of being quiet and could make the situation unsafe. Cahill added, “In a lockdown scenario, of course, I would want to know that my child is safe. However, misinformation gets out there on social media, right? So, how do we control that?” Furthermore, students might try to contact their parents and not focus on the teachers’ efforts to keep them safe.  

In order for the bill to pass, it would have to go through the House of Representatives and be signed by Governor Maura Healey, who has already indicated her support for the ban. Then, the administration would have to rework the present guidelines for changes to be made at Milton High School. Either way, one thing's for sure: cell phone usage has become more of an issue for teachers and students alike.