Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell is behind proposed legislation called 'The Study Act' that would ban student's cell phone and personal electronic device use 'bell to bell' in public schools.
The bill also proposes standards that social media companies use to encourage the safe and responsible use of social media.
Currently, the policies that determine student use of cell phones during the school day differ from district to district.
But Campbell said the new bill provides public schools with a consistent cell phone policy across the state. "No school district has a bell-to-bell policy," she said. "We have heard from educators who are fully in support of this bill."
State Representative Alice Peisch is one of the bill's sponsors and explained why the bill is needed. "There is constant distraction among the students that prevents them from really fully focusing on what is being taught," she said.
A recent Pew Research Center study showed most U.S. high school teachers support banning cellphone use by students during the school day.
But, another study showed many parents want their kids to have access to cell phones during the school day in case of an emergency.
The other co-sponsors of the bill are State Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian and State Senator Julian Cyr.
WBZ News Radio's Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.