PASCO, Wash. — Washington Governor Bob Ferguson says one of the top legislative priorities in the upcoming session is banning cellphones in schools statewide.
At an event in Pasco on Wednesday, Ferguson talked about his proposal which would remove smartphones and smart watches from the first to last bell in K-12 public schools in Washington state.
“As a parent to teenagers, I know firsthand how distracting cellphones are,” Governor Ferguson said. “Many Washington schools and districts have taken steps to get cellphones out of classrooms – but they need support. It’s time for Washington to join the growing number of states banning cell phones in school.”
The governor says about 95% of teenagers in the United States have cell phones, and about 97% of those teenagers use them during school hours.
In the last legislative session, Gov. Ferguson signed a bill that adopted a study on cell phones in schools rather than implementing immediate policy changes.
Multiple school districts in eastern Washington already have cell phone restrictions in place for students. In the Cheney School District, middle school students are restricted from using cell phones during school hours, while high school students cannot use cell phones during class time. The Central Valley School District also has a cell phone policy that only allows high school students to use their phones during lunch or in emergencies.
Gov. Ferguson said he expects to announce a detailed proposal on this statewide cell phone ban by September 15. If passed, school districts will implement the policy in September of next year.
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