(The Center Square) — Maine lawmakers are considering proposed restrictions on the use of smartphones and other electronic gadgets in schools, but the move is facing pushback — even from some education officials.
The Democratic-led proposals range from a pilot project aimed at reducing electronic device distractions during the school day to a complete bell-to-bell ban on “cellular phones” in the state’s public school classrooms.
Backers of the proposals, all of which are pending before the Legislature’s Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, argue the restrictions are needed to help address rising youth mental health issues that have been linked to rampant social media use.
“Our students are learning less, being less sociable and overall having negative impacts from constant cell phone use,” state Sen. Stacy Brenner, D-Scarborough, one of the bill’s sponsors, said in testimony Wednesday during a hearing. “Apps such as TikTok and Instagram have been increasingly leading to anxiety and fragility and students.”
However, some education groups are pushing back on the proposals, arguing that they would impose unfunded mandates on local governments, even where schools aren’t having problems with distracted students.
The Maine School Boards Association said a statewide mandate is unnecessary because many schools already have policies limiting student electronic device use in the classroom.
“Our schools are already finding solutions that work the best for their local students, families, and educators,” Steven Bailey, the association’s executive director, said in testimony. “And we feel strongly that they do not need a pilot program – especially one that would not be funded until the 2026-27 school year — to study the effects of those policies on student learning and behavior.”
Bailey said school boards also “feel strongly that the adoption of any policy should remain a local decision and should not be mandated by state legislation.”
The Maine Superintendents Association said it neither supports nor opposes the proposed ban, but also feels that it is unnecessary, with many schools implementing plans to reduce student use of phones in the classroom.
Eileen King, the group’s executive director, acknowledged recent studies that the use of social media is causing harm to students’ mental health but argued that technology has a “worthwhile place” in schools.
“Access to electronic devices has opened new learning opportunities and approaches for our students, and many students need devices for practical reasons: to monitor health conditions or communicate with family members and employers,” she wrote.
Maine is among several states considering “bell-to-bell” phone bans in schools, which restrict cell phone use from the start of the school day to the end. Others include New York, New Hampshire and Maryland. At least eight states have implemented bans or restrictions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
