Gov. Bob Ferguson doesn't see a need for cell phones in schools.
Ferguson visited Lewis and Clark High School on Friday morning to discuss key legislation he's bringing forward for the 2027 legislative session. His "away for the day" initiative would prohibit cell phones in schools from the first bell to the last.
"What I'm hearing is that a statewide policy, one policy that is set for all jurisdictions, all school districts, will help make sure that students are able to focus on learning in the classroom," he said.
Students would not be allowed to keep phones in their backpacks; however, Ferguson doesn't intend for the legislation to tell districts how and where to store student devices for the day.
"You can drop off on the way in, pick it up on the way out," he said. "That helps you leave some flexibility to school districts because we understand they may have different ways they want to achieve the goal."
Ferguson acknowledged it would be an adjustment for some districts and students, and said there would be a grace period in the first year of the law, so students wouldn't be suspended for having their phones on their person or in their backpack.
He said the legislation would create better learning for students across the state, citing studies that claim students spent a quarter of their school day on their phones.
"I'm confident that in 10 years, every state in the country will have a policy like this. I don't have any doubt about it, and Washington simply can't wait any longer. We can't be the last state to do this," he said.
Spokane Public Schools already has a cell phone policy. Elementary and middle schools are phone-free during school hours. High schools prohibit phones during class time, but they can be used during pass periods and meals.
Elijah Wissing, a junior at Lewis and Clark High School, spoke about the connections he's made through school and how those connections deepened when SPS implemented a cell phone policy.
"During the springtime, we started going out to the courtyard and hanging out, playing hacky sack, just really connecting," he said. "Me and that group of guys have gotten a lot closer and a lot better friends because we found time to put screens away and connect with each other."
Teachers in the district have also noticed a difference with the cellphone policy in place. LC social studies teacher Gabe Medrano said he was "ready to yank" his hair out in frustration the year before the policy went into effect.
"I can feel the difference. I can see the difference. I'm not having to manage or watch or see who's trying to sneak a peek," he said.
Maddy Flack, a sophomore at Ferris High School, said she wouldn't care if she had to give her phone up to the school for the day, as she doesn't typically use it while there.
"I feel like the only reason I would care is if I was trying to get ahold of somebody... like at the end of the day," she said.
Zachariah Brady, a junior at North Central High School, said he worries that the school's possession of students' cell phones during the school day would be a safety issue in the case of a crisis.
"I think it is a danger to students to not have some means of contacting family members or emergency services," Brady said.
He also said he doubts the effectiveness.
"From what I've seen, I don't think it would have as big of an impact as just restricting the use did a couple years back," Brady said. "There would be almost no change, other than students finding other ways to get off task and be distracted"
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