Michigan House Rejects Student Cell Phone Ban Bill

A bill proposed by Republican State Rep. Mark Tisdel to restrict cell phone use in Michigan public schools narrowly failed in the state House by three votes, with no Democrats supporting the measure despite backing from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The legislation aimed to ban cell phones for elementary students on school grounds, restrict middle schoolers from phone use during school hours, and limit high school students to no phone use during class time. The bill passed the state Senate and had bipartisan support initially, but opposition grew in the House, where some Republicans joined Democrats to vote against it, citing concerns about administrative challenges and differing policies within schools. Tisdel plans to rewrite and reintroduce the bill, potentially adopting a stricter 'bell-to-bell' ban like that pending in New York, requiring devices to be prohibited throughout the entire school day. School officials acknowledge cell phones as a growing distraction, with some districts already enforcing strict policies on device use during class. The bill's defeat highlights ongoing political divisions over how best to manage technology use in schools despite broad public support for restrictions.