KDSN RADIO News
Iowa Senate adjusts, then approves bill on restrictions on cell phone use in class
The legislature is still tinkering with the governor’s plan to require that Iowa school districts adopt policies that restrict students from using smartphones when they’re in classes.
Senator Lynn Evans, a Republican from Aurelia, said the bill is designed to “give a nudge” to Iowa public schools that haven’t developed a smartphone policy yet.
“We’re encouraging school boards to take up a matter that we all know could be a problem, but it doesn’t take away local control,” Evans said. “It allows them to develop this policy in a manner that best fits their school district and addresses needs in their community.”
The bill passed the senate unanimously. Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, noted the bill doesn’t prohibit cell phones during class, but calls for restrictions.
“Most school districts have already adopted policies far more limiting than this bill, but if this bill encourages a few more to get on with it and adopt at least some minimalist policy, I suppose that’s a good thing,” Quirmbach said.
The House approved a bill on the topic last week. Yesterday, senators added a requirement that Iowa’s Education Department provide model cell phone guidelines to schools by May 1. The policies must be in place on July 1.
Senator Sarah Trone Garriott of Waukee and other Democrats argued the no-cell-phones-in-class requirement should apply to Iowa’s private schools, too.
“It is good for kids whether they are in public schools or private schools, charter schools — whatever kinds of schools our state tax dollars are funding in some way,” she said.
Republican senators voted down that idea.
Governor Reynolds also had recommended sixth, seventh and eighth grade students undergo social media training in school, but that proposal was removed from the bill by the House last week and it’s not in the version Senators approved yesterday.
