IN CLEVELAND – A new Ohio House Bill would change the school day for all Ohio students by making it illegal to use cell phones, computers, and social media in the classroom. If it passes, this would make the school day more interesting for everyone.
“Study in the classroom.” You can’t text, watch TikTok or Snapchat, or order your lunch on it, said Republican State Representative Tom Young, who represents the Dayton area.
Young is one of the main people who support House Bill 485.
If it passes, every school district in Ohio will have to make its own rule.
There are times when you can use your cell phone, like in an emergency or while getting medical help.
To stop the bad effects of social media on K–12 kids at school, Young said it was a good step forward.
“One picture sent to a group of students, one incident of bullying, or the wrong use of a computer in the classroom can have a bad effect on someone’s life,” Young said.
In his State of the State speech earlier this month, Governor Mike DeWine said the same thing.
Young said, “Let’s be clear: it’s annoying.” “There are issues with bullying and mental health issues that come up because of these cell phones.”
Some school districts, like Parma, already have rules about how long students can use their cell phones in class. A story from FOX 8 last year said that some Normandy High School students’ phones were locked in a safe while they were at school.
The bill would also require school districts to make an internet safety policy for students who use school-provided internet access. It would specifically ban TikTok and limit student access at school to “age-appropriate subject matter and materials” online.
“There has been no pushback at all when you talk to young people, like students, which is what I’ve done,” Young said. The adults are the ones who make the rules, and this bill is the only one that pays attention to what they have to say.
The bill also says that schools can’t use TikTok to promote any school-run club or program. Young said he expects social media companies to fight back and has set up meetings to talk with them about it. He wasn’t clear about which businesses he had talked to.
