Idaho Legislature: Ask legislators to VOTE NO on S1032 - Distraction-free learning policy (posted 01/30/25)

• Bill: legislature.idaho.gov/s…

• Contact Legislators: emailidaho.com

(Check the linked page or use My Bill Tracker for the bill’s current status.)

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This legislation requires that all school districts assess the impact of mobile device use on students and develop policies that promote distraction-free learning. It grants local school districts the flexibility to create policies tailored to their specific needs and circumstances.

While we agree that distraction-free learning is absolutely important, we believe this bill is unnecessary and exerts additional state control over local school districts in Idaho.

Many (if not most) Idaho schools already have “limit cell phone use” policies in place. A spot check of a small rural school district (Garden Valley), a medium-sized school district (Emmett), and a massive school district (West Ada) shows that all have admirable policies in place already. Moreover, the governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction already have addressed cell phone use, though we do not like that it included financial incentives offering a $5,000 one-time award to districts that adopt a policy.

References:

• Florida School District Banned Cell Phones and the Results Have Been Wild: thegatewaypundit.com/20…

• School Board Policies already exist for cell phones:

  • Garden Valley School District 71 3260 Electronic Communications Devices: core-docs.s3.amazonaws.…

  • Emmett Policy 3265: Students-Owned Electric Communications Devices: simbli.eboardsolutions.…

  • West Ada School Administrative Regulation 0502.80-AR(1): Cell Phone and Personal Electronic Devices - - AR(01): simbli.eboardsolutions.…

• Idaho Phone Free Learning Act: