What do the nation’s largest teacher union and the country’s most conservative governor agree on? Smartphones—specifically, keeping them out of the classroom.
In 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made his state the first to prohibit students from using cellphones during instructional time. Policymakers in other states quickly followed, including South Carolina, Indiana, and California. Now, lawmakers in Tennessee and New Hampshire are among those considering similar proposals.
The plans have remarkable bipartisan support. Florida’s K-12 system is known for school choice, deregulation, and strong civics standards, while California schools are dominated by unions and lessons on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” are common. Yet officials in both states correctly view phones as a distraction to learning. So, too, does the National Education Association, a reliably…
