Cell phone ban begins in South Carolina schools

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - For many schools across the Midlands, Jan. 7 will be the first day back from winter break. That means South Carolina’s new law banning cell phones in public school classrooms will take full effect.

The Palmetto State joins others across the U.S. in an effort to keep children free from distractions during the school day.

The new law that prohibits the use of cell phones in classrooms will be the first time students face this level of restriction. The S.C. Department of Education calls the initiative “free to focus,” aiming at eliminating distractions in the classroom.

The ban has been met with mixed emotions, specifically from parents.

After a model policy was approved by the state board of education last fall, school districts were then told to adopt that same policy or draft their own. That policy had to be at least as strict as the one set out by the state.

The deadline for writing and setting that policy was January.

Students across the Midlands are not permitted to hold, carry or use a cell phone from “bell to bell,” meaning from morning until dismissal time.

Phones can be placed in backpacks or lockers as outlined in most district policies.

For one Midlands mother, this poses several concerns, especially as it relates to emergencies.

“That’s the main reason why I would want my child to have a phone is to be able to communicate, just in case there is an emergency or something happens, and I am not hearing from a teacher as soon as I could possibly hear from them,” said Marisa Carter, a parent in the Sumter School District.

Carter said parents often buy their children cell phones to be able to communicate with them during the day.

While she said parents should be telling their children not to text and avoid distractions, she believes this ban is “excessive.”

Some Lexington County school districts are allowing students as many as 5 violations before an outright ban of cell phones on school property.

Some of the most extreme punishments include up to 5 days of out-of-school suspension and even expulsion.

“I am unfortunately one of those worst-case scenario people, I’m a cup half empty and not half full,” said parent Lizzie Ratliff. “I just worry. I want our kids to be safe.”

While Richland School Districts One and Two share similar policies, their consequences differ.

In Richland One, consequences could vary from parental conversations and detention to suspension for up to 5 days.

However, in Richland Two, consequences include redirection and confiscated devices.

Kerry Mcguire’s children attend a private school, and while the state policy has no effect on them, their school has had a cell phone ban for quite some time.

“I find that it’s a good thing, it’s done well,” she said. “No one’s phone is stolen or anything like that.”

Policies for each school district:

• Lexington County School District 1
• Lexington County School District 2
• Lexington CountySchool District 3
• Lexington County School District 4
• Lexington/Richland County School District 5
• Richland County School District 1
• Richland County School District 2
• Sumter County School District
• Kershaw County School District 
• Clarendon County School District
• Lee County School District 
• Calhoun County School District 
• Orangeburg County School District 

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.