Opinion: Protecting our students’ learning and mental health through smart cellphone policies

In today’s classrooms, the battle for student attention has reached a breaking point. Phones have transformed from simple communication tools into pocket-sized supercomputers, and they’ve transformed Utah’s classrooms with them.
We have a combined 22 years of teaching experience — one of us is a former schoolteacher and administrator, while the other currently teaches at Salem Hills High School. Despite our varied experiences with cellphones in the classroom, we’ve reached the same conclusion. While technology can enhance learning, modern smartphones also create unprecedented challenges for teachers and students. We believe it’s time for Utah schools to implement commonsense cellphone policies.
Even a decade ago, cellphones didn’t fight for our attention like they do today. In the classroom, that meant students were more present. The learning environment was more focused, and students had fewer barriers to fully engaging with their education. Teachers could concentrate on teaching, and students were more attuned to the lesson at hand.
Early phones were just that — phones. It made sense for children to have direct access to their parents for check-ins or emergencies. Phones were allowed in classrooms by default because they seemed harmless. Those devices are a thing of the past. Today, modern cellphones are all-in-one devices with unfettered access to games, social media and pornography — turning classrooms into battlefields for attention.
Let’s look at the data: A study on the impact of mobile phone usage on student learning showed that “students who did not use their phones wrote down 62% more information and scored a full letter grade and a half higher on tests than those who were using their phones.” It is also evident that excessive smartphone use, particularly on social media, can contribute to a range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. Beyond the emotional toll, constant distractions and interruptions from smartphone notifications disrupt concentration and contribute to heightened stress levels.
Society has significantly restricted our youth’s opportunities to explore the real world on their own, yet we’ve left them virtually unchecked in the digital world. This imbalance is having serious consequences for the rising generation, impacting their mental health and development.
Social scientist Jonathan Haidt calls this “the great rewiring.” In Utah, we’ve consistently demonstrated our commitment to prioritizing our children’s well-being. Now, it’s time to extend that commitment into the classroom by addressing the pervasive influence of smartphones on their education and overall well-being. It’s time for a reset.
As former and current educators, legislators and parents, we understand how these distractions affect our students and teachers. Addressing smartphone use in schools is a crucial step in mitigating these effects and promoting better mental health for students. This is why we’re running legislation for the 2025 General Session aimed at promoting better smartphone usage policies in schools to foster a better learning environment and protect children’s well-being.
This legislation aims to empower school districts, teachers and students to create a more focused and productive learning environment. By setting a clear baseline for cellphone use, we provide schools with the flexibility to develop policies that best support their educational objectives while minimizing distractions. Teachers will no longer have to play the role of enforcer, constantly managing phone use instead of focusing on teaching.
This approach aims to enhance student engagement, improve academic performance and foster better mental well-being. Currently, school districts have the authority to set their own cellphone policies, with the default being unlimited access. This bill maintains that autonomy but shifts the baseline, requiring districts to actively choose to permit cellphone use where it can enhance the classroom experience rather than allowing it by default.
Districts will still have the flexibility to create policies tailored to their specific needs — whether that means permitting cellphone use during lunch, between classes, for contacting parents or for educational purposes. The overarching goal is to enhance the learning environment and improve the overall quality of life for both students and teachers.
We now have a much deeper understanding of the impact these devices can have on students’ mental health and academic success. With the knowledge we’ve gained over the last decade, it would be irresponsible not to protect our kids. This legislation, with the help of The Policy Project and support from the governor’s office and educators, represents a thoughtful, measured approach to ensuring that our children can thrive in school, free from the constant distractions of their phones.
Lincoln Fillmore represents District 17 in the Utah state Senate and is the founder of Charter Solutions. Douglas Welton represents District 65 in the Utah House of Representatives and teaches at Salem Hills High School.