School districts’ smartphone policies could be scrapped with NJ proposal

⚫ NJ is considering statewide device rules for schools

⚫ Districts would be required to follow a DOE-developed policy

⚫ School groups aren't happy

Every school district in the Garden State would have the same smartphone and social media rules for students, under a proposed law advancing in the New Jersey Legislature.

Advocates for the measure say it doesn't make sense for the rules to be different from district to district or school to school — since no one's arguing that students should not be able to scroll social media or send text messages while instruction is taking place.

"It's really hard to learn or comprehend anything when you have this in front of your face," said Sen. Paul Moriarty, D-Gloucester, a primary sponsor of the measure that requires the New Jersey Department of Education to develop a cell phone and social media policy that would then have to be adopted by schools.

The measure was advanced unanimously by the Senate Education Committee, whose chair, Sen. Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth, suggested there is "nothing more dangerous" than phone/social media use during the school day.

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On Dec. 3, the U.S. Department of Education put out a notice, calling on every state, district and school to adopt policies governing the use of personal devices in schools.

“In this digital age, every elementary, middle, and high school should have a clear, consistent, and research-informed policy to guide the use of phones and personal devices in school,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

Not a one-size-fits-all situation?

The measure notes that the DOE would have to consult with stakeholders, such as the New Jersey Education Association and the New Jersey School Boards Association, when developing the uniform policy.

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But some of these stakeholders, noting that many districts already have policies in place, don't believe this issue deserves a one-size-fits-all approach.

"We believe ... that it's necessary and appropriate for boards of education to have maximum flexibility in crafting their policies based on community preferences," said NJSBA's Jonathan Pushman. "It's an evolving issue and therefore not one that should be constrained by statute that would make us unable to adjust policies over time."

During the Senate panel hearing, legislators were told by critics that they're moving too fast with this proposal, because a commission created in July to study the effects of social media usage on youth hasn't yet released its findings.

There has been no action yet on an Assembly version of the bill.

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