When New Jersey’s ban on cell phones in schools took effect in early January, the Garden State joined the majority of states across the country with a partial or full prohibition.
Delaware has no such law, but that could change before the end of the 2025-26 academic year.
A bill introduced in the state senate last year by Dover-area Republican Eric Buckson passed the state house of representatives unanimously on Jan. 13, where the primary sponsor was Democrat Kim Williams of Wilmington. Since the bill was amended by the house, it will now return to the senate, which passed the original bill, 21-0, last May.
The bill would require all public and charter schools in Delaware to adopt a policy about cell phone use by students during school hours. It would not apply to nonpublic schools, but cell phone policies are already in place in the Diocese of Wilmington.
At St. Elizabeth School in Wilmington, the policy is that students may not have their phones during instructional time. Each class is equipped with a “parking lot,” where phones are deposited as students enter a room.
Stacey Reyburn, the school’s assistant principal, said students are allowed to use their devices before school, during lunch and after school. It’s harder to enforce at the high school level, where the students use iPads that can be connected to one’s phone.
Brittany Keller, the director of communications at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, said the school’s policy varies by grade level. In the upper school, the girls have cubbies where they place their phones, but they have access to them at different points of the day.
Middle school students place their phones in the cubbies for the entire day.
“That was something that we added so that when it was time for class, they were focusing on class. It’s been successful for us,” she said.
She said the parents have been on board with the policy. They can call the office if they need to contact their son or daughter.
According to research by the Paragon Health Institute, more than 95 percent of U.S. teens own a device, and nearly half report excessive social media use. Research shows that bans can improve academic achievement.
St. Elizabeth’s student-athletes are also not allowed to have their phones with them at their games or competitions. Reyburn, who is also the cheerleading coach, does allow her cheerleaders to contact their parents before the end of a game if that student is being picked up.
The diocese itself does not have a policy, said Lou De Angelo, superintendent of schools. But whatever schools can do to minimize the use of phones is good.
“I don’t think we can have kids walking around with cell phones in their pockets because I think it’s a problem. It’s a temptation,” he said. “The cell phone is like an extension of their arm at this point. It’s attached to them.”
No matter what happens with school or diocesan policies, it’s next to impossible to eliminate cell phone use, De Angelo said. What do you do about a smartwatch, he asked.
“We’re not going to be able to eliminate everything,” he said.
“We’ve got to educate the kids. We have to gain the support of the families. We have to model what we do as adults, and we have to try to react to situations that happen. It’s not a matter of punishing. It’s really a matter of educating.”
The Paragon Health Institute reports that successful implementation of restrictions requires input from students, parents, teacher and administrators; clear policy goals; a commitment to consistent enforcement; and support for teachers through professional development and practical tools for enforcement.
According to Paragon, in states with a ban or restricted use of cell phones, teachers report a renewed sense of instructional freedom and more time spent teaching. Students report relief from constant notification pressure, greater concentration and increased face-to-face interaction.
De Angelo explained that students not having their phones on them does not cut them off from their parents. Mom or Dad can still call the school with a message if they need to get in touch with their child.
“What message can you not give to the school that you were going to give to the kid? It’s all the things that we did in the years before we had cell phones,” he said.
He referenced the situation in late August at Annunciation School in Minneapolis in which two children were killed and 30 people were injured when a gunman opened fire as the students attended Mass. He wondered what parents would have been able to do had their children had their phones on them. He said sometimes it is better to let the school handle the situation until the children can reach out to their parents.
“We can set the climate of the schools such that, we’re in school and this is our job, and we’re about the business of school,” De Angelo said.
