Could a Proposed Maine Law Ban Your Child From Having Their Phone at School?

If you have a child in school, especially one that has their own cell phone, then you probably already know that phones in Maine schools are becoming, and actually have been, a growing problem.

Maine’s strong belief in local control of school districts might end up getting in the way of a growing push by parents, teachers, school leaders and health experts to literally ban cellphones in schools. The proposal is to ban phones from the moment kids walk in until the final bell.

There was actually a bill brought to the Maine Legislature this session that would’ve done just that. It would have banned phones during the entire school day in public schools across the state. It got mostly positive feedback during a public hearing back in April, according to the Kennebec Journal.

The newspaper went on to report that during a work session earlier this month, lawmakers ended up watering down LD 1234. Instead of pushing for a statewide ban, they changed it into more of a suggestion. They said that Maine school districts just need to come up with a solid cellphone policy by August 2026.

Sen. Teresa Pierce, D-Cumberland, said in part about the porposal,

“There is a desire to acknowledge that we all think that electronic devices, specifically smart phones and watches in schools, are having an undue effect on educational practice and our ability to have our kids focus, among other things. But we live in the reality of Maine, of a local control state, where everything really is driven by what your local community does and the decisions that they make.”

I suppose it's a good thing that Maine has, and that lawmakers recognize, our love for local control when it comes to things like this. Nobody wants a 'Big Brother' watching over them and telling them what to do, especially when it comes to our kids.