Survey: US adults increasingly support full-day cell phone bans in schools
A new Pew survey shows 77% of US adults support banning cell phones in middle and high school classes, and 48% support banning them for the entire school day – the first time a majority favors all-day restrictions.
Support for restricting cell phones in schools has reached a new high in the United States, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Seventy-seven percent of adults favor banning phones in classes, while 48% support a full-day ban – from bell to bell. This marks the first time more Americans are in favor of rather than opposed to such all-day policies. Two years ago, only 36% of adults supported a full-day ban.
The survey also breaks down support by age and political affiliation. Across all age groups over 18, a majority back in-class bans. Support for all-day bans is at least half among most age groups, except for those aged 18–29, where only 28% are in favor. Republicans are slightly more likely to support both in-class (81%) and all-day bans (55%). Democrats also broadly support in-class bans at 74% and all-day bans at 44%.
More than 20 states have already enacted bell-to-bell cell phone bans. Early studies show mixed impacts: one found positive long-term effects on student well-being but no effect on test scores; another reported higher suspension rates in the first year that later normalized, along with a decrease in unexcused absences.
