Broward schools consider more cellphone restrictions — and even ban

Broward students may soon have to drastically curtail their cellphone use at school, as School Board members try to curb what they see as a growing problem the devices have on mental health.

The School Board is considering a change to student conduct that would ban most cellphone use during the school day, even during breaks, class changes and lunch.

The district’s current policy bans cellphone use during class time unless authorized by a teacher for instructional use and requires they be turned off or put on silent mode, but some board members say that doesn’t go far enough. Students are still spending too much of the day texting or using social media, they said.

The current policy also allows students to use an earbud in one ear during non-instructional time, but headphone use would be completely banned under the proposal.