Boston Public Schools officials have proposed a bell-to-bell ban on personal electronic devices for every student in the district, from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
The proposal, outlined in a memo to the School Committee this month, covers cellphones, personal laptops and smartwatches. Devices would need to be turned completely off and kept secure and inaccessible for the entire school day.
The memo says the plan is “grounded in research showing the negative impact of social media and constant screen exposure on adolescent mental health and focus.”
Timeline and vote
The mayor-appointed School Committee plans to vote on the policy in January. If approved, it would take effect in September 2027, giving schools time to plan how to carry it out. District officials are also looking at grants to help pay for implementation, according to the memo.
Superintendent Mary Skipper told the committee that many schools already restrict phones in different ways. “Sometimes they’re using pouches, sometimes they’re using shoe holders, sometimes they are having the students just keep it in their backpack and out of sight,” she said. “What we want is flexibility for the schools, but also a menu of two or three ways to implement the policy.”
Support, with a caution
Alexandra Oliver-Dávila, executive director of the Roxbury nonprofit Sociedad Latina and a former School Committee member, spoke in favor of the ban. She said it would help with “building community, helping students connect with one another, reducing conflict, increasing well-being, and improving focus.”
She added that enforcement will decide whether it works. “A policy is only as strong as the culture behind it,” she said.
The statewide picture
Several Massachusetts districts, including Brockton, Cambridge, Fall River and Newton, already have districtwide bans. A statewide ban backed by Gov. Maura Healey, Attorney General Andrea Campbell and the state’s two largest teachers unions has lost momentum on Beacon Hill. The Boston City Council passed a resolution supporting a district ban last year.