Cellphone ban gets mixed feedback

By Sebastian Gil, Staff Writer 

Texas House Bill 1481, passed during the 89th Legislative Session and signed by Governor Greg Abbott, restricts student use of personal communication devices — mainly phones, tablets, and smartwatches — on public-school campuses during the school day.  

 Although CCS is not required to follow the law because it is a private school, the administration adopted a similar bell‑to‑bell phone ban this year. State officials say the goal is to reduce distractions, improve academic focus, and limit issues such as cyberbullying. 

School officials across Texas have reported unexpected benefits from the new restrictions. In Dallas Independent School District, for example, book checkouts increased after the ban, and students said they felt less dependent on their phones.  

At CCS, High School Principal Zackary Hood said there have been several positive outcomes from the phone ban.  

“We are seeing less social media issues coming onto campus, more engagement from students, and overall discipline has gone down,” Hood said. 

Freshmen Dominique Gil said she has adjusted to the cellphone ban and sees some benefits. 

“I talk to my friends more now, especially at lunch.” Gil said. “It’s not all bad, just different.” 

Gil explained that the adjustments have been harder socially than they have academically.  

“I used to text my friends between classes, and now it’s just kinda quiet,” she said.  

On the other hand, some students miss having access to their cellphones. 

 “It has made school very dreadful,” senior Nicholas Hayes said. 

Despite the law’s focus on reducing distractions, Hayes believes phones are not the main issue. “There are many other things that can be distractions,” he said. 

Teachers at CCS have different perspectives on phones in schools.  

 Photography teacher Cynthia Onofre said phones can serve a legitimate academic purpose in her classroom.  

“I feel like for my class we need it — some students need it for photography,” she said. 

Other teachers see the benefits of the ban but also its complications.  

English teacher and football coach Bruce Gillespie said he supports the intent behind the law but has noticed challenges in enforcement.  

“I think that the cell phone ban was a good idea, although it could have some adjustments,” he said. 

Gillespie said seniors have struggled the most with the transition because they rely on their phones for communication outside of school.  

“Seniors have had their phones their whole academic time at school,” he said. “Most have jobs and contacts outside of high school, and this really impacted their communication.” 

Even so, Gillespie believes some students may ultimately benefit from the change.  

“They have adjusted well, though, and I bet many actually feel free when their phones are away,” he said. 

Hood acknowledged that the cellphone ban came with challenges but said the school plans to review the policy over the summer. 

 “We’ll look at what happened this year and what we need to refine for the new year,” he said. 

Photos by Ava Hicks/Staff and Kote Baeza via Pexels