Bill would restrict student phone use in schools
A new Illinois bill would require all school boards, including charter schools, by the 2026–2027 school year to adopt policies restricting student phone use during instructional time, with limited exceptions.
Moms for Liberty Lake County chair Marsha McClary supports the bill and said she believes the decision-making should be left largely to local school districts.
“K through 5th grade probably shouldn't have them at all,” McClary said. “Middle schoolers maybe keep them in backpacks, and high schoolers should be mature enough to manage it themselves.
One area of concern for McClary is the language in the bill about “secure and accessible storage” of devices.
“I don't agree with the school taking the device and forcing [high school] students to store it somewhere all day,” said McClary. “High schoolers should be responsible enough to put their phone in their bag and leave it there.”
Senate Bill 2427 would require schools to restrict student cell phone use during class, with exceptions for medical needs, learning plans, and English learners. Enforcement through fines or police is banned, and policies must be reviewed every three years and shared publicly.
Some critics say the bill responds to students sharing controversial classroom content online, raising concerns it could limit transparency.
McClary pushed back on that notion.
“I doubt that's the intent behind this,” she said.
While she acknowledged that viral sharing of curriculum has occurred, she emphasized that the need to reduce in-class distractions is the more pressing issue.
“These kids being on their devices during class is a massive problem,” McClary said. “Teachers are having a very difficult time enforcing this.”
State Rep. Chris Miller, R-Oakland, explained cutting classroom distractions is key to improving performance and called for full curriculum transparency, noting some teachers are being recorded and criticized over controversial curriculum.