Monday, February 3, 2025

Bill Banning Cellphones in Schools Passes Committee

 Will the Mississippi Legislature ban cellphones in schools? 

State Senator Briggs Hopson (D- Delta Point Restaurant) sponsored a bill that will allow schools to restrict cell phone usage.  

SB #2151 decreed schools

 shall develop and adopt specific policies to ban the possession or restrict the use of cell phones by students during class or while under the supervision and control of an employee or employees of the school.

The bill allowed exemptions for medical reasons, presence of danger, or if it is required in a student's individual education plan.  The bill will take effect July 1, 2025 if passed into law.  


The Senate Education Committee tightened the bill as it added penalties for schools who do not adopt a cell-phone restriction policy: 

(b)  If a school or school district fails to adopt and transmit a policy as required in this subsection, the State Department of Education shall deduct one (1) day's worth of the school's or district's funds under the total funding formula for each day after January 1, 2026, that the school or district is noncompliant.  

State Senator Hopson said no one spoke to him in opposition to the bill. 

The committee passed the bill.  It now sits on the Senate calendar awaiting action.  Text & history of bill.

Kingfish note: The Senate should add a provision that gives schools the explicit authority to seize cell phones and hold them for a period determined by the school.  The legislature should pass the bill. 

 

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

More arranging of deck chairs on the sinking Titanic.
What the legislature really needs to do it what most Asian schools do. Permanently segregate the disruptive students. Make every school district have separate class schedules for the C-F students and A-B students. It wont be about the segregating by the color of their skin, but rather the content of their character.

Anonymous said...

Ought to ban them everywhere. A pox on society.

Anonymous said...

Wish we could un-invent cell phones and social media. Garbage.

Anonymous said...

So much for the first amendment. And you want the schools to be ok with stealing phones?

Anonymous said...

Used to be called, I believe, tracking; I.e. the very best students were placed together in one class, the next best in another, and so on down the line to the knuckle-dragging cretins. That way, the cretins didn’t disrupt the better students, and there was none of that silly shit about the best students would teach the worse ones and lift them up.it would be wise and efficient to return to the practice, which, of course, means that the education establishment will never in a thousand years do it.

Let the best students have phones, the worse ones can have something to aspire to if they bone up and test well enough to win promotion to the Premier League.

Anonymous said...

How will they report active shooters?

Anonymous said...

I like the idea of no cell phones in class. Kind of dumb that they were allowed in the first place. Some other schools outside of MS have done this and seen good results. I dont agree with some having them and some not. Just more reasons to provoke fights.

Anonymous said...

@11:30 Absolutely they should. These kids don't need phones in classrooms. We made it hundreds of years with no phones in classrooms. We can still do it now. What are you even talking about first amendment anyway? They can stand on a corner and and hoop and holler all they want, after school.

Anonymous said...

Now just wait a minute. How is my Bubba going to be able to bully the wimps and pass test answers back and forth?

Anonymous said...

Schools are already seizing phones. My son had his phone confiscated at Madison Central. He got it back later, but they will take them if teachers see students using them in class.

Anonymous said...

Can they be banned from the workplace as well?

Anonymous said...

Students have the perfect tool to cheat on tests and totally distract themselves during class, and there is a debate on whether or not to ban them?!? That’s why our schools are churning out illiterate kids.

And 11:30, cut the hyperbole, this is not a first amendment issue. My teachers would not allow me to use cheat notes during tests or even whisper answers back and forth with a classmate, but I can promise you that did not impinge on my first amendment rights.

Anonymous said...

Funny, colleges are using apps on phones to increase student engagement in the classroom. Apps like TopHat and CampusKnot (a Mississippi start-up) are used all over the country.

Not to mention that most school districts now require iPads or laptops in the classroom. But heaven forbid that we actually use the tech that they are already familiar with.

This legislation is a solution looking for a problem. A teacher can already ban a cell phone in the class if so desired.

Anonymous said...

Schools already have authority to ban or restrict cell phones[ but unfortunately not the will ] Legislature providing exceptions will render the law useless as parents will help students take advantage. Every student will have a " medical; " or some other exception. Cell phones in schools are a scourge to education in our country.

Anonymous said...

They should have never been allowed in the first place. These kids have no social skills and the grades seem to go down every year. The students are not using their phones to further their education. They are texting their friends and posting on Tiktok. Get back to the basics of education without distraction and maybe for once Mississippi won't be on the bottom.

Anonymous said...

Dang, you mean I cannot use my cell phone in class, but wear pajamas and house shoes!

Anonymous said...

Better have some language in there that specifically states what teachers and school employees should do, since teachers can’t expel or suspend kids, and they don’t want to bother administrators with write up’s about cell phones unless the State and school districts really care.

Anonymous said...

Some of us have kids that do their work, make their grades, mind their business, and can have their phones without any issue. It’s a shame that they have to be punished for others’ irresponsibility.

Anonymous said...

If somebody did the research, they would find some correlation - and yes, causation of - this bill. Higher ed in Mississippi is suffering terrible enrollment numbers because the youth don't want to work. They're far too used to being on their phones AND iPads all through K-12 to keep them occupied, but they're learning nothing. They drop out once they hit college territory because you actually have to pay attention and think. They thought that "dual credit enrollment" (college credits while in high school) was going to solve the higher ed enrollment problem, but that was a bust. (Over 30% of Community College enrollments are actually high schoolers).

The MS Legislature is completely full of shit, and they think everyone else are idiot assholes.

Anonymous said...

If your child was in lockdown due to an active shooter, I'm pretty sure you'd want a way to contact your child...during and after.

Anonymous said...

You obviously know nothing about the first amendment to the Constitution. You doubt believe in a student's right to wear a halter top or a jock strap to class.

Anonymous said...

Amen. I agree 100%

Anonymous said...

Oh stop it. My little one is just perfect. Just stop. There is no reason a kid should have a phone in the classroom. Social media, games, cheating, not paying attention, and the helicopter parents.

Anonymous said...

Has it dawned on you yet, in an active shooter scenario, that your kid could be hiding and his/her cellphone going off would actually call the shooter's attention to your kid?

Anonymous said...

9:55 No, as they currently keep their phones on silent throughout the day as required by the school.

Anonymous said...

Oh good grief! Kid does not need phone while in class. Period. You are in school to learn. Drop the damn phone in the principle's office on the way it, pick it up on the way out. If the parents cant seem to "break away" from their "baby" then go see a shrink.

Anonymous said...

As 3:57pm points out, most of this is about the parents' insecurities, and not the kids' even wanting to have the phones. Home schooling is the future of education so get ready parents!

Anonymous said...

I was really shocked to see parental friends of mine argue so vehemently for their kids to have a phone during school hours.

Sure seems like parental insecurity and their own (likely accurate) concerns that they have not prepared these kids to handle any adversity as others suggest.

Anonymous said...

One thing I know about kids 1:15 is that they sure do follow all the rules without fail.

So thank God the school makes them put their phones on silent.
That clearly solves 9:55's concerns.

Anonymous said...

As long as the kids know to get under their desk in case of a nuclear attack, there ought not be no prollem.



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.