In light of newly adopted state legislation surrounding phone usage, Manatee High School started off its 2025-2026 school year implementing phone policies that still allowed classrooms to operate in similar fashion to previous years. The legislation, in part, originates from a government desire to crack down on how and when students are allowed to use their cellular devices during school hours.
House Bill 1105, passed by the Florida state legislature on May 2, 2025, and signed into law on July 1, 2025, began to go into effect the same day it was signed—roughly a month before the 2025-2026 school year began for Florida schools. The bill contains a variety of provisions: Among these provisions are restrictions on the use of student technology in schools.
For elementary and middle schoolers, cell phone use is prohibited for the entire school day. High school students, on the other hand, have limited access. With the exception of medical and educational needs, students are restricted from device usage during instructional time; they may use such handheld technology with teacher permission or in board-adopted usage zones.
In addition, the Florida Department of Education began a pilot program in six Florida high schools to study and submit a report on restrictions similar to those that have now taken place in middle and elementary schools.
For teachers and students alike at Manatee, though, things didn’t change much.
Regarding the phone ban, Ms. Walter describes how she felt little impact from the standard change, saying, “I feel as though it has not affected my classroom or my teaching.” In fact, she uses them as an educational resource in order to promote a healthy relationship with technology: “We use [phones] to be successful and learn to have self-control in when it is appropriate to use them.”
Additionally, many teachers already had established procedures for phone usage during instructional time. “I don’t think the policy has directly impacted our classroom, because the rules have remained the same, and, 99% of the time, students will abide by the rules,” says English teacher Mrs. Barnes. “They’ll put their phones away, I’ll warn them once or remind them, but we do take our phones out periodically for academic use.”
Cell phone use conditions were already up to teacher discretion, and since most teachers were already equipped to handle the influx in cell phones caused by increasing student access to the devices, instructional time was not significantly impacted—many teachers aren’t too concerned about any increasing cell phone usage in school.
“I think technology is a huge tool, and I try and utilize it to increase engagement and learning,” says Ms. Walter when asked whether the increasing use of cell phone devices during school hours was worrisome.
Carrying out the codified policy, however, still requires much attention. Despite not seeing a marked change in cell phone usage, Mrs. Barnes stressed the importance of enforcing existing rules, noting, “I haven’t noticed a difference [in cell phone use in school]; however, I do feel like it’s something that needs constant monitoring… I think we just have to stay on top of it….”
And Manatee High staff have followed through with that focus in the classroom—when teachers do not permit cell phone use, devices are to be put away. Otherwise, students risk having them confiscated.
As for the students, many did not have their days significantly impacted by the ban.
Gabriela Rodriguez (12th) says, “My teachers don’t really mind me using my phone in class, but I also am not on my phone often, so the ban doesn’t really affect my usage.” This may be the case for many students; some take class time as a sign to take a break from screens and social media, and some simply don’t mind keeping their phones away.
For others, cell phones may only be used to pass the time. Julissa Ortiz (12th) reports limited usage during her school day, saying, “The new phone ban policies haven’t really affected me, because I don’t really use my phone too much in school, unless there is nothing else I have to work on.” The focus on self-control in cases like these serves as a model for healthy regulation of phone use; such instances occur as an increasing number of parents raise concerns over a stronger reliance on technology noted in rising generations.
Whether or not students feel the ban is necessary is a different story.
Some students, like Rodriguez (12th), deem the new policy appropriate, citing it as “a distraction for many students… [that affects] learning time,” while others may think otherwise. Ortiz (12th) believes the new law to be unnecessary, due to the fact that “people will always find ways to use their phone,” while students like Addison Golm (11th) stress the importance of “[being] able to use their phone in case of an emergency.”