Beginning in August of 2026, a phone ban will be placed in schools throughout Michigan. Michigan State Representative Mark Tisdel sponsored legislation, House Bill 4141, to eliminate distractions and improve literacy.
“They’re intentionally addictive. The algorithms driving the social media sites are meant to bring you back and keep you on, and they’re monetizing our kids’ attention and turning them into valuable data points that they can sell,” Said Tisdel.
Students will not be allowed to use phones in classrooms; however, they may use them in open spaces, such as hallways or cafeterias. This bill has not been passed to completely ban phones from school campuses, but rather to limit their usage. Assistant Principal Amanda Anspaugh pays close attention to bills such as this.
“I’m not sure how the law being passed will change what we’re doing now, but students can expect not to have phones in classrooms,” said Anspaugh.
The bill was first passed by the Michigan House of Representatives on Jan. 14, 2026, followed by the Michigan Senate on Jan. 22, 2026, and then into law on Feb. 10, 2026.
Many schools in Michigan, such as Waverly High School and Hazel Park Schools, have already stopped allowing phones during instructional time. With many schools using online passes, many people are wondering what will happen when this phone ban is applied.
According to the National Institutes of Health, too much screentime causes mental and physical problems. Diseases and sicknesses such as hypertension, obesity, and depression can all be caused by spending too much time on phones.
“Kids are addicted. At first, I was against phones being banned, but this year it got bad. I called three state senators, trying to convince them to pass the law.” Said History Teacher, Abby Tanner.
According to the Pew Research Center, in 2005, about 62 percent of people owned a mobile phone. Now, 98 percent of people own a mobile phone. In 2013, the rate of phone dependency was 8 percent. In 2018, the rate reached its highest at 20 percent. Now, it is 16 percent.
I think phones can be a tool, but after phones are removed, there will be more engagement, conversation, deeper learning, and stronger relationships.” Said Anspaugh.
Following the release of the iPhone, phones became popular in a surge of other modern technologies. Around this time, wearable technology such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR headsets became popular, and so did gaming consoles like the Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4.
Many teachers who have been in the classroom for a long time have stated that they didn’t have a problem with phones when their careers began. But since the COVID-19 pandemic, phone use has become a bigger problem.
Since then, teachers have used pockets to store phones for the duration of class time. Some teachers require students to put phones away in their phone pockets, while other teachers don’t care.
“Phones are our biggest problem, and some teachers don’t always write kids up for it.” Said Tanner.
Though this bill may cause some outrage for students across Michigan, as of now, the phone ban still stands, and phones will be prohibited from classrooms for the 2026-2027 school year.
