All cell phones must be off and remain in a student’s backpack or in a classroom cell phone locker at all times under a policy approved in 2024 by the Apache Junction Unified School District Governing Board.
Now banning cell phones from classrooms is going statewide.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on April 14 signed into law House Bill 2484, which requires public school districts and charter schools to adopt policies limiting student access to social media and wireless devices — while preserving reasonable access for emergencies, medical needs and educational use, according to a release from Republican State Rep. Beverly Pingerelli, the bill’s sponsor.
“Education requires attention, and attention is exactly what today’s students are being robbed of by addictive devices and endless scrolling,” Pingerelli said in the release.
When Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne held a press conference Aug. 22, 2024, on wanting to ban cell phones from classrooms — and that he was looking for legislative help to do that — AJUSD Superintendent Dr. Robert Pappalardo was on hand to speak about the district’s ban.
“I support the version signed into law as it reflects what AJUSD has already put into practice and reinforces a shared commitment to creating learning environments that limit distractions, encourage student engagement, and put kids first,” Pappalardo said April 15.
“AJUSD proactively implemented a cell phone policy last year that aligns closely with the new state law signed by Gov. Hobbs. Our policy was designed with the same intent — to reduce distractions, improve academic focus and support student well-being. Because of this foresight, our existing guidelines already meet the core requirements outlined in the legislation,” he said.
AJUSD is reviewing the specific language of the new law to ensure full alignment, Pappalardo said.
“If any adjustments are needed to maintain compliance, we will make those updates accordingly, though we anticipate only minor clarifications rather than significant changes,” he said.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
