Raleigh, NC – North Carolina students returning for the spring semester are facing a disconnected classroom environment, following a Jan. 1 state deadline that required all public school boards to enact strict bans on the use of smartphones and laptops during instructional time.
The ban under House Bill 959, Protecting Students in a Digital Age, prohibits students from using, displaying, or having a wireless communication device turned on during instructional time, unless otherwise instructed by a teacher. The bill also requires districts to prohibit students’ access to social-media platforms in the classroom “except when expressly directed by a teacher solely for educational purposes.”
Certain exceptions are included in the bill, including use of electronic devices for teacher-authorized educational activities, in emergency situations, or for cases where students have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or health plans.
Additionally, the law extends beyond a ban only and requires schools to teach students about social media addiction, misinformation, and sex trafficking.
The legislation provides school administrators with teeth to enforce the new rules, explicitly authorizing disciplinary measures that include the confiscation of devices found in use during instructional time. Accountability extends beyond the classroom as well — under the new statute, the NC Department of Public Instruction is required to report any non-compliant school districts to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee annually.
“We applaud state leaders for taking this important step to reduce classroom distractions and safeguard precious learning time,” said Bryce Fielder, director of the Carolinas Academic Leadership Network. “A growing body of research points to the academic and social benefits of restricting phones in school. CALN supports continued efforts to strike a balanced approach to classroom technology—one that limits excessive screen time and encourages pen-and-paper instruction.”
The new law puts North Carolina on a growing list of states that have banned or limited the use of Internet-connected devices in classrooms. As of January, 26 states have enacted such prohibitions on classroom screen time. A total of 38 states either have an outright ban or have a statute in place that encourages school districts to adopt such policies, but stops short of an outright mandate.
Smartphones have gotten most of the attention, but as Virginia Gentles, parents rights director at the Defense of Freedom Institute, told the Epoch Times, addressing smartphones is only the first step.
“We’re not done. We’re just beginning to acknowledge the commodification of kids’ attention,” she said.
Gentles noted that test scores have declined since the widespread digital adoption during at-home learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She argued that constant screen time has eroded basic skills like handwriting and reading comprehension.
Part of the problem arises because local governments and school districts entered into contracts with technology vendors for tablets and computers to help facilitate at-home learning. But as the time approaches for those contracts to expire, 2026 could be a pivotal year for softening or even reversing tech-related policies.
David Bass is a senior contributor to the Carolina Journal.