As of September 1st, 2025, schools around Texas have been implementing the new phone free law, formally known as “Texas House Bill 1481 (HB 1481).” As you well know, this law prohibits the use of communicative technology during school hours. This new law aims to reduce distractions, improve academic performance, and reduce mental health concerns. So far, this new law has proven to increase focus, but there are some unacknowledged consequences of banning these well adapted tools.
Tyler Welsh, CHS Junior states, “...the situation with the phones needs to be better handled and making it illegal isn’t going to stop people from using them.”
Many high achieving and responsible students have learned how to use their phones in a healthy, productive way. For these students who already focus well and use phones responsibly, they are losing a key tool that helps them manage academics and mental load. Furthermore, because the students already show the ability to succeed, they must adapt without support, while struggling students may only show superficial gains. High-achieving students are expected to find their own footing while low achievers are “helped’ by constraint, creating an inequitable burden.
When asked how she handles situations where a student needs to contact someone, Mrs. Riggs replies with, “Per the district instructions, we are supposed to have students use the classroom phone, so that is what I do.”
Teachers were told that students could use the school phones, but this is an unrealistic alternative for many reasons. For one, this doesn’t allow for the frequent communication that some students require. If they were to use the phones as they need, this would require multiple trips and would disrupt class and instruction time. In addition, students may need to talk to people whose numbers they haven’t memorized, or they may fear that their conversation will be overheard. What about the people who feel uncomfortable with standing in front of a classroom for a private conversation? Do people just not care?
Also, high-achieving or intelligent students often carry more cognitive load and use phones to briefly disengage, reset, or relieve stress. Removing this legitimate support without providing substitutes will negatively impact mental health and well-being. According to many psychological health organizations, studies show that those of high intelligence are more prone to having mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and more concerning issues.
In hindsight, it is hardly debatable that this phone ban is rash and poorly thought out in the eyes of an actual student. There are many more points to be made, but this article explains the problems that are often looked over and brings them into the light. All in all, it is too soon to see the full benefits of the phone ban, but the negatives have surely made themselves known.
Written by Brooklin Garrison