Districts still searching for guidance on cell phone ban

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Districts around El Paso county are still searching for guidance on House Bill 1481.

The bill calls for the prohibition of cell phones, tablets, and smartwatches in the classroom. ABC-7 spoke with the Canutillo Independent School District, saying that they are creating guidelines for students but still want more guidance from the state on how to enforce the law.

"The law is pretty broad," said Gustavo Reveles, a spokesperson for the district. "So it doesn't give us a lot of guidance on how to apply it. We follow state law, but we also take into consideration some of the, concerns that parents and students have."

ABC-7 also spoke with Vince Perez, the Texas House Representative for District 77. He voted for the bill, and believes it's necessary for kids in today's school.

"I think there's a general recognition, even among students and adults, that cell phones are just a big distraction. It's not something that really should be in the classroom."

He says according to a recent study, nearly 40% of students believe they use their phones too much.

On social media, parents were still frustrated with the law, wondering how they would communicate with their kids in an emergency situation. Reveles said that they have a system to notify parents, but they have to keep their contact information updated.

ABC-7 also spoke with a parent who said that they believe this law is a good idea.

"There's just a lot of distractions. I feel like our education has gone down," said Savannah Alvarado. "I feel like using cell phones in the classroom would distract that or even lower it even more."