Phones Out of Class: Seattle Leads the Way

Seattle’s newest school chief, Ben Shuldiner, rolled out a statewide ban on cellphones in elementary and middle schools just three months after taking the job. The rule stops students from using phones from bell to bell, while high‑schoolers can keep them during lunch and passing times. The decision was quick but practical; open campuses make it hard to watch every phone during lunch. The move shows Seattle is ahead of the state. Washington’s education department has not pushed for a ban, and last month a report card gave the state an F for its lack of progress. Only five states, including Washington, have no strong phone‑free policies.Experts say banning phones can improve learning and health. A recent study of 40, 000 schools found that phone bans helped students feel better and raised high‑school math scores a little. Parents, teachers, and superintendents in 40 states already support phone‑free schools. Shuldiner also wants to bring teachers back into the office this summer, ending the pandemic‑era hybrid schedule. Both actions are simple steps that could have been taken years ago, yet they show how far Seattle has fallen behind other districts. Washington’s education chief has called the state “behind, ” but the new policy proves otherwise. If Seattle can enforce a phone ban and re‑establish in‑person work, other districts might follow. The time for talk is over; the action must come.