Cell phone ban in K-12 classrooms heads to Governor Lee’s desk

A statewide ban on cellphone use during instructional time in K-12 schools, first presented last year by Representative Rebecca Alexander of Jonesborough, is on Governor Bill Lee’s desk after the Senate passed its version. The bill allows strictly limited use inside classrooms, such as for student health issues, and it establishes a process for notifying parents or guardians in the event of an emergency at a school. Many school districts already have such policies in place including Kingsport City and Johnson City Schools.