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Is it really those damn phones? Gov. Tina Kotek seemed to think so when she issued an executive order July 2 instructing all 197 of Oregon’s school districts to develop bell-to-bell cellphone bans.
Come January, Oregon will join 28 other states (and the District of Columbia) in banning cellphones in the classroom.
The order’s strictness—allowing no apparent exceptions for phone use during lunch or passing periods—is on par with that of some school districts that have already adopted bans, including Portland Public Schools. But it will be a culture shock for many other districts who’ve adopted more flexible ones. (Indeed, pushback from those districts was why a cellphone ban bill died in the Oregon Senate last month.)
Schools are required to match their policies to the order by Oct. 31 and implement them by Jan. 1, 2026. Districts must specify how students’ phones will be stored and outline consequences if a student is found in violation of the policy.
The governor has described herself as “laser-focused” on trying to raise Oregon’s dismal rankings in student achievement and youth mental health. Last week, she termed the executive order a step forward on both counts.
“The research is clear: Cellphone use can create a trifecta of consequences for our young people—mental health issues, safety in school, and distraction from learning,” Kotek said in a statement. “I signed this order to stand up for the promise of every student in every corner of the state.”
But do the kids agree? WW asked students across Oregon how they felt about Kotek’s order. Here’s what some had to say:
What has your school’s cellphone policy looked like? Has enforcement been effective?
“They say not to use it, but the teachers allow it, and there’s really not that much of a consequence if it’s [used] during passing periods or lunch. It’s more of, you’ll get in trouble if you are told to put it away and you don’t. In general, there aren’t explicit guidelines.” —Antoni Quintanilla, 17, rising senior, Sandy High School
“I noticed a pattern of each year, the school would always be like, ‘We’re going to be really strict on phones this year,’ and make all these rules about if they see you on your phone, they’re going to take it away. But [enforcement] would only last the first month of school…[so then] it’s just really dependent on the teacher.” —Noa Kurin, 18, recent graduate, Mountainside High School, Beaverton
“It’s just off and away all day. [It’s fine] as long as you can’t see them and [students] don’t use them. No one really uses them during class…and ever since my school did a thing where, if you use your phone, the principal or whoever takes it and your parents have to come pick it up at the end of the day, there has been a lot less phone usage.” —Walker Korb, 14, rising freshman, West Sylvan Middle School
How do you feel about the governor’s executive order?
“Our school district was thinking about getting [phone] pouches this year. They ended up deciding not to because they are like $50,000. I think we have a lot of bigger fish to fry than students being on their phones. Our district had a ton of budget cuts this year. Teachers are getting laid off. And times are changing. I think it’s important that we learn how to utilize the resources that we have safely.” —Anna Dalbey, 17, rising senior, Hood River High School
“In one of my classes, we have a very, very strict phone policy. So essentially, no one uses their phone in class, and I think that many more people do actually pay attention, but there’s still a lack of desire to actually learn. Many people just find other ways to do anything else, or just stare off into the distance. I think that changes need to happen in Oregon, but there’s no way to know whether or not this is going to change outcomes for students.” —Wilson Schulz, 14, rising sophomore, Sandy High School
“I had teachers who were stricter, who would take your phone away. I did notice that, even though it was annoying, I did do a lot better in those specific classes because the phone is just such a big distraction. If you can be on it, students are always going to choose their phone over really concentrating every minute of class. But I think it’s a little intense for it to be [banned] during passing periods and lunch.” —Noa Kurin
Kotek has cast banning cellphones in schools as an essential first step in tackling the youth mental health crisis. Is it?
“I think this is probably the right way to go because especially in teens getting their phones, mental health is a big issue. I feel like if you limit one of the things that could cause bad mental health, it’s good. But I also believe that some kids deal with their mental health through phone usage, like [connecting with] friends online.” —Walker Korb
“I think this is going to put a strain on some people’s relationships with friends. There’s some friends I don’t have lunch or classes with, I’ll usually chat with during passing periods. [To improve mental health,] increasing community is best, having more events, more outlets if a student needs help to talk in private. Those are resources that would be important at every school. I feel like this ban is contradicting its goal of improving mental health by separating the community a bit more because you can’t text as much.” —Antoni Quintanilla
“When the bell rings, you’re going to go home and go look at your phone and see exactly what you would have seen, whether it was during the day or not. In fact, if someone posted something bad about me and I saw it alone, I think that would be a lot worse for my personal mental health than seeing it with all my friends, where they can be like, ‘Oh my God, it’s not true.’ That’s going to be a lot worse, me sitting on my bed alone, having to deal with this all on my own.” —Anna Dalbey
