MONTGOMERY – Flanked by middle school students, Gov. Kay Ivey signed the FOCUS Act into law this morning in her office.
The legislation, “Freeing Our Classrooms of Unnecessary Screens for Safety,” prohibits students’ use of smart phones and other wireless devices inside Alabama’s public schools.
“In my state of the state address, I repeated the requests of Alabama teachers and parents in calling for a ban on student cell phone use in our schools,” said Ivey. “Smart phones have beneficial roles when used in proper settings. However, these often-disruptive devices have no place in our classrooms during the school day except for educational purposes or during an emergency.
“The FOCUS Act will enable students to ‘focus’ on learning while in school rather than on their phones.”
State Rep. Leigh Hulsey was a sponsor of the bill in the House of Representatives.
“As a parent, equipping my children to excel in all aspects of life is priority number one, and what they learn in the classroom plays an immense role in that,” said Hulsey (R-Helena). “The FOCUS Act will limit distractions and provide an avenue for every student in our state to get the absolute most out of their day at school, leading to a stronger Alabama of tomorrow.
“I am grateful to Governor Ivey for the opportunity to sponsor this important legislation and sincerely appreciate the support of my colleagues in the House and Senate.”
Internet-enabled devices present additional risks to children even when students are properly using them as part of their school curriculum. For this reason, the FOCUS Act will also protect students by requiring local boards of education to adopt internet safety policies governing student access to the internet on school-owned devices.
“Our goal should always be to create an environment where students can reach their full potential – the FOCUS Act does just that,” said Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva). “By restricting the use of cell phones during instructional time, students will perform better, stay more engaged and enjoy stronger classroom communities.
“I applaud my colleagues in the Legislature for passing this important legislation and commend Governor Ivey for championing it.”
The FOCUS Act will also requires the Alabama State Department of Education to offer safe social media training for all students before entering eighth grade.
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