DCPS implements phone ban amid student protests

With the new school year, D.C. students, teachers and guardians alike are entering a major transition: a ban on student cellphone use during the school day across District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools.

While many adults are ready for the change, students are bracing for a rocky adjustment.

“Most parents and educators, for the most part, are okay with this,” said Dr. Jacque Patterson, president and at-large representative on the D.C. State Board of Education. “It’s the students who feel like they need their phones on a regular basis.”

This shift mirrors a growing national trend.

In recent years, districts across at least a dozen states, including Florida, California, Texas, Minnesota, and Virginia, have adopted restrictions on student phone use. These pol