Debate Over Cell Phones Front and Center as New School Year Starts

It's back to school week for several districts, and one of the big issues as students head back to campus. What to do with cell phones?

Parents are split. Most agree that there should be rules and limitations, but many don't want a total ban in case emergency.

"What's the right amount of restrictions, from none at all to complete and total banning" said reporter Erin Anderson, with the Texas Scorecard, "Nobody argues that it's a problem with kids spending too much time on their phones, but the question is how, and how much to restrict students access to their cell phones during the school day."

It's a question that at the moment is determined by each individual school district. Starting this semester both HISD and Katy ISD have banned cell phones during instructional time, but they can be used at lunch.

"Every Texas school district right now is free to make their own policies, and they all have some sort of rules in place" noted Anderson, "It's whether or not they're going to strengthen those rules, and what that's going to look like."

There are also state legislators looking to ban cell phones in all Texas classrooms.