Governor Tina Kotek signed Executive Order 25-09, which prohibits students from use of cell phones during school hours. She claims it will improve student educational outcomes and mental wellbeing. A few school districts have already adopted policies, but apparently Kotek thinks every school must prohibit students from accessing their phones.

Oregon law requires school districts to involve parents and the public when considering school policies, particularly regarding discipline and student conduct. These policies ensure that parents and the public are involved in the decisions applying to their student. The governor's executive orders must comply with Oregon laws. If her Executive Order pre-determines the outcome of a policy - prohibiting cell phones - does the order comply with statutes (ORS 329.125) that recognize parent and public input?

A recent example involves a federal judge in Oregon who ruled that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) violated the law by detaining a Mexican migrant seeking asylum, emphasizing that executive agencies must follow the law and cannot simply act at their discretion. This ruling underscores the principle that executive actions, including those by the governor, are subject to legal constraints and oversight.

“Oregon’s schools should be a place where students find belonging, support, and the joy of learning something new.” Governor Kotek said. “The research is clear: cell phone use can create a trifecta of consequences for our young people – mental health issues, safety in school, and distraction from learning. I signed this order to stand up for the promise of every student in every corner of the state.”

Cell phones have become a way of life. In psychological terms, when something is forbidden, it can trigger a deeper desire to engage with it, especially if the prohibition is perceived as an attempt to control or limit personal freedom. The idea that the more something is prohibited, the more desire it generates is a well-documented psychological phenomenon. This concept is often referred to as the "forbidden fruit" effect. This reaction may cause less attention to homework. Experiments show that students with cell phone interruptions perform 17% less than those giving up their cell phone for an hour lecture. It isn't a productive world either way, so a flat out order to prohibit cell hones also prohibits creativity to use cell phone as a teaching tool for self-control and responsibility that carries into adult life. That is evident by studies showing 20-25% of couples where one spouse over uses their cell phone as the reason for being unhappy or headed to divorce.

EO 25-09 addresses two of the Governor’s fundamental goals: delivering a high-quality public education and protecting Oregon’s young learners’ safety, health, and wellbeing. Districts will be required to adopt a policy prohibiting cell phone use by students by October 31, 2025 and those policies must be in full effect no later than January 1, 2026.

"By getting cell phones out of our schools, Governor Kotek is putting students first,” Senator Lisa Reynolds (D-West Portland & Washington County) said. “Every Oregon student deserves a distraction-free, harassment-free learning environment that fosters curiosity and community. This executive order will help us make that a reality."

“I was the chief sponsor of the bill to eliminate cell phone use by students during school hours. It passed the House, but didn’t make it out of committee in the Senate,” Representative Kim Wallan (R-Medford) said. “I am very glad we will have this order in place and I do plan to reintroduce the bill so that we have this important policy in statute.”

“As a student leader at Milwaukie High School, I worked with teachers to help support our move to a phone-free school day. We saw right away how much better things felt. People were more focused and more connected,” Gustavo Barraza, graduating senior at Milwaukie High School, said. “A lot of issues at school start with phones, or get worse because of them. Some of my closest friends came from being more present at school, and those relationships helped shape who I am today. That’s why I’m glad Governor Kotek is stepping up to help students by making this a priority.”

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Increasingly, evidence also shows cell phones have a negative impact on young people’s mental health, attention spans, and self-esteem. Cell phone free schools can be a refuge from the negative effects of cell phones, allowing students to be fully engaged in the act of learning and in their school community.

“In over a decade working with schools worldwide, we've come to learn that the inclusion of smartphones in school has a negative impact on learning; worse than bullying, depression, and comparable to childhood traumatic brain injury,” Jared Conney Horvath, PhD, MEd, a neuroscientist, author and director of LME Global, said. “I’ve seen soft phone policies consistently fail to improve learning or behavior. But when schools implement full, bell-to-bell cell phone restrictions we see significant benefits. Once phones are gone, schools gain the equivalent of 1 to 6 extra hours of instructional time per week in the first year, students are more focused, teachers are more engaged, and everyone is more connected.”

The order sets a statewide standard for cell phone use while allowing for district leaders to have local conversations and flexibility. It also calls for as-needed allowances for individual students to keep their cell phones during the day, including if they are needed for medical reasons or to support students with disabilities who have an individualized education plan (IEP).

A New UNESCO study also recommends a ban on smartphones at school for all ages, indicating the change is necessary. Furthermore, a 2025 survey of public school leaders found that only half (53 percent) reported negative impacts of cell phone use on academic performance, with even more citing negative effects on students’ mental health and attention spans. The conversation was cut short when parents weren't invited to question how schools will prepare students to prioritize phones after graduation whether it's a job or college. Mental health is all about dealing with decisions.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-07-15 11:49:48

Last Update: 2025-07-16 18:31:22