The Brief
A new Texas law bans students from using cell phones, tablets, and smartwatches on school property during the school day, with districts responsible for creating a secure storage plan.
Another new law, effective in September, requires the display of the Ten Commandments in every classroom, with districts like Frisco ISD planning to have them up for the start of school.
Additional changes include a new law allowing longer in-school suspensions and a change in policy for first-time vaping offenders, which will allow for less severe punishment.
Lawmakers focused a lot of bills on education during the regular session. Now they are law.
From a total cell phone ban in all schools to requiring the display of the 10 commandments in classrooms.
When classes begin next week for most school districts, there will be a big change for students.
Cell phone ban
What we know
No phone use is allowed on campus.
"It's just a distraction from the teaching that needs to be occurring in the classroom," said Texas Rep. Jared Patterson.
As Frisco State Representative, Patterson co-authored HB1481, the cell phone ban. One of multiple school-related laws that Gov. Abbott applauded at a bill signing last week.
"Their mental health, their personal health, what is happening to them by exposure to things like social media," said Gov. Abbott.
The law allows school districts to decide what the ban will look like.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) told districts the policy must prohibit student use of phones, tablets, and smartwatches on school property during the school day.
Districts must also create a method to securely store them during the school day.
What they're saying
"I fully expect that once we get past that initial period that folks are going to realize that this is a much better system. Look, generations of Texans grew up without instant access to their phones, to the social media, to their parents texting them throughout the school day. Everyone is going to be fine," said Patterson.
Display of the 10 commandments
Dig deeper
A more controversial school law is the display of the 10 commandments in every classroom.
That law does not start until September.
At least one local district, Frisco ISD, plans to have the posters up by the start of school. A teacher shared a picture of what it looks like.
In other districts, teachers who spoke to FOX 4 say they have not received the posters. The language of the law says if a classroom does not have one, the school must accept any offer of a privately donated poster if it meets the display requirements.
"Look, I don't think so, you know, we've got ‘In God We Trust’ on the door of every school in the state of Texas. Now the Ten Commandments is incredibly foundational to our nation, to our system of laws, and even to a moral code that students can live by," said Patterson.
Prayer/religious text reading
Another new law could bring prayer back to schools.
In this case, school boards would have to opt in to creating a period of prayer and religious text reading.
Disciplinary action
Big picture view
There are also changes to punishment policies regarding in-school suspension (ISS). Before the change, I.S.S could only last 3 days. Now a suspension can last as long as the school deems appropriate.
The punishment for students caught with vapes will change as well.
Previously, students would have been sent to alternative education facilities. Now first-time offenders can be given less severe punishments.
"I think that you're going to see a much-improved atmosphere for our students, a much improved atmosphere for teachers. And overall, I think you're going to see scores and results improve because of the work that we did in this legislative session," said Patterson.
The Source
Information in this article was provided from interviews conducted by FOX 4's Steven Dial.
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