If you're a parent today, you've probably heard the news:
School districts across the country—public schools, charter schools, big and small—are moving fast to prohibit cellphone use during the school day.

School boards say it's about refocusing education, bringing it back to its core.

And sure, the intention sounds solid.

But as a parent, you have to pause.

While the goal sounds good, you might be wondering: Is taking away smartphones really the best way to help our kids thrive in school?

Or is there a better path—one that balances safety, education, and real-world responsibility?

Here’s what we think:
While these efforts may provide temporary relief, they don’t offer the sustainable solutions that school leaders are really looking for.

The push to ban cellphones during school hours is gaining traction—and on the surface, it makes sense. After all, student cell phone use has been linked to classroom distractions, lower grades, and growing concerns around kids' mental health.

Problem solved, right? Not quite.

The real issue isn’t the phone nor the social media platforms—it’s the time spent and how it’s spent.

Because let’s face it: not all screen time is equal. Some of it—the right kind—actually supports student learning. Collaboration, creativity, curiosity—it’s already on the device. We just need to show them how to use it wisely. Not remove it altogether.

In March 2025, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker shared more details about a new plan to limit the use of phones in schools.

The new policy, backed by the state board, would limit non-academic phone use starting in the 2026–2027 school year. Many school leaders and teachers see it as a step toward improving education and addressing the growing concerns around youth mental health.

In a press release, Governer Pritzker noted:
“Study after study has demonstrated the benefits of a ban on classroom use of cell phones not just on student performance – but on overall health and wellbeing. This legislation will allow our teachers to focus on what matters most – delivering a quality education that opens up opportunity for kids across the state.”

The idea of limiting phones in the classroom is growing across the country. Eight other states, like South Carolina, have already passed similar rules. In Illinois, school districts in Springfield, Champaign, and Peoria are already trying out policies limiting phone use in schools. These places are seeing fewer problems and better learning.

But not everyone’s convinced.

Parents are split. Some support the move, believing it’s a necessary boundary. Others worry it takes away helpful tools—and signals a lack of trust in their kids.

This raises a bigger question: are we just hitting the brakes on tech without knowing where we’re going?

It’s like calling a timeout during a tricky game—helpful, but not a game plan. Taking away phones might seem like an easy fix, but what are we really trying to teach our kids?

What’s the goal?

Is it to block access to devices or to guide kids toward better education and smart choices with technology?

Many public schools have rules that ban cell phones completely during the school day. They aim to protect instructional time, limit distractions, and reduce problems like social media addiction. But while it sounds like a strong rule, it may not be the smartest or fairest.

Here’s the issue: not every student is using their wireless communication devices in a bad way. Some are just checking messages from their parents. Others use them to stay calm, feel safe, or get help in an emergency. When schools ban cell phones for everyone—just because a few students broke the rules—it can feel unfair. It’s like punishing the whole class because one person forgot their homework.

Let’s imagine a real situation. A student is hiding during a lockdown because there’s danger at school.

They want to call their mom or dad. They want to feel safe and let their family know what’s going on.

But they can’t.

Their phone was taken away because of a school rule. That’s not just unfair—it can be scary and even dangerous.

Some people believe students should just “pay attention” in a crisis and not use their phones. But if your house was being robbed, would you wait or call the police?

Most people would call for help right away.

Young people should be allowed to do the same at school, especially when their lives are in danger.

Another big issue? Banning phones doesn’t teach responsibility.

Sure, it limits student cell phone use—for a moment. But it doesn’t address excessive social media use, or how much they shape behavior. It doesn’t change how habits form when no one’s watching.

Taking devices away won’t fix kids’ mental health. It just pushes the problem out of sight. Temporarily.

The better path? Teach them when to scroll, when to stop. Show them how to think, not just react. That’s how we protect student learning, protect instructional time spent in class, and raise kids who can live—not just unplug.

That means helping public school students build smart habits with wireless communication devices. It’s treating digital tools the same way we treat other major responsibilities in life: with preparation, not just restriction.

After all, we wouldn’t expect teens to drive a car without lessons. We teach. But we are not banning them.

Imagine this: Your teen is 16 and wants to start driving.

They’ve never taken a lesson, never learned the rules, and barely understand how the car works. They seem to zone out every time they get into the car and magically come to the moment you reach your destination.

Now picture handing them the keys and saying, “You’ll figure it out.”

Sounds dangerous, right?

So why do we treat electronic devices any differently?

Think about the phone in their pocket. They use it every day, during and after the school day, in and out of class time.

They scroll through social media, click on links, watch videos, and maybe even message people they don’t know. But have we ever really taught them how to stay safe online?

It’s kind of like learning to drive. Back in the '80s, learning to drive meant understanding stop signs and turning signals—but today, there are new safety rules, updated laws, and more complex vehicles.

We wouldn’t teach our kids to drive using a 1980s manual—mandatory seatbelt laws didn’t become widespread until the 90s!

And technology is no different. The online world has changed, and what parents were taught about the internet isn’t enough for what young people need to know now.

Just like driving, staying safe online today requires new lessons, new tools, and real guidance.

Teaching students to use tech safely is just as important as teaching them how to drive. Here are 10 reasons why:

If we agree that teens need real guidance before they’re ready to manage the digital world on their own, then the next step is clear: we have to start teaching them.

Just like driver’s ed teaches the rules of the road, digital literacy gives students the tools to safely and confidently navigate online life.

Here's how to make digital literacy part of their everyday learning.

Choosing to ban cellphones or prohibit devices is the “easier solution.” But instead of removing tech, we should focus on teaching young people how to use it wisely.

Here’s how schools (and even parents like you) can teach digital literacy to support students' success and well-being:

Talk about how tech makes them feel: Ask your child what apps they use most and how they feel afterward—happy, anxious, distracted? Help them notice what supports their well-being and what doesn’t.

​Track online time together: Have them write down or use an app to track how much time they spend on schoolwork, entertainment, talking with friends, or just scrolling. Review it together at the end of the week.
​
​Create simple daily rules:

Model balance yourself: Let them see you take breaks from your own screen. Read a book, take a walk, or leave your phone in another room when spending time together.

Ask “Who posted this?” Teach students to look at the source of a post or article. Is it a trusted news site, a blog, or a random social media account?
​
Check the date: Misinformation often spreads when old stories resurface. Encourage students to always look for the publish date before sharing.
​
Spot clickbait headlines: If the headline sounds extreme or too shocking, pause. Teach them to read the full article before deciding what’s true.
​
Use fact-checking tools: Show them how to use sites like Snopes or Google Fact Check to confirm whether a story is real or fake.

Digital skills help students feel more confident in and out of the classroom. Instead of only trying to ban cell phones, schools can teach students to make smart choices with tech. This leads to a future where devices and smartphone use help, not hurt, student success.

School districts—whether it's your local public school to a nearby charter school—are still debating the best ways to ban cellphones or create stricter cellphone policies during the school day. The truth is, the real problem isn’t that students have phones—it’s that they don’t know how to use them safely.

That’s where Aqua One steps in.

Instead of focusing only on restricting cell phone use during school hours, parents now have tools that actually teach responsibility, offer oversight, and protect high school students from real digital dangers—without taking away the tech entirely.

Here’s how Aqua One can help families like yours work with technology, not against it:

High schoolers are fast online—messages disappear, snaps vanish, and feeds scroll by in seconds. With Aqua One’s Instant Replay, parents can scroll back in time to see exactly what happened, even if something was deleted.

Why this matters: Many pilot programs and school policies miss what happens after hours. Aqua One keeps you informed even when the school day is over.

Let’s be honest—young people are exposed to a lot. One wrong moment, one bad photo, and their future can be affected.

Aqua One automatically…

Aqua One Nudity Prevention prevents serious mistakes before they happen. This is peace of mind that no school cellphone policy can offer.

High school life can be chaotic—early classes, sports, clubs, social drama, and navigating everything in between. For teens trying to build independence, and parents trying to stay connected, communication matters more than ever.

With Aqua One’s Shared Dashboard, up to 5 trusted adults—parents, stepparents, grandparents, or guardians—can stay in the loop.

Whether you’re in one home or two, Aqua One makes it easier to co-parent and protect—without arguments or crossed wires.

Let’s be honest: No high school student wants to carry around a “kiddie phone.” They want something that fits in with their world, not one that stands out in a bad way. That’s why Aqua One runs on the Google Pixel 9—a premium, Android-powered smartphone that looks and feels like what everyone else has... only smarter.

Unlike most parental control phones, Aqua One doesn’t single out teens. It empowers them to stay connected with their friends and with their family—all while staying safe.

Autumn Santoni, Illinois

As more school districts consider cellphone bans during the school day, Autumn wanted a smarter solution—one that wouldn’t cut off her son’s access to technology, but would still support his growth and education.

“I really like that it doesn’t just block everything. It gives kids the discretion to make their own decisions, which I think teaches them integrity and independence online. I’ve watched my son navigate it, and it’s actually taught him a lot about where he wants to be on the internet, and even how to avoid things he knows he’s not ready to handle yet.

Honestly, I just felt like this was the safest option without making the kids feel like they’re being constantly distrusted.

It gives them independence, but they still know I can see everything they’re doing."

Lucio Rodriguez, Texas

Between schoolwork and downtime, devices are a big part of kids’ lives. Lucio, a parent in the public school system, wanted a way to protect his kids from online risks—without waiting until it was too late.

“Our kids are losing their innocence younger and younger—and that really worries me. We don’t even use tablets or phones much, mostly just for school. But even with something as simple as putting on a phonics video, weird stuff can start popping up. That’s why this product stood out to me.

One thing I told a friend was, ‘I’m not using an app—this phone has everything built in.’ It’s like every little crack that gets missed by other applications is covered here, and that’s something I really like. Her daughter once downloaded an app that looked like a calculator but was being used for something else. I feel like Aqua One covers that kind of stuff, too.

But my favorite part? The way it handles explicit photos. If something inappropriate is taken, it gets blocked. That feature alone gives me so much peace of mind.”

More and more school boards are trying to fix problems in the classroom by creating cellphone bans. The idea is to stop distractions during the school day. But just taking away smartphones doesn’t teach kids how to use them the right way.

Cellphone use and access to devices are part of life now. Instead of only blocking them, we should focus on education—teaching kids how to stay safe online, manage social media use, and protect their mental health.

That’s where Aqua One helps. Parents can still see what their child is doing, but without taking away their freedom. Kids get to make choices, and parents can step in when needed.

​Cellphone bans might help for a little while, but they don’t prepare kids for real life. With tools like Aqua One, families can work together to build better habits—online and offline.