Full Breakdown
Michigan’s New Classroom Phone Ban Takes Hold Across Districts
8/15/2026, 6:10:09 AM
Statewide Policy Enacted
In February 2026, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed bipartisan legislation prohibiting personal cell-phone use during instructional time in Michigan public schools. The law delegates authority to individual districts to devise enforcement plans, with exemptions only for emergencies or approved academic purposes.
District Implementation Strategies
Merrill Middle and High Schools issue a “NuKase” locking case that secures each student’s phone until a classroom-mounted magnet unlocks it; a bottom opening allows access for medical monitoring. Ferndale Public Schools require phones to be placed in lockboxes at the front of high-school rooms, a routine that Superintendent Camille Hibbler says has become “part of the routine.” The Novi Community School District, which has operated a similar ban for two years, also stores devices in lockboxes and cites research such as Jonathan Haidt’s *Anxious Generation*.
Official Statements & Responses
Principal Christian Wiley (Merrill) frames the policy as a return to “the old days” of office-mediated parent contact and cites research linking high screen time to reduced academic performance. Superintendent Camille Hibbler (Ferndale) reports that removing screens has increased peer interaction and teacher satisfaction, allowing “maximized instructional time.” Superintendent Ben Mainma (Novi) emphasizes safety benefits, noting that limited communication channels during emergencies improve school security.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There’s a hole at the bottom of the case that they can access and touch those apps if they need them to monitor anything like diabetics and stuff like that,” — Christian Wiley, principal
- “It’s going to be back to the old days where the parents have to call the office. The office will call the classrooms,” — Christian Wiley, principal
- “A lot of people just need to have their phone on them. It’s like something that has to be in their pocket or their hand,” — Addison Huff, student
- “I'll be honest, at first I thought no way a high schooler is actually going to do this but seeing it in action. It’s just became a part of the routine,” — Camille Hibbler, superintendent
- “They’re talking to each other they’re connecting in ways that they probably wouldn’t have if there was a screen in front of them. I would say as far as instruction our teachers are very, very happy. Because again, you maximize that instructional time,” — Camille Hibbler, superintendent
- “This has been something that’s been vastly successful across all of our buildings where we’ve implemented it,” — Ben Mainma, superintendent
