We asked whether Illinois should ban cellphones in classrooms during school hours. Here’s what you told us, lightly edited for clarity:

“Such a law, while popular, may be unenforceable. A better solution would be to jam the signal in classrooms. That way students cannot access distractions on their phones.”
— Patricia Boughton

“With all the school shootings that go on around the country, these students need their phones. What if something happens to the teacher and no one else has a phone to call for help in that classroom? … One more phone could save countless lives.”
— Gregory Bell-Bey

“Cellphones should be banned during school hours. They provide a distraction from education and a barrier for teachers trying to communicate. … Schools should also ensure that students will have easy access to an office phone if they need to call their parents or guardians.”
— Margaret McCoy

“Why not employ phone ‘sleeping bags’? If you are in class and not using your phone for an assignment (as directed by a teacher) it goes on silent mode and into a little canvas sack on your desk.”
— Phoebe Murtagh

“The only people deciding this should be victims who survived being in a school under siege. Did having access to a phone help them in any way? That’s bigger than the teacher complaining about random children/young adults getting distracted.”
— Christine Bock

“I’m finishing my 22nd year as a CPS high school teacher. Brain rot is real. … Students are addicted to the dopamine hits endless scrolling or game-playing … provide. … I can’t tell you how many times a student has told me, ‘I’m talking to my mom.’”
— Sharon Marzano

“Even if the phone is in a backpack and on silent, the temptation to check it is overwhelming. It fractures concentration, and over time leads to decreased attention span. It also contributes to diminished social skills, as kids are more focused on their devices than on human interaction.”
— Anita Caref