Tightening Control on Cellphone and Social Media Use
Concerns over student cellphone use during school hours have prompted lawmakers to take action.
A series of bills have been proposed aimed at enforcing stringent restrictions.
Both the House and Senate are considering legislation that would prohibit cellphone usage entirely throughout the school day.
While some Oklahoma schools have already adopted this practice, others allow students to use their phones during transitions between classes.
Governor Kevin Stitt has expressed support for these limitations after visiting schools where such policies have been successful.
Senate Bill 139, championed by Senator Ally Seifried, seeks to implement a comprehensive ban on cellphone use from the morning bell to the end of the school day.
This bill also includes a proposed $2 million grant program to help schools enact these phone-free initiatives.
In tandem with this, House education leader Rep. Chad Caldwell has put forth a bill that would restrict cellphone use across all school grounds.
Legislative efforts are also extending to the online realm, as concerns about youth interaction with social media mount.
For instance, Senator Kristen Thompson’s SB 838 would prevent anyone under 16 from creating social media accounts.
Moreover, SB 839 aims to address the addictive nature of social media and the potential risks it poses to young people’s mental health.
Additionally, under Senator Seifried’s legislation, social media companies would be prohibited from collecting data from minors, who would require parental consent to create accounts.
Another bill, SB 371, proposed by Senator Micheal Bergstrom, mandates that schools block social media access on district-issued devices and computers.
Similarly, SB 932, presented by Senator Darcy Jech, would empower minors or their guardians to sue social media companies for negative mental health effects related to excessive use of algorithm-driven platforms.
Revival of School Chaplain Bill
Meanwhile, discussions around allowing religious chaplains in public schools have resurfaced. Rep. Kevin West has reintroduced this concept via House Bill 1232, while Senators Shane Jett and Dana Prieto have put forth similar proposals in SB 486 and SB 590, respectively.
This initiative had previously passed the House but failed to secure sufficient support in the Senate.
Changes to Sex Education and Gender Discussions
Several contentious proposals regarding sex education are also on the table.
One measure seeks to shift the current opt-out policy to an opt-in requirement for families.
Under Senate Bill 759, authored by Senator Prieto, students would need explicit parental permission to participate in sex education courses or related presentations.
Other proposals from Rep. Danny Williams and Rep. Tim Turner are also focused on increasing parental consent in these matters.
Senator Dusty Deevers has introduced SB 702, which would eliminate references to sex education and mental health from health education curricula altogether.
In line with this, Prieto’s bill seeks to restrict discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity in sex education, requiring prior parental notification before school staff can refer to a student by a name or pronouns different from those assigned at birth.
Furthermore, legislation aimed at limiting how students are addressed is gaining momentum.
Senator Deevers’ Free to Speak Act would prevent educators from using names or pronouns that don’t align with a student’s biological sex unless they have parental consent.
This would apply to both teachers and fellow students, ensuring that individuals are referred to only by their official names and biological pronouns. Rep. Gabe Woolley has introduced similar bills in this context.
Additionally, Senate Bill 847, put forth by Senator David Bullard, stipulates that schools cannot compel employees or volunteers to address students using names or pronouns inconsistent with their sex at birth, nor can educational materials refer to students by a different gender.
Legislation on Corporal Punishment
Attention has also turned back to the legislation regarding corporal punishment, particularly concerning students with disabilities.
Current laws only allow this practice for the severely cognitively disabled.
In 2020, the Oklahoma Department of Education enacted rules banning corporal punishment for all students with disabilities, yet previous attempts to legislate this have met with resistance, leaving advocacy groups dissatisfied.
Senator Dave Rader has reintroduced a bill aimed at making corporal punishment illegal for all disabled students.
In addition, House Bill 2244 from Rep. John Waldron would require schools to report data on corporal punishment incidents, detailing factors such as age, race, gender, and disability status of affected students for state review.
As the legislative session draws closer, these proposed measures are set to spark meaningful conversations about educational policies in Oklahoma.
Source: The74million