On June 20, 2025 Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1481 into law, prohibiting student use of personal wireless communication devices in Texas public schools. This law officially took effect on Sep. 1. The Austin Independent School District (AISD) board of trustees met on Aug. 21 to discuss the disciplinary measures that will be taken for violations of this law. The board decided that students who are seen with their phone or personal device will have it temporarily confiscated.
After the first offense, the student will be able to pick up their device at the end of the school day. After the second offense, a parent or guardian must retrieve the device with the possibility of a suspension. On the third offense a parent or guardian can pick the device up the next day, and additional consequences at the discretion of a campus administrator. After the fourth offense and for additional offenses after that, the device can be picked up by a parent or guardian 48 hours after it is confiscated, and additional consequences at the discretion of a campus administrator.
“Bowie has always had the expectation of phone free learning, the law passing has made it easier on teachers to enforce having phones away because we now have the law to fall back on,” World History teacher Ross Anderson said. “Although it is a couple extra steps for us since if we see a phone we’re supposed to confiscate it, fill out paperwork, and take it to the office.”
According to the AISD website, the devices included in this ban are: personal cell phones, tablets, gaming devices, smart watches, Bluetooth headphones or earbuds, fitness trackers that are capable of receiving or sending messages, non-district issued computers, two way radios, pagers, and any other device that is capable of digital communication. These devices must be shut off and out of sight.
“We have had to redirect some students who were using their personal devices,” Assistant Principal Paulette Walls said. “However, overall this policy change is going over much smoother than I expected it would.”
With stricter policies this school year, Anderson has seen less combative responses from students when asked to put their phones away. Most have complied with expectations when asked and respect the implementation of the phone ban.
“I’ve only seen a couple phones, and I ask the kids to just put them away,” Anderson said. “I’ve had no problems with kids complying with that.”
The administration was prepared for students to be much more combative in response to this law. They expected it to be a much larger issue on campus than it has proven to be.
“We were expecting a big uproar or retaliation from the students,” Walls said. “We really haven’t seen much of that, everyone’s been much more cooperative than we thought.”
Some students are already noticing benefits of phone free learning, some reporting they are more focused during school. According to sophomore Miley Ward, she’s seen students are accomplishing more school work and getting more tasks done during the day.
“The phone ban is helpful in some ways,” Ward said. “Students are focusing more on their school work and are being more social during free time.”
Instead of students checking their phones or responding to messages during free time in class, Ward and Walls have both seen that students are interacting more with their peers and building relationships with classmates.
“It’s so nice to see kids just talk and interact with each other again,” Walls said. “These interactions are so important for communication skills in life after high school.”
