By Hayden Garrett
Walking down the hallway and everywhere you look you see a kid wearing headphones or wireless earbuds, their eyes glued to their phones instead of looking at what’s in front of them. But in the 2026-2027 school year, these actions may result in a court hearing.
Indiana’s new “Bell To Bell Ban” will get rid of any non-school issued devices that connect to the Internet.
“Students will fight it, but once they get used to it, and once they know what the rules are they usually adjust,” longtime chemistry teacher Mr. Terry Summers said. “Some will break the rules and have to be disciplined.”
The “Bell To Bell Ban,” also known as Senate Bill 78, is a new Indiana law that passed in late February and was signed into law by Gov. Mike Braun. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026, which means it will be in place for the 2026-2027 school year.
The law contains a ban on the use of any personal devices, including cell phones, personal laptops, iPads, smart watches, and any wireless headphones or earbuds. These devices cannot be on the student or in use by the student from 8:40 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. throughout the school day, including during lunch and passing periods.
As of now the school will allow students to keep their personal devices in their locker throughout the day. However, some teachers have concerns of students asking to leave class more often to go to their lockers and check their phones.
“Another negative is all of a sudden everyone needs to go to the bathroom or grab something from their locker, but they could just be going to check their phones,” social studies teacher Miss Zoe Ashcraft said.
Trying to keep students not only from going to their locker every period but also preventing students from sneaking their phones in class, the school plans to hand out a strict punishment for anyone who violates that law.
The proposed consequence that the school has decided on is the same consequences that a student would face if caught with nicotine products.
A student caught with their device will receive three days of out-of-school suspension along with a ticket issued to them. A second offense will be five days of OSS along with a ticket. The third offense is 10 days OSS, a ticket, and possible expulsion.
These proposed punishments have not yet been approved by the school board.
These punishments may seem extreme, but many teachers and administrators are just hoping to keep phones out of classrooms to help students learn.
“I think that this will be difficult for students at first; however, once students realize that our legislators have their best educational experience in mind, they will be glad that the phone or personal cellular device is not a distraction,” Delta High School principal Ms. Joey Gossett said.
Logistically keeping distracting devices out of classrooms sounds appealing, but many students and parents have worries about communicating throughout the day.
“I text my mother not just about random things but important things like my grades and getting my assignments in and what I plan on doing after school,” sophomore Kyra Murry said. “I have practice after school an hour away some days. Sometimes I need to pick up my siblings, meaning I have to leave straight from school to get them.”
Situations like Murry’s may take some adjusting with a new routine. However, Delta is providing many resources for communication about school clubs and sports by using Parent Square and Student Square to communicate any sudden schedule changes.
“We have mandated that all school employees use ParentSquare as a means of communication,” Ms. Gossett said. “Students should have access to StudentSquare on their school-issued devices, and parents should have access to ParentSquare.”
Another big concern is students who need their phones for health reasons. The state law allows an exemption for these situations.
For students to have their devices on them at school they will need a doctor’s note followed up with a 504 plan or an IEP with information about needing their devices.
Overall, many teachers and administrators are for the law while the students think it is unfair and do not believe it should have been passed.
“I’m really not going to like it,” freshman Kara Gruwell said. “I’m always on my phone. I use it for everything — literally everything.”
Although Gruwell primarily wants her phone for entertainment, many students have concerns about losing their music that they listen to almost constantly on their cellular devices.
“Not being able to listen to music while doing my work is going to be the hardest thing to adapt to,” sophomore Brody Gray said.
The law does not prevent listening to music on wired devices as long as it does not connect to the Internet.
Despite anyone’s opinions, the law will be enforced throughout Indiana. Eventually, it will become routine after everyone gets used to it.
