Back to school in VA will see cell phone use prohibited in school

A new statewide law in Virginia requires students to keep their phones off and put away throughout the entire school day, including during lunch. Governor Glenn Youngkin signed the house bill into law this summer, and that mandates all public-school divisions in the state to adopt phone-free policies. School leaders say the policy allows for more engagement between students, and also in the classroom. Some parents have expressed concerns about communication during emergencies, but officials say less communication during an emergency allows school officials and police to resolve a situation without having a lot of interference and potentially inaccurate information being shared. The law went into effect on July 1st, and districts will begin enforcing it as students return to the classroom starting next week.