Williamson County Schools will enact one of the strictest cell phone policies in Middle Tennessee next school year, requiring elementary and middle school students to keep phones put away from the first bell to the last. High school students will be allowed access only during lunch.
The school board approved the policy in a 10-2 vote Monday night following weeks of debate over whether phones interfere with learning or help during emergencies. The rule is scheduled to take effect Aug. 1, 2026.
Under current Tennessee law, cell phones must be put away during instructional time only. Williamson County will go beyond that by restricting phone use throughout the day on most campuses.
Dr. Nidhi Gupta, a pediatric endocrinologist, digital wellness expert and parent of two students in the district, supported the change during Monday’s board meeting.
“A bell-to-bell phone-free day is not a restriction, it is a gift, a gift of attention, of calm, of connection,” Gupta said.
She also argued that phones can make emergencies more chaotic.
“Phones used during emergencies increases chaos and gets in the way of first responders,” Gupta said. “Students need to hear safety instructions, not be recording videos or calling home.”
Some high school students spoke against the policy, raising concerns about communication and personal autonomy.
“Would you want your child’s last message to you, taken away?” said John Paul Kukulka, a junior at Ravenwood High School. “Phones are not the problem; the misuse of phones is the problem.”
Others worried about logistics such as carpool updates, practice changes or contacting family members during the day.
“If two-thirds of the WCS population is forced to route all communications through the front office, how overwhelmed do you want them to be?” said student Ricky Du.
Professional Educators of Tennessee backed the measure, particularly the amended version that allows high school students access during lunch and believes it will teach elementary and middle school students certain behavior.
“They’ll be used to it, it’ll be part of their day by the time they get to high school,” said Patrick Basnett with Professional Educators of Tennessee
The district has not finalized how the policy will be enforced. School leaders are considering phone storage options including pouches, lockers, backpacks or lock boxes in individual classrooms. Basnett suggested one possibility would be students placing phones in labeled pouches and locking them in a classroom box until class is over.
Officials said they may test policies at certain schools before rolling it out districtwide.
Board members acknowledged enforcement may be difficult in hallways during passing periods. Funding for pouches or storage tools could be added to next year’s budget if necessary. Warren County was cited during discussions as an example of a district already using a similar bell-to-bell policy.
It is unclear how many districts in Tennessee have implemented comparable restrictions.
FOX 17 News will continue to follow developments as the district establishes enforcement standards ahead of next school year.
