Perkins Schools to banish cell phones from classrooms

Locked pouches will keep mobile devices mostly idle during school day

PERKINS TWP — Starting January 1, 2026, the familiar glow of smartphone screens will vanish from the halls, classrooms, and even lunchrooms of Perkins Schools.

Following a 5-0 vote by the school board Nov. 12, the district has officially approved a strict new policy that bans student mobile phone use throughout the instructional day.

This sweeping change, which affects all students from Furry Elementary through Perkins High School, is not a local initiative, but a direct response to a new Ohio law signed by Gov. Michael DeWine on June 30.

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Mandate and a vote

The new policy eliminates the current system at Perkins High School (PHS) and Briar Middle School, which allowed students to possess phones as long as they were stored in lockers or classroom caddies during lessons. Now, the ban extends to classrooms, hallways, lunchrooms, and study halls during instructional hours.