School cellphone bans have buzz, but may be hard to enforce

Confiscated cellphones stored in a specialised safe at Timber Creek High School in Orlando, Fla. on Oct. 6, 2023. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in June 2024 that California would be the latest state – after Florida and Indiana – to pursue a school cellphone ban. — The New York Times

When it comes to banning cellphones in schools, success could be determined by the details.

Do bans apply only to classrooms, or also to hallways, bathrooms and cafeterias, where students are much more likely to be absorbed in TikTok or text messages?