With the new school year comes renewed debate over the use of cell phones in the classroom. Among New York parents of school-age children, 77-percent support barring cell phone use in schools during the day,

As Boston kids and their phones head back to school this year, a wave of new schools are taking a big step to keeps students' attention off their screens and refocus on learning.

At George Washington Carver/Bruce Street School, a K-8 school that also serves as a school for the deaf, school leaders have introduced a new policy banning cell phones on school property. The school also requires parents to sign a written agreement if they want their child to have a phone in school.

I have a 12-year-old who just started Junior High in the US (which covers grades 7 and 8), and her school has a phone-free campus policy. My other child is about to turn 9 and will be there soon. Both have expressed wanting a phone,

Mike Morath made the recommendation as concerns rise that phones are harmful to students’ mental health and distract them from learning.