I don't think phones are the problem. I think it's more social media. Schools find it less effort to ban phones vs how to work with them.
The nanny state is a troubling trend
I find it weird that all of these schools have contracts with https://www.overyondr.com/phone-locking-pouch. It's one thing to discipline a student who has their phone out it's another thing to compel all students to give up their own devices or install managing software used to spy on kids.
This isn't really about helping them succeed. It's more about training them to accept being watched and controlled all the time. Instead of teaching kids how to manage their attention or use technology responsibly, we're teaching them that they don’t own their time, their devices, or even their personal space during the school day.