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Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker is clashing with the teachers' union regarding a growing movement to ban cellphones from classrooms statewide.
Earlier this month, the Illinois General Assembly passed a bill to implement a statewide policy prohibiting students from using a phone or any other "wireless communication device" during classroom hours. This was an amended version of Senate Bill 2427, which was unanimously passed by the state Senate last year.
The bill must now return to the Senate for a new vote before it can head to the governor's desk. Pritzker has advocated for a ban on phones in classrooms.
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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, center, is flanked by Cook County Chairwoman Toni Preckwinkle, left, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, right. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Getty Images)
"There’s real harm being done, and it’s interfering with our ability to give children the most productive educational environment possible," Pritzker said during his State of the State speech in February. "It’s time to get cell phones out of the classroom. Working together, parents and teachers in school districts like Champaign, Springfield, and Peoria prohibited cell phones in classrooms. 25 states including Florida, California, Texas and New York have done this with bipartisan support, and it is time for Illinois to follow suit."
This support for a statewide standard put him at odds against the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), the largest statewide teachers union in Illinois and a strong supporter of Democrats.
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IFT Executive Vice President Cyndi Oberle-Dahm criticized the governor and the bill, claiming that schools already have the power to restrict cellphone use at the local level and that the measure will only place additional costs on the schools.
"Schools already have the authority to set cellphone policies, but what they cannot do is fund themselves or the cellphone lockers or pockets that will be required to enforce this unfunded mandate. Only the Governor can ultimately meet the state’s funding obligation," Oberle-Dahm said in a statement in February.
She insisted that Pritzker instead focus on funding other education programs such as special education and school lunches, adding that students need phones as "lifelines" in light of immigration raids.
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"Teachers know cellphones can be distracting – we manage that every single day. And, in communities living with real fear about ICE and family safety, phones are also lifelines. We saw that in Chicago, Aurora, Franklin Park, and anywhere federal agents have spread their terror. In times like that, communication is not theoretical. It is about safety," Oberle-Dahm said.
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In a comment to Fox News Digital, the IFT pointed to its original statement. Fox News Digital also reached out to Pritzker's office for comment.
As of January 2026, at least 26 states have enacted statewide policies prohibiting cellphone use during classroom instructional hours. Several other states have also either enacted limits to cellphone use in classrooms or required school districts to establish local policies on phones.
Lindsay Kornick is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to lindsay.kornick@fox.com and on Twitter: @lmkornick.
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