Student Cell Phone Use Banned At Black Horse Pike Schools, 'Strictly Enforced'

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — A new "bell-to-bell" student cell phone ban at Black Horse Pike schools will be strictly enforced, according to the district superintendent.

The Black Horse Pike Regional School District is in its second full week of the ban on student cell phone use during school hours. The policy has already had a positive impact, according to Superintendent Dr. Brian Repici.

"I want to thank the students and parents for their understanding, collaboration, and support," Repici said in a letter to the district community. "99% of our students are respectful and responsible, and as a result, we have witnessed a resurgence of positive social engagement and academic focus."

But some students haven't been following the policy, Repici says. Students who violate the restrictions will face "progressive disciplinary actions," including a superintendent-level hearing after their fourth violation, the superintendent warns.

"We have already been made aware of students bringing secondary devices to circumnavigate the intent," Repici said, "and, in those cases, students will be disciplined under the code of conduct policy for 'failure to follow directives.'"

The measure follows a rising trend of schools banning cell phone use during class — and in the bell-to-bell bans, between classes.

All New Jersey public schools will be required to ban student cell phone use in the 2026-27 school year, when a state law passed in January takes effect. Proponents contend that the restrictions help students focus.

"In my view, there has never been a better moment to enact this transformative policy," then-Gov. Phil Murphy said of the measure he signed into law, "because as of this last school year, we are finally starting to see something that we have been working toward for the last five years — and that is a return to pre-pandemic levels of academic achievement among our state’s students."

But leadership in the state largest teacher's union, the New Jersey Education Association, cautioned against a statewide ban when it was under consideration.

"We call on the New Jersey Department of Education to issue guidelines directing districts to work with parents and educators in each community and at each school level to determine what specific policy will best serve students’ academic, safety and mental health needs," NJEA leadership said in a statement last year. "Shared input and community buy-in will help ensure the success of those policies better than any one-size-fits-all ban imposed from above."