Rahway Schools Enforce Strict New Cell Phone Ban: What Parents Need to Know
The Rahway Board of Education has adopted a tougher policy banning student use of all personal electronics during school hours.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Rahway school officials have rolled out a stricter cell phone policy for the new school year, aiming to cut down on classroom distractions and boost student focus.
Announced in an email this week to parents and guardians, the policy also bans student use of tablets, smartwatches, headphones, and other personal electronic devices anywhere on school grounds during the school day.
This marks a significant shift from Rahway’s previous policy, which allowed the use of privately owned devices for educational purposes with teacher and parent approval. The new rules apply across all grade levels and include a clearly defined discipline structure.
The policy goes beyond classrooms. Devices must also remain off and out of sight in hallways, during study hall and physical education, and at before- and after-school programs.
Schools may create designated areas in classrooms for students to store their devices. Otherwise, devices must remain in a backpack, bookbag, or locker.
The updated policy includes very limited exceptions. Students may use their electronic devices only in the event of an emergency where immediate communication is necessary for safety or well-being. Students with approved accommodations under an Individualized Education Program or 504 Plan may also be permitted to use their devices. The policy also states that students can use their electronic devices during lunch in the cafeteria “when device use is permitted,” suggesting schools may choose whether or not to allow use during that time.
In all other cases, students who need to contact a parent must ask a staff member for permission to use the school phone in the main office.
“Mobile devices are a distraction in the classroom. They are fueling a rise in cyberbullying and making it incredibly difficult for our kids, not only to learn, but to retain the substance of what they learn.”
The district has introduced a four-step intervention plan for students who violate the new policy. For a first offense, the student will receive a verbal warning. The device will be powered down, taken by an administrator, and held in a designated office for the remainder of the school day. The student must sign a form acknowledging the violation before the device is returned, and it must be picked up by a parent or guardian.
A second offense follows the same process as the first, but may also include a detention depending on the circumstances. For a third offense, the consequences may include additional disciplinary measures.
If a student violates the policy more than three times in a school year, they may be prohibited from bringing any electronic communication devices to school for the remainder of the year.
Students are strongly encouraged to leave their devices at home, the policy states, and schools are not responsible for any stolen, lost, or broken personal devices.
Rahway’s policy change comes amid a broader push across New Jersey to restrict student cell phone use. In his State of the State address in January, Governor Phil Murphy called for a statewide ban on phones in schools.
“Today, our children are inundated with screens,” Murphy said.
The Rahway Board of Education officially adopted the revised policy in July.