From the New York Times, I'm Sabrina Taverniose, and this is the Daily.

As students around the country head back to school, many are encountering a new reality.

Bands on their use of cell phones.

Today, my colleague Natasha Singer on the growing

crackdown and the contentious debate that it has prompted. It's Tuesday, September 3rd. Natasha welcome back to the show

to the show. Thanks so much for having me back. So Natasha as long time

listeners of the show will know you cover technology in schools and we

wanted to have you back on the show today because this is the week that many kids

across the country including here in New York, are going back to school.

And you've been reporting on a growing debate that's really become the talk of the new school

year.

Tell us about it.

We're seeing this incredible wave of one state after another

trying to crack down on student cell phone use in schools.

And because so many states are passing these laws so quickly, it has become the back-to-school story, students and cell phones.

And it started last year

we've been the first state to pass a law that barred students from using their phones during class time.

And this year we've seen at least eight states,

both red states like Indiana and blue states like Minnesota,

pass laws that either restrict student use of phones, like ban them during class,

ban them during the entire school day, or require school districts to limit

student use of the phones.

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