There was righteous outrage this week among many public school parents, and that outrage highlighted a troubling disconnect that’s to blame for many of our political ills.

As schools set to open and others welcomed students back for the 2025–26 school year, many parents learned for the first time of the FOCUS Act. That’s the law passed by our Legislature and signed by our governor earlier this year that bans smartphones and other smart devices from Alabama public school classrooms.

Students of all ages caught with a phone are subject to stiff penalties, including in-school suspension for five days for a second offense and 15 days in an alternative school for a third offense.

The notices sent out by most districts alerting parents to these new rules were met with surprise, and then outri

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