Arizona state schools chief holds press conference on statewide school cellphone ban [Video]

PHOENIX (KYMA, KECY) – Arizona State Schools Chief Tom Horne is holding a press conference late Thursday morning.

According to a press release obtained by KYMA, the press conference is to announce a “renewed effort to have a state law” to address a cellphone ban in the classroom.

The press release says former public school teacher Mitchell Rutherford of Tucson is joining Horne as he “left his position in frustration over the proliferation of mobile devices being used by students in the classroom.”

“In January, I vowed to wage war against cellphone addiction. I decided, at that point, that I could not continue as a teacher,” said former teacher Mitchell Rutherford.

Locally, some parents have differing views on the topic.

“There’s a lot of social media stuff going on, and I think it’s, like, not good for the kids they need to be off their phones and be living their life,” said local parent Candy Bounuelos.

While another parent …