By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Balancing Roles, Teacher and Mother
As a middle school teacher, Nancy Streit understands how hard it can be to compete with a smartphone for a child's attention. However, as a mother, she recognizes the necessity of these devices during emergencies. “It’s mostly the parents calling,” she says, adding that while she doesn't allow phone use in her classroom, students routinely skirt the rules.
Los Angeles School District's New Ban
The Los Angeles school district, where Ms. Streit teaches the second largest school district in the country is the latest to ban smartphone use in schools this week. This decision is part of a growing trend as more states and schools across the US consider how to manage the increasing dependency children have on their devices.
Statewide Policy Considerations in New York and California
New York and California, two of the most populous US states, are contemplating new statewide policies on the issue. Earlier this week, California Governor Gavin Newsom called for a ban on smartphones in classrooms and announced plans to work with legislators on a policy. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul has advocated for a similar law. This spring, Indiana's governor signed into law a classroom ban, set to begin in the autumn.
A Nationwide Debate Amidst Mental Health Concerns
These efforts mark the latest chapter in a long debate over policing smartphone use in schools and come amid rising concerns about youth mental health in the aftermath of the pandemic. Most US schools already have some kind of phone policy. About 76% of schools prohibited their non academic use in the 2021 to 2022 school year, according to the US Department of Education. However, the latest wave of regulations seeks to extend these measures further.
Observations from Teachers
Raphaela Hodges, a grade six teacher at a Los Angeles school, has noticed a concerning and dramatic change in how children socialize. "When they’re uncomfortable they pick up the phone," she says.
Bipartisan Support for Smartphone Bans
This issue has garnered rare bipartisan consensus, with legislators in both Republican and Democratic controlled states pursuing similar policies. Florida implemented a state law last year requiring school districts to bar phones from classrooms and block access to social media on school Wi Fi. The law also mandates schools to “provide instruction on the social, emotional, and physical effects of social media.”
Expanding Regulations Across North America
Individual districts in states such as Maine and Virginia are also instituting stricter rules surrounding phone use, as are provinces in Canada, including Ontario and Alberta.
An Enduring Debate
Concern surrounding phones in schools has existed for almost as long as the devices themselves, with little consensus and much controversy. The US has seen several attempts to ban communication devices from classrooms since the 1980s.
Early Concerns and Shifting Perspectives
Early critics feared the potential of phones to distract students and their association with the drug trade. However, the 1999 shooting at Colorado’s Columbine High School, which resulted in 13 deaths, prompted some parents and schools to reassess phones as essential communication tools for emergencies. States relaxed the rules, including California, which repealed a phone ban in 2002.
Renewed Concerns Over Distractions and Cyberbullying
The debate was reignited as schools began to see phones as a growing distraction, an aid to cyberbullying, and a potential means for students to cheat on assignments. The city of New York, with over one million students, enforced a strict ban but reversed course in 2015, allowing individual schools to set their own policies.
Social Media Use and Student Mental Health
The current wave of policies comes as experts express concern about student mental health and social media use. On Monday, one of America's top health officials suggested adding warning labels to social media platforms similar to those on cigarette boxes. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy argued that social media increases the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms in children, though research on the topic has shown mixed results.
"You've got a situation where kids are not only trying to learn, but they're simultaneously on their phones, texting their friends, replying to messages on social media, and scrolling through their feeds," Dr. Murthy explained. "This makes it very difficult not only to learn but also to build relationships and friendships in school."
A 2019 study, frequently cited by federal health offices, found that adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.
Will It Work?
Will the policy shift stick? Schools have historically struggled to balance safety and the allure of social media. Ken Trump, president of the National School Safety and Security Services, emphasized that policies would be ineffective without strong community consensus and consistent enforcement.
"There’s a lot more to it than the average parent or other person looking from afar would think. It’s a wicked problem with many complexities,” said Mr. Trump.
In Los Angeles, board members voted on Tuesday to ban the devices starting next year. However, the implementation details are still unclear. Alyssa, an 18 year old from Los Angeles, where many schools have thousands of students, expressed skepticism about the policy's feasibility. “We have huge campuses no one can monitor all that,” she said. “There are tons of areas where you can go and not be seen.”