“Phone-Free Schools: The Shocking New Trend Sweeping Across America”

By Familyguide

Across the United States, numerous states and school districts are implementing restrictions or outright bans on cell phone usage in educational settings.

“Why do we permit highly addictive phones in schools when we prohibit alcohol and drugs?” The New York Times questioned on August 25.

“Endless apps lure children with promises of dopamine rushes, a predatory business model. While many studies have demonstrated the negative psychological effects of these devices on developing minds, they can also cause physical harm,” The New York Times stated. “The constant checking, scrolling, and swiping that children engage in elevates cortisol ‘stress hormone’ levels, increases blood pressure, and diminishes sleep quality.”

These concerns are driving some educational institutions and state governments to take action.

Tom Horne, Superintendent of Public Instruction for the Arizona Department of Education, compares cellphone use to “the heroin of our era… No educator should be expected to teach a class where students are scrolling on their cellphones.”

“Arizona is the most recent state attempting to limit usage, according to reports, with legislators arguing that while districts can address the issue individually, a broader law is necessary,” Fox News reported. “In April, Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that would have restricted cellphone use in Arizona’s public schools.”

Arizona joins 10 other states with laws or policies limiting phone use in schools. The Los Angeles Unified School District, America’s second-largest, has passed a ban on phone use during school hours, set to be implemented by January 2025.

Virginia’s governor, Glenn Youngkin, issued an executive order to “facilitate cellphone-free education in Virginia schools.” Last month, he tasked the state’s Department of Education with removing cellphones from public schools.

Some states – including Arkansas, Ohio, Delaware, and Pennsylvania – require students to store their phones in pouches during school hours.

“Arkansas’ phone-free schools’ program isn’t about taking anything away – it’s about giving children the freedom to learn without distractions,” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated.

Delaware extends this request to teachers as well.

“The Board requests that instructional staff set an example by refraining from cell phone usage during class time,” the Smyrna School board stated. “Parents and guardians, we need your support in helping your child/children understand that being without their phone for just over an hour at a time benefits the learning environment and their overall academic success.”

Dr. Willough Jenkins, a pediatric psychiatrist at Rady Children’s Hospital and UC San Diego, noted that restriction is “not black and white – [it’s] quite a nuanced discussion, as not all children struggle with phone use. But for those who do, we certainly are seeing the impacts in our mental health clinics and within psychiatry.”

“[When] children are absorbed in their phones and not interacting with their peers, we worry about the impact on their social development, because schools are about academics and [also] the social learning that accompanies it.”

While typical phone use can have many negative effects, Jenkins hopes policymakers and school districts consider that some children may require their devices for essential reasons, such as face-to-face communication or monitoring blood glucose levels.