Amid an ever-growing reliance on digital devices, screen time and social media use has become one of the most hot-button issues faced by modern parents. Among the many concerns linked to device dependence on kids’ mental and physical well-being, lawmakers and education experts alike believe that cell phone bans in schools will help curb device-related distractions. In fact, more than half of states nationwide have begun instituting cell phone bans in K-12 schools, but not every parent is on board with the bans.
According to recently released data from KFF, a nonprofit health policy research, polling, and news organization, eight states have passed statewide policies that ban or restrict cell phone use in schools. Most recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Phone-Free School Act, requiring school districts and charter schools to adopt policies that limit or prohibit smartphone use during school hours, with exceptions for medical necessity, emergencies, educational purposes, or with faculty permission.
Along with California, states like Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, and Minnesota have passed similar statewide policies, while 13 additional states have introduced legislation statewide and are awaiting approval. Education departments in Alabama, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and West Virginia have issued guidance to help teachers and school staffers restrict device usage in schools, while Arkansas and Delaware have allocated funds for lockable magnetic phone pouches for storage during school hours.
And while banning phones has been linked to improved test scores, an increase in student socialization and collaboration, and reduced bullying, it’s impossible to ignore the proverbial elephant in the room: the epidemic of mass violence in U.S. schools.
According to a recent poll conducted by the National Parents Union, 78% of parents oppose cell phone bans due to safety concerns, noting the ever-growing need to remain in touch in case of emergencies. Plenty of parents also cite concerns over routine communication, including for pickups and dropoffs, or for reminders about appointments or activities.
Of course, other parents join lawmakers, health experts, and education officials in the fight to keep kids engaged and free of digital distractions in the classroom. Device usage among kids and teens has been linked to depression, anxiety, eating disorders and body image issues, poor sleep hygiene, and attention issues, and that’s without mentioning the impacts of cyberbullying among youth of all ages.
With more and more states enacting legislation to ban smartphones, only time will tell if they are effective and/or beneficial to the well-being of students and staffers alike. Keeping kids safe at school should be top priority for parents, education officials, and lawmakers—a tall order in a culture plagued by device dependence and the threat of school violence, for sure.1
