Virginia Governor Calls for Statewide Ban of student cellphones in schools
The data is overwhelmingly clear that cell phones are harming our kids' ability to learn. Christians ought to support the Governor's effort.
Dear Christian Parent, we need to be championing this effort in our cities and towns.
I have long believed that the best way to reduced kids and teens using smartphones is by parents not buying these devices for their sons and daughters.
Another important step in the right direction would be for schools to ban the use of phones during the school day. I believe if kids stop bringing phones to school then the average age a child acquires a smartphone will be delayed. I’ve heard of 5th graders who are being bullied for not having their own smartphones. Most parents I talk to say that the reason their son or daughter “needs” a phone is so that they won’t be left out socially. Below are some quotes from Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order.
Children spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on social media, and recent studies indicate that spending more than three hours a day on social media doubles the risk of poor mental health for adolescents.
In addition to the worsening state of youth mental health in the past decade, the state of academic achievement also suffered, as measured by the precipitous drop in the National Assessment for Education Program (NAEP) scores beginning in 2012.
Creating a cell phone-free education environment in public schools in not only a prudent measure but an essential one to promote a healthier and more focused educational environment where every child is free to learn.
The Data
According to a 2023 Common Sense media study, “smartphones have become a constant companion in our teens’ lives.” Teens receive, on average 237 notifications per day, with around 60 of these occurring during the school day. That’s 60 different times their attention is fragmented and distracted. These are only notifications. This does not include messages they are sending, TikTok videos they are watching, and SnapChat accounts they are monitoring.
Our children and teens need our help. According to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, one of the leading voices in this field, the current phone based childhood is the primary cause of the epidemic of mental illness we are seeing in our young people today. Today’s teens are more connected than at any point in human history and more anxious and depressed than ever before. This is not a COVID issue. Since the early 2010’s when smartphones became ubiquitous rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide have risen. On a graph, this looks like a hockey stick.
The school day should primarily be a time to learn. It’s also a time for kids to interact with peers, learn social skills, practice face to face communication and create community.
According to a London School of Economics study, banning mobile phones at schools leads to an increase in student performance. The results indicate that after schools banned mobile phones, test scores of students increased by over 6% of a standard deviation.
Another study, published in the Educational Psychology journal, a controlled study found that students in a classroom without use of laptops and cell phones for non-classroom purposes scored about half a letter grade higher on exams. Notably, even when classmates are using devices, other students’ grades are negatively impacted, due to distraction.
Next Steps
I’m proud of Governor Youngkin’s leadership in this area. Our kids and teens need us, the adults, to act now by supporting this executive order. In Virginia, speak to your school boards, write to your State Senators and Delegates. If you are outside of Virginia, contact your Governor’s office and ask him to follow Youngkin’s lead.
This executive order does not mandate that phones cannot be used in schools. It is the first step in gathering information to “draft guidance for public school divisions to adopt policies and procedures establishing cell phone-free education.” The goal is to gather feedback over the next few months so that “final guidance” can be in place by January 1, 2025. Speaking in favor of this effort over the next two months is vital to its success.
Ultimately, the research shows that youth should not have access to social media or smartphones during the formative years of their social, emotional and educational development.
We can increase learning and bring down rates of anxiety, depression, self harm and suicide. This is doable. The solutions are easy. The benefits for some kids, is life or death. There is not a downside to restricting cellphones during the school day.
In fact, in the worst case scenarios, school safety experts say that kids with phones are more likely to be distracted and therefore not follow the instructions of a capable adult trying to get them to safety.
There is no time to waste. Our children and teens are growing up everyday. They need us now. I’ll be sure to keep you informed on this statewide effort.
Additional Resources:
Banning Smartphones at Schools, Research points to higher test scores, less anxiety, more exercise
Phone-Free Schools: A Collaborative Review
Screen Strong Kids’ Brains & Screens curriculum book for middle schoolers
Smartphones & Tablets at earlier ages negatively impact mental health
For more information on how this can be accomplished, check out the Phone Free Schools Movement. I’m happy to serve as an Ambassador for this organization.