In order to eliminate classroom distractions and pay attention to students’ mental health, more and more states in the United States are considering passing legislation to ban or restrict students from using mobile phones on campus. Legislators in Alabama, Maryland and New Hampshire announced that they will propose bills to restrict students’ use of mobile phones during school hours in the new school year. According to data from health policy research organization KFF, as of December last year, legislators in 11 states in the United States have proposed similar bills.
Legislative Background
The background of this legislative wave is that more and more studies have shown that teenagers are using social media heavily through their mobile phones, and the use of these platforms is closely related to problems such as anxiety, depression, body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders. A 2023 Gallup survey showed that 51% of American teenagers use social media for at least 4 hours a day.
Legislators in some states have even gone a step further and proposed banning children under the age of 16 from using social media, similar to what Australia did last year. Indiana lawmakers are considering similar bills, while Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri introduced federal legislation in 2023 that seeks to set a legal age for using social media, but the bill failed in the committee stage.
More than 8.5 million cyberbullying incidents were detected on Google Docs alone, and more than 500,000 on Microsoft Teams. These data show that simply restricting the use of mobile phones is far from enough, and schools need to have stricter rules for all digital devices and platforms used by students in order to more effectively deal with these problems.
Benefits of Legislation
New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte announced her support for such legislation in her inaugural address last week. She said: “Screens are having a negative impact on our learning environment, distracting students from the classroom, and becoming an obstacle to teachers’ work. This situation must change.” In addition to Alabama, New Hampshire and Maryland, education departments in other states have also recommended or piloted restrictions. Alabama’s proposal even suggests fines for students who violate the rules.
If the legislation is passed, it would join California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia, which have statewide bans or restrictions on cellphone use in public schools. Meanwhile, some schools have taken individual actions to ban cellphones from class. Initial results from these measures have been positive, with teachers reporting improved attention and group work. Bullying and fighting have also declined.
While these restrictions are starting to work, the root of the problem is much deeper. Banning cellphones only partially addresses the problem, as students can continue to access social media platforms or play video games through other devices allowed in class, such as laptops. While these electronics devices are meant to take notes and facilitate learning, they can also become tools for distraction and misbehavior.
Blanket Ban Creates New Problems
The smartphone ban was first introduced in Florida, and many states followed suit and passed similar laws this year. Schools have also taken action and started notifying parents of the new rules, which require students to place their phones in lockers or lockable bags during school hours. Although the rules are intended to protect the interests of children, not all parents agree with them. Some parents, especially those who are accustomed to texting or calling their children during class time, oppose the full ban. Although most parents agree that students should not use smartphones in class, according to a survey by the National Parents Union, more than half of parents think it is okay to let their children use their phones during breaks or lunch time.
Those who support limiting the use of mobile phones in schools believe that this will help students focus on the course rather than group chats in class. However, some parents believe that the use of mobile phones is a public safety issue. If something happens in school, children should be able to use their mobile phones to call for help or contact their parents.
Psychologist Mary Alvord believes that a full ban will bring new social problems and ignore the ubiquity of technology, such as students using laptops in class. She advocates that the goal is to educate teenagers to have a healthy relationship with technology and social media, rather than simply keeping them away from mobile phones during school hours. While bans may reduce bullying and help keep students off their phones in the classroom, it is more important that teens learn how to use their phones responsibly.
