US efforts to limit cell phones in schools
On July 9, Virginia became the next US state to join a group of states pushing to restrict cell phone use in public schools, citing concerns about student performance and mental health.
Accordingly, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order to establish state guidance and policies for local school systems to apply starting in January 2025.
The state’s executive order notes that studies show that students who use their phones during class learn less and get lower grades. It also addresses the alarming mental health crisis among teens, caused in part by cell phones and social media.
In the era of technology explosion, mobile phones have become an indispensable part of everyone's life, including students. However, the widespread use of mobile phones in schools is leading to many negative consequences, affecting both academic performance and mental health of students. Recognizing this problem, many states in the US are making efforts to implement measures to limit the use of mobile phones in schools.
Last year, Florida became the first US state to pass a new law banning cell phones in schools. Indiana and Ohio passed their own laws this year, while several other states have recently introduced so-called “phone-free schools” laws.
On July 10, the Pennsylvania State Senate also passed a bill to ban students from using cell phones during class to improve their mental health and academic performance.
“Children are spending too much time on social media and smartphones, which is affecting them mentally, emotionally, and academically,” said Republican Sen. Ryan Aument, who sponsored the Pennsylvania bill. “Smartphone restrictions have been shown to be effective in reversing these trends.”
According to the US National Center for Education Statistics, 76% of public schools have banned “non-academic cell phone use” for the 2021-2022 school year.
In Virginia, school districts (local governments that play a key role in the management and operation of public schools) have increasingly banned or severely restricted student cell phone use. For example, Loudoun County Public Schools, in northern Virginia, adopted a new policy last month that prohibits elementary school students from using cell phones during the school day.
Middle school students are allowed to use their cell phones before or after school, but are required to keep them in their lockers the rest of the time. High school students are required to silence their phones and place them in their lockers or classroom storage areas during regular school hours.
Loudoun County Public Schools spokesman Dan Adams said the school system will have to wait to see what specific directives come from the state. But he said the school system is “confident that our policy is age-appropriate and addresses the issue of screen-free time.”
Last year, several Virginia districts piloted a cell phone ban in some high schools and middle schools, and the results showed that students were more engaged in class and had fewer distractions during the day. Students also reported spending more time talking to friends.
The goals of these measures are to improve academic performance, enhance mental health and reduce distractions for students.
Implementing these measures may present some challenges, but many believe they are necessary steps to ensure the best learning environment for students.
