A movement calling for students to limit cell phone use in schools is growing in the US.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is leading a strong push to reduce students’ dependence on smartphones. He has called on school districts across the state to adopt stricter regulations on phone use on campus, with the goal of improving the quality of education and encouraging students to focus more on their studies.

Sharing the same view, the South Carolina State Board of Education is also actively reviewing and drafting specific guidelines to completely ban the use of phones during class time, thereby creating a healthy and effective learning environment.

The call to limit students' use of smartphones on campus is gaining particular attention in the current social context. The debate about the negative impact of social media on young people's mental health is becoming increasingly heated.

Specifically, smartphone abuse can lead to problems such as internet addiction, depression, anxiety, reduced ability to concentrate and direct social interaction. In the school environment, excessive phone use also reduces learning efficiency, causes distraction during class and creates inequality when some students are distracted by notifications and games on the phone.

In addition, limiting the use of phones in schools also aims to protect students from other negative impacts such as cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content and invasion of privacy. Schools are actively looking for solutions to balance the use of technology in teaching and protecting the mental health of students.

Efforts to limit cell phone use in schools are becoming increasingly common in Utah, Florida, Louisiana, and other states. Education officials in these states have implemented specific policies, such as banning phones from class, requiring students to leave their phones in their lockers, or turning them off during class. The moves are intended to address the persistent problem of distraction in the classroom, allowing students to focus on the lesson and interact more effectively with teachers and peers.

Although cell phone bans have been enacted, enforcement has been difficult. Many students find ways to “evade” teachers by hiding their phones in hard-to-find places such as in shoes, pockets, and even in the bathroom. Checking each student’s phone is a time-consuming and difficult task, especially in schools with large student populations.

In addition, some students believe that phones are useful learning tools and that a complete ban is unnecessary. They believe that using phones appropriately can help them find information, solve homework or contact friends when needed.

Another issue is parents’ concerns about emergency contact. In the event of an incident, not being able to contact their children immediately is a source of anxiety for many parents. However, schools have also come up with alternative solutions such as setting up landline numbers so that parents can contact the school if necessary.

The debate over banning cell phones in schools has been going on for years, but Stanford University professor Antero Garcia argues we’re going in the wrong direction. Instead of seeing phones as a threat, we should be looking at ways to harness the power of technology to enhance education.

But some parents say banning cell phones will help their children focus in class. Jessica French, a parent of a 16-year-old and a 12-year-old in Palo Cedro, California, said her son was playing a game on a classmate’s phone while at school, distracting him from his studies. Jessica French said there should be a statewide ban on phones in classrooms.

Sharing the same opinion with Ms. Jessica French, Nathalie Hrizi - a parent and teacher in San Francisco also said that the ban on cell phones can help reduce distractions in the classroom and parents can still contact their children if needed by calling the school.

The fight against cell phone use in the classroom has made new strides in California. Leading the effort is Los Angeles Unified, one of the largest school districts in the country with more than 500,000 students. Its decision to ban student cell phone use during class, effective next January, has created a stir.

“With such a large student population, enforcing this ban will certainly be a challenge for schools,” said Los Angeles Unified School Board member Nick Melvoin. “However, administrators are looking for creative ways to implement the new policy without putting too much pressure on teachers.”

Troy Flint, a spokesman for the California School Boards Association, stressed that decisions about allowing students to use electronic devices in schools are extremely diverse and depend on individual schools and communities. He said these issues should be addressed at the local level, where education administrators can make decisions that best fit the needs and conditions of each district.

Laurie Miles, a representative from the California Association for Bilingual Education, expressed concerns about banning cell phones in the classroom. She said that while it is necessary to limit distractions, a blanket ban could be difficult for many students, especially those learning English as a second language.

For example, some teachers allow students to use their phones to look up words in dictionaries or translate complex texts, making the learning process more effective, Miles said. Therefore, setting rules that are too rigid can unintentionally hinder the learning process for some students.

In a bold move to ban cell phones in schools, South Carolina lawmakers this summer passed a strict rule on cell phone use in schools that would require all schools in the state to ban students from using cell phones during class and school activities. Failure to comply would result in schools facing cuts in state funding.

To ensure effective implementation, schools have until early 2025 to develop specific regulations and prescribe penalties for students who violate them. In the future, lawmakers will consider making the regulation permanent or creating similar requirements to ensure schools continue to comply.

Commenting on the lawmakers' decision, South Carolina State Board of Education Chairman Dr. David O'Shields said we should think carefully before making any decisions related to the future of our students.

He stressed that making hasty decisions could have unintended consequences. Instead, he suggested taking more time to develop a strong system of rules and listening to input from all stakeholders, including teachers, parents and administrators.

A recent survey of teachers in the state of South Carolina found a significant consensus on limiting cell phone use in the classroom. Specifically, 92% of teachers surveyed expressed support for this measure, of which 55% wanted to completely ban cell phone use during class.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted by South Carolina State Education Superintendent Ellen Weaver further reinforces this view, showing that 83% of teachers believe that cell phones are a serious distraction to students' learning.