With smartphones possibly being banned in schools, students and parents have many emotional responses. However, there are thoughtful responses as well. The constant fear voiced is, “What if there is a school shooter or a lockdown?” We endeavor to cover the concerns and benefits in this article.
Shelter in Place, Lockdowns & School Communication
This issue was repeated in the many articles in our research. The immediate response for lockdowns is that students call 911 or students need to contact a parent to let them know what is happening. “Advocates of school phone restriction warn that allowing access to phones during shooting or other emergencies could put students in even more danger.” One parent voiced concern, “If my child was on the phone with me and they missed guidance from the teacher because they were distracted by their phone and that they weren’t safe, that’s a worse scenario in my mind.”
In Taos, NM, the “New policy helped in an emergency situation last week when reports of gunfire near the high school surfaced. The superintendent said first responders were able to quickly respond to the situation rather than becoming inundated with calls and possible misinformation from students.” According to the National Parents Union, “Some 58% said cellphone access is needed so parents can get in touch with their children and find out where they are, and 48% said contact is needed to coordinate transportation.”
This concern can only be overcome IF the school district has robust, effective communication with parents about problematic situations. Parents need to have confidence they will be immediately notified of any threatening situation. Then a ban or restriction could be implemented. This form of “broadcast” information MUST be tested at least monthly to ensure all stakeholders receive emergency messages IMMEDIATELY. The “broadcast” system must be fully operational before any bans or restrictions on smartphones to give all parents confidence they would be notified ASAP of a serious situation.
Transportation Changes
The other concern for parents is if there is a change to the normal pickup of students. This change could be made by the school or parents. If it is a change made by the school, a “broadcast” message could be sent to parents. Another option is to have any transportation changes posted to a site the student could check before leaving the school.
Earbuds, Smartwatches, Other Electronic Devices & Clothing
Some schools have banned earbuds, smartwatches, gaming devices and any other electronic device not issued by the school. A small number has also banned wearing hoods up on coats and hoodies or other clothing that could conceal the presence of earbuds.
Mental Health & Student Behavior
According to an article related to smartphone usage in California schools, “Excessive smartphone use among youth is linked to increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.” This problem is not isolated to California but encompasses the entire country. “A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 72% of high school and 33% of middle school teachers report cell phone distractions as a major problem. Common Sense Media found that 97% of students use their phones during the school day for a median of 43 minutes.”
“A Common Sense Media study in 2023 found that 97% of 11- to 17-year-olds used their phones during the school day. The study, based on an analysis of the smartphone data of 200 students, found students who were using their phones during the school day most likely used social media (32%), YouTube (26%) and gaming (17%).”
In Orange County, Florida “educators in Orange County said student cellphone usage contributed to post-COVID spikes in discipline problems, including fights, bullying, interpersonal drama and insubordination in class.” A Delaware State Senator Buckson and former teacher said, “Fights during lunch and between classes have increased and students aren’t paying attention in class.”
A senior at Ottumwa High School in Iowa stated, “I just think I was so addicted to it that it was hard for me to look away personally, for me to look away like I would just be scrolling and scrolling and scrolling. At points in time when my mom talked to me, like, I couldn’t hear because I had my headphones in, I was scrolling through my phone, and I wasn’t paying attention,”
According to the Washington Post, a need for “tight restrictions and outright bans on cellphone use as evidence mounts of the damaging impact persistent connection to the internet has on teenagers.” The superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, Alberto Carvalho, said, “’ Smartphones and the content students access relentlessly 24/7 are distracting kids from learning and eroding their mental health.’ Walking into lunchrooms, he said, he often sees tables of four or five students where everyone is staring at their phones, rather than interacting with one another.’”
Shari Obrenski, president of the Cleveland Teachers Union said “High school students used cellphones to schedule fights, record them, and post the videos to social media. “They were using the phones to create chaos and perpetuate violence in our schools,”
Parental Responsibility
Without thinking, parents are contributing to the degradation of behaviors and emotional/mental decline of their children and the inability of their children to have a productive educational experience. Texting or calling your child during class disrupts the concentration needed for education. Contact the school secretary to pass on a message or an emergency.
Jonathan Haidt, “is a social psychologist at New York University’s Stern School of Business. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1992.” He shared data on young children. “Did you know that almost a quarter of 5-7 year olds have a smartphone and by the age of 12 it’s 90%? This is having a devastating effect on our children.”
Is it lazy parenting to “babysit” your children with smartphones, tablets, TV or electronic games? How many times do we see families in restaurants with each other on their phones? No conversation, No interaction. These are your children and families. They grow up once. Who do you want to train or influence your children? Smartphones? TV? Social Media? Electronic Games? Peers? Children these days suffer from a lack of social interaction. Find out what and how they are learning in school. Talk with them. Being a parent is the most important job you have. Children need boundaries and guidance. Smartphones have become an addiction for adults and children alike. Be an example and interact with your child and family. Schools have inadvertently encouraged this dependence and addiction. One 14-year-old female student explained how she used her smartphone every day in math class. She was asked, “What if you didn’t have a phone?” Her reply was, “I’ll always have a smartphone.” “Always” means until you don’t as with things in life. Students must be able to perform tasks without depending on a smartphone.
NEA, Teachers & U.S. Surgeon General
In an article in K-12 Drive the results of a “survey of 2,889 National Education Association members this spring, 90% support school policies prohibiting cellphone and personal devices during instructional time, and 83% support prohibiting cell phone and personal device use during the entire school day with exceptions for medical or assistive-technology needs.”
According to the Washington Post, “The National Education Association, the country’s largest teachers union, reports educators’ widespread frustration with cellphone use and encourages its members to negotiate local policies “restricting access to personal devices during the school day.”
The Post also reported, “Seventy-two percent of high school teachers reported that students getting distracted by cellphones was a “major problem” in their classrooms, according to a fall 2023 Pew Research Center survey.” The president of the Cleveland Teachers Union, Shari Obrenski, stated to the Post, “High school students used cellphones to schedule fights, record them, and post the videos to social media. They were using the phones to create chaos and perpetuate violence in our schools,”
The most detailed, serious warning came from a 2023 advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek H Murthy. Continuing from the Post, he warned “Social media, which children often access through their phones, is a direct threat to mental health. He said social media usage can spur depression, anxiety, body dissatisfaction, disordered eating behaviors, and low self-esteem, especially among teenage girls. Murthy suggested parents establish ‘tech-free’ zones in which children cannot access their phones.”
Resulting Benefits of Smartphone Bans
Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in Washington State, Chris Reykdal, said, “Reducing the use of cell phones in class improves concentration and learning, improves mental and physical health, and reduces pressures caused by social media,”
The Midwesterner reported, “Improved focus, higher quality family time, more social interaction, and less anxiety are all products of a week-old cell school phone ban in Iowa that’s convincing officials there to spread the good news.” Students stated, “I’ve been hanging out with my family.”
In Orange County, Florida, “a school added lunchtime programming to help students with the transition. On Tuesdays and Fridays, there’s pickleball. Sometimes there’s a DJ. Students read and use the library more,” reported the Washington Post. The principal stated, “He was surprised by how quickly students adapted. At first, he said, administrators were confiscating about 100 phones a day. That quickly dropped to about 10 to 30.”
Methods
There are a few methods to handle restrictions or bans. Turn off phones and leave them in the backpacks. Place phones in pouches. Some pouches are available from companies, Yondr or CellockeED.