Gov Gavin Newsom, Democrat of California, said today that schools should ban the use of smartphones. If he gets what he’s asking for, the state would join a growing national effort to curb cyberbullying and classroom distraction by limiting the use of the devices, The New York Times reports.
“When children and teens are in school, they should be focused on their studies, not their screens,” the Times quoted him as saying in a statement.
In addition to disrupting a smooth flow in classrooms, excessive smartphone use may lead to mental health problems when used to access common social media platforms, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned. “Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms,” he wrote yesterday in an opinion piece. “And the average daily use in this age group, as of the summer of 2023, was 4.8 hours.”
If the governor’s efforts succeed in prohibiting smartphone use during school hours for the state’s 5.5 million K-12 students, he will put his state in good company across America. The Associated Press reported that 77% of US schools say they prohibit cellphones at school for non-academic use, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Negative impact of smartphone use
Some parents may argue that prohibiting students from using smartphones during school hours may worsen an emergency such as a medical problem or active shooter incident. But for the average student, excessive smartphone usage has too many harmful side effects that outweigh the possibility of use in a dire emergency:
- Smartphones can divert students’ attention away from the lesson. Notifications, social media, games, and other apps can easily distract students, reducing their focus and engagement in class. (Decatur, Illinois, has banned cellphones completely during school hours.)
- Smartphones, via “airdrops,” can also make it easier for students to cheat during exams by looking up answers or communicating with peers.
- The presence of smartphones in schools can facilitate cyberbullying, as students can use them to send harmful messages or share inappropriate content.
- Too much smartphone use may hinder face-to-face interactions among students, which can impact the development of social skills and the ability to communicate effectively in person.
- Constant exposure to social media (without a break for the school day) can contribute to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. The pressure to stay connected and the fear of missing out (FOMO) can negatively affect students’ well-being.
- Because not all students have access to smartphones, their use can widen the digital divide, leading to feelings of exclusion and disadvantage for those without smartphones.
- Relying on smartphones can reduce students’ ability to think critically and solve problems independently. They may become accustomed to finding quick answers online rather than engaging in deeper learning.
- Teachers may find it difficult to manage smartphone use in the classroom, leading to disruptions and loss of instructional time. For example, prohibiting smartphone use in class can increase trips to the bathroom, which disrupts the class.
- Reliance on texting and shorthand communication, or the posting of terse comments on social media, can negatively impact students’ writing and reading skills, as they may become accustomed to informal language and abbreviations.