The Los Angeles Unified School District’s board has voted to ban cell phones and social media in schools. The ban will take effect next year and follows Pew Research showing that 72% of American teachers consider cell phones a distraction that causes educational problems.
Board member Nick Melvoin, who voted for the ban, said students across the country are “addicted” to their cell phones and, resultingly, don’t talk to each other or mix. Others who supported the move stated that excessive phone use is negatively impacting young people’s mental health and is associated with “increased stress, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, feelings of aggression, and suicidal thoughts.”
US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy agrees and recently wrote that social media should come with warnings similar to those added to cigarette packets. Dr. Murthy stated that there is a “mental health crisis” in America, and social media is a significant contributor. He proposed that a signal on social media platforms should frequently warn users about the pitfalls of excessive usage.
Several parents, however, object to the school ban, saying it will impact their children’s safety and ability to communicate with them during the school day. Some students reinforced that argument, insisting they need their phones for emergencies and to keep in touch with their families.
One student told reporters that she uses her cell phone to enhance her education rather than hinder it. She also argued that the ban infringes on a pupil’s right to self-expression. “Students are already so restricted in school settings,” she said.
Nevertheless, the proposal carried by five votes to two, and numerous people spoke in support of the ban. Board President Jackie Goldberg co-sponsored the proposal and described a recent visit to a Los Angeles school, where she sat down with students in the cafeteria. To her surprise, all the pupils pulled out their cell phones, and she was even more surprised to discover they were communicating with each other. “This is an addiction,” she said.
