School Districts Are Getting The Message… Are Parents?

Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) joined a growing list of municipalities, cities and states to implement policies restricting or prohibiting cell phones in the classroom.

The ban comes on the heels of New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposal to eliminate cellphone use during the school day for children and teens.

Technology is reshaping childhood.

Fortunately, across the country there has been growing recognition that, although technology has its benefits, it has also been disruptive to the mental health and development of children.

Blue light from smartphones and computer screens has been shown to cause sleep disruption. Parent over-reliance on screens to distract and entertain preschoolers is linked to speech delays and lack of emotional regulation.

Once a child reaches school-age, the problems associated with cellphone use only become weightier and more consequential: cyberbullying, depression, anxiety. While online, children can be exposed to predators, sexually explicit and graphically violent content, and powerful algorithms that feed harmful content to children.

To learn more about what has been done to address this problem across the country, and to learn what you can do to encourage your local school district to adopt similar policies, I invite you to download our whitepaper, Smartphones in the Classroom: What States are Doing to Confront These Digital Distractions (July 2024).

Prohibiting the use of cellphones in the classroom only addresses part of the problem, though.

A study released earlier this month shows that unless children also change their relationship with phones while at home, the overall impact of school bans on teen mental health will be minimal.

So we need to ask ourselves, how can we create an environment where our children thrive offline?

Keeping kids off phones and devices is a cooperative effort, and so much easier when you are in an environment that fosters that. A study by the Pew Research Center found that children often engage with digital devices, including smartphones, due to social pressures and the desire to fit in with their peers

This peer influence can lead to increased screen time, even if the children themselves might prefer to spend less time on their devices. Additionally, research indicates that children may feel compelled to use their phones to stay connected with friends and not miss out on social interactions

This phenomenon, often referred to as "fear of missing out" (FOMO), can drive children to use their phones more frequently than they might otherwise choose.

Let’s encourage and support our children in choosing to spend time offline and away from screens and devices.

• Encourage Face-to-Face Time: Organize screen-free playdates and outdoor activities.
• Support Phone-Free Spaces: Advocate for tech boundaries in schools and homes.
• Equip Kids with Digital Literacy: Teach them to critically evaluate content and set boundaries.

Technology is a tool, and it can be used beneficially. Let’s work together to ensure that it is used responsibly to serve our children, rather than control them.