
The battle to reduce our kids’ screen time feels never-ending. From the school day to weeknights to hangouts with friends, it feels like our kids are almost always on their devices. Screen time limits and keeping devices out of their rooms before bed help. But what can we do about cell phone distractions during the school day?
A growing number of public and private schools around the country and in New Jersey are starting to put rules in place around cell phone use. Last summer, the Los Angeles Unified School District became the largest school district in the country to ban cell phones from its classrooms. And just last week, Ramsey High School began requiring students to store their cell phones in lockable pouches during the school day.
Other districts that have instituted bans include Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, an all-girls pre-K to grade 12 private school in Princeton, and Cherry Hill Public Schools, where the district recently prohibited the use of wireless communications devices during class.
Worry over the harmful effects of cell phones and social media on kids’ mental health continues to grow each year. In June 2024, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for warning labels on social media platforms to alert users to potential risks, particularly for adolescents. Excessive cell phone and social media use have been linked with higher rates of depression and anxiety and directly tied to sleep disturbances in kids and teens.
“Today, our children are inundated with screens,” Gov. Murphy said in his address. “And if you ask just about any educator, they will tell you that mobile devices are a distraction in the classroom. They are fueling a rise in cyberbullying. And they are making it incredibly difficult for our kids, not only to learn, but to retain the substance of what they learn.”
Murphy went on to add: “Honestly, is it any surprise that the rise in smartphone usage has coincided with a growing youth mental health crisis? Of course not. And I — for one — am not going to sit back as our kids suffer.”
So what exactly could a statewide public school cell phone ban look like? State Senate Bill 3695, which would prohibit non-academic use of cell phones and social media in class with exceptions for students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and other special circumstances, could lay the groundwork.
Not all parents support such a ban, citing worry about being unable to reach their kids in an emergency. I still remember not being able to reach my son during a lockdown at our local high school two years ago. His phone was in a caddy during a test when police ordered everyone to shelter in place while they investigated a threat. Thankfully, it turned out to be a false alarm. Despite the worry I felt that day, I would love to see cell phones being taken out of the classroom to help kids focus and be present with one another.
We survived without cell phones in school and I know they can, too. Free of distractions, they might even interact with one another and their teachers more thoughtfully in and out of the classroom. And that would be a pretty big win in the battle to limit screentime.
Read More:
Are Your Kids Phone-Obsessed? Here’s How to Reduce Screen Time