This debate is raging in school districts everywhere, including my own. I’m hearing a lot about how distracting screens are, even if they are off but in sight or in pocket. That persistent notifications are degrading our capacity to pay attention and for teens this is happening at a time when they need to be build this capacity.
This makes a lot of sense to me. This also resonates with my own lived experiences managing my own screen time. It validates what I notice about my own distraction and struggles with phone use.
This active discussion about phones in schools dovetails with Jonathan Haidt’s recent Atlantic article, his Substack published this morning and his new book, The Anxious Generation which comes out today and has 4 main tenets (this is directly from his Instagram):
No Smartphones before high school
No Social Media before 16
Phone-free Schools
More independence, free play and responsibility in the real world
I really like his work. His Substack, After Babel, is one that I highly recommend. I am happy he’s offering such clear thinking and helping to bring this conversation to a head.
I do think his goals and solutions are ambitious but I think that’s a good thing. If we do even a little of his plan we’ll be in the right direction and kids will be better off. And realistically I think that’s probably where we’ll net out, directionally in line with his principles even if not 100% in compliance.
My $0.02
I LOVE the push for reclaiming independence. I think kids really need this.
I don’t think we’ll get to a full on ban of phones in schools across the board. Some schools will do it, some won’t and some will try options like the Yondr pouches.
We should remember that cell phones and social media do have some positive impacts including:
providing a path to build community for marginalized kids
facilitating some kids to take steps to independence (ie away from parents out in the world more)
offering some kids the opportunity to practice self regulation independently
BUT while these are positives, NONE of those things need to happen in classrooms.
Reasonable arguments against a ban and my reactions
I’ve been in a lot of conversations on this topic lately. Here’s what I’ve heard and what I think:
A ban won’t help kids learn how to self regulate. TRUE BUT this is not necessarily the responsibility of the school or of individual teachers. I think we, as parents, need to help our children learn this life skill at home.
There is a big difference between a 14 yr old and an 18 year old. A 17 or 18 year old should be able to self regulate but 14 and 15 will struggle. DEFINITELY BUT differing policies by age or grade are surely not feasible and we should err on the side of caution.
IF we ban phones at school could it make usage more intense after school and on weekends. It might turn into bingeing. SURE BUT again parents need to work on self-regulation as a life skill.
We no longer have landlines and payphones making communication really difficult unless you have a phone. This is actually the most compelling argument for me. It is really hard to contact people if you don’t have a phone and plenty of reasons to need to contact parents before and after school: a practice is canceled; a bus back from an away game just dropped your kid off in the high school parking lot 30 minutes earlier than expected; the school building needed to be evacuated suddenly.
So for me, I want phones out of classrooms, out of sight and out of earshot. I am not sure about an all out ban. Also I reserve the right to evolve my thinking as new information comes to light. And with that, my local bookstore just texted me that my copy The Anxious Generation is ready— so off I go! #shoplocal