"Overthe past few years, a huge number of schools in the United States and around the world have banned cell phone use among their students. It's a divisive topic, and the effects are only starting to come into focus. Just look at New York State, where governor Kathy Hocul and lawmakers put a ban into the state budget last spring in an effort to give kids a break from distractions at school."
"'Sometimes I would take naps in the lunchroom, but now I can't because of the noise,' 15-year old Queens high school student Jimena Garcia told the site. 'But it's fun.' That's a bold contrast, the Gothamist reported, from previous semesters where kids sat in the lunchroom silently on the phones, creating an environment where you could 'hear a pin drop.'"
"'I do like how this phone ban is allowing students to just connect with each other, make new friendships,' Alyssa Ko, the 17-year old class president at Garcia's school, told Gothamist. 'Because some people use their phone to just hide away.' With some exceptions for students with disabilities or those learning English and needing a translation app, the ban prohibits all internet-enabled devices throughout the entirety of the school day. As of now, at least 31 states and Washington DC have implemented some sort of restrictions on cell phone usage in schools."
Many schools in the U.S. and internationally have banned student cell phone use. New York State enacted a statewide ban to reduce in-school distractions. Students report increased face-to-face interaction and noisier lunchrooms as phones are removed, with some enjoying the social reconnection while others miss quieter spaces. Exceptions exist for students with disabilities and English-language learners who need translation apps. At least 31 states and DC have implemented restrictions. Parents express concerns about emergency contact and oversight, while many teachers support bans as a response to pervasive phone distractions.
Read at Futurism
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