LOS ANGELES (CITC) — The Los Angeles Unified School District’s school board on Tuesday approved a ban on student cell phones during the school day.
The board’s agenda notes cell phones are a distraction in the classroom and can lead to “increased stress, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, feelings of aggression, and suicidal thoughts.” It also mentions students often become “reliant” on their phones for “focus and concentration.”
“Research indicates that limiting cell phone usage and social media access during the school day increases academic performance and has positive effects on student mental health,” the agenda reads. “Studies show that banning smartphones increases performance on both standardized test scores and end-of-course exams. The gains were equivalent to an additional hour of instructional time per week.”
The school board passed the policy in a 5-2 vote after debate amongst members.
“The idea is very simple,” board president Jackie Goldberg said during the meeting. “If you bring your phone to school at all, you’ll put it in a locker, put it in a pouch. You’ll do something and you’ll pick it up on your way home.”
This is serious and I’m ashamed at myself at not having thought we should have done something like this sooner,” she continued.
However, board member Nick Melvon noted students may struggle from “FOMO [fear of missing out]” or concerns they are missing important emergency communications.
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The decision comes amid a surge in both U.S. and international efforts to limit cell phone use in schools. The Palm Beach Maritime Academy Secondary Campus in Florida is launching a method where students in middle and high school will keep their devices in a pouch during the day. Earlier this month, teachers in Maryland’s Howard County Public School System demanded their school board revamp its cell phone policy as device use worsens both student behavior and performance.
Cell phone bans in Norway schools are related to an increase in students’ academic performance, according to the country’s government.
“When they come, they lock in their mobiles and when they leave, they can bring it,” Norway Prime MinisterJonas Gahr Støre said.
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