Banning Cell Phones in Schools Is Still the Wrong Idea: See my Updated Piece
Here is the update and the link to the original piece:
UPDATE posted to Original:
The Banning Movement (cellphones in schools), also called by some a variant of the “Cell and Social Media Free Environment” movement, has gained momentum in the US and abroad. See this sampling of links below. And, it has become political in far too many instances.
I remain deeply committed to my positions expressed here and the myriad ways we can use cell phones beneficially in our schools. With the LA fires and other disasters and risk of school raids to ferret out and remove immigrant children, it is my view that creating cell phone free environments in schools will harm both student and parent mental wellness (both of which are a concern). Sure, we can have baskets at the front of the class where phones can be dropped while class commences (for all or some of the class time) but that is VASTLY different from outright bans and locked cell phone boxes/devices at school entrances to hold student phones until the students depart. Some of those devices are prison-like in appearance…poor messaging to be sure.
Yes, we can help educators use these phones to develop digital literacy. This has real value. As raised on recent college campuses, digital ethics matter and can and should be taught. See: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/artificial-intelligence/2025/01/16/suny-adds-ai-education-its-information. We can help students understand what is plagiarism and how to identify it. We can discuss use of cell phones to bully and harass and harm and why that violates our social norms and harms others. We can use these devices to learn, using AI strategies. If needed, schools can bring in experts to co-teach on these topics. In short, we can use these devices to improve the lives of our students.
Add in this: despite rhetoric, the data are NOT clear on the plusses/minuses of cell phone use (despite statements to the contrary including in my home state of MA) (see: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14lHpyLmzFzDzXHkgxSGrEXC40Y3ekdZNS6888YKtv-g/mobilebasic?usp=gmai_l).
To be abundantly clear, there are plentiful new studies suggesting the cell phone banning does NOT improve educational outcomes. The studies in existence that are NOT all pro-banning despite what one reads and hears across our nation. See links below for a sampling.
And to the commenter to the original blog who asked if I have actually been in schools and taught. My answer: Yes and Yes. Does five decades count?
Relevant Links:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/14/brazil-cellphone-school-ban/
