How Effective Will Smartphone Bans in Schools Be?

As the school year gets under way, many states have implemented legislation to ban cellphone use in schools.

For Context: "At least 13 states have passed laws or enacted policies that ban or restrict students’ use of cellphones in schools statewide or recommend local districts enact their own bans or restrictive policies," as well as two of the largest school districts in New York City and Los Angeles, Education Week (Center bias) said. 

The Case for Bans: According to Pew Research (Center bias), 72% of public high school teachers said cell phone distractions are a major problem in their classrooms, and 44% of teenagers say that their cell phones make them anxious. The U.S. surgeon general issued an advisory last year about the growing evidence linking social media use to mental health issues in teens.

Concerns About Bans: Some parents are concerned about not being able to get a hold of their child in case of an emergency. One pediatric psychiatrist said while she does see negative effects of cell phone usage on children, some also need technology to monitor health conditions. 

Enforcement: One teacher suggested that cellphone bans would be "an endless cat-and-mouse game, or a lot of extra work for already overworked teachers." Some argue that the efficacy of the bans will depend on if principals are willing to support teachers, while others say it depends on whether parents go along with the ban.