Want Students to Thrive? Lock Up Their Phones.
Smartphone bans are quickly going nationwide. Districts that acted early are already seeing results.
Leave those phones at home.
Photo Illustration: 731; H. Armstrong Roberts, fhm, and Riou via Getty Images; Oliver Hale via Unsplash
There are few things most American politicians seem to agree upon, but banning mobile phones in classrooms seems to be one of them. Based on the experiences of some schools that have required students to prioritize learning over TikTok scrolling, there’s also a welcome side benefit: less conflict and more “hellos.”
When school starts this fall, students in most US states and DC will be required by law to turn over or turn off their smartphones during all or most of the school day, according to an Education Week tally.