Ever since cell phones became common place in schools educators have been trying to find the best way to handle them.
"I think they can be a distraction and having that absence during instructional time is a positive," said Scott Jensen with Fremont Public Schools.
At Fremont Public Schools only elementary students are banned from having a cell phone during school but the district does put limits on when older students can and can't have their phones. But some lawmakers think limits might not go far enough and are looking for a total ban on phones in the classroom.
"The technology in the classroom is definitely interfering with learning and the kids are telling us that too," said Patrick Tyler, a researcher with Boys Town Research Hospital.
Patrick Tyler was one of a team of researchers at Boys Town who have been looking into how social media and smart phones affect developing brains.
Their research found that students are experiencing anxiety, difficulty sleeping and poor self-image among other issues because of the constant exposure to social media that smart phones can bring.
Dr. Tyler referred to research conducted by Radesky et al., (2023) that reported students were receiving over 200 notifications a day, with some as high as over 4000 notifications; and 25% of those occurred during school hours.
Both Tyler and Jensen say they believe pulling phones out of school would be a good idea for students and educators.
If the new bill, LB149, is passed it would require all schools adopt a policy prohibiting use of cell phones by students at school or at school functions. It's a step that many districts have already taken, and while they do allow some cell phone usage now, Jensen thinks the students would adjust quickly if phones were banned.
"Some students have been really happy to not have the distraction of the phone with them during the day. They feel they are better able to concentrate on their homework and things like that," said Jensen.
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Radesky, J. S.., Weeks, H. M., Schaller, A., Robb, M. B., Mann, S., & Lenhart, A. (2023). Constant companion: A week in the life of a young person’s smartphone use. Common Sense Media. C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital, University of Michigan Medicine.
