Why School Phone Bans Aren't About Kids
School phone bans are often promoted as measures to improve student focus and mental health, but new research suggests the primary beneficiaries may be teachers rather than students. A large study found minimal academic improvement or reduction in bullying, but significant drops in classroom phone use and higher teacher satisfaction. The real impact of these policies may be restoring classroom authority and improving teacher well-being, which could support better educational outcomes over time.
- ▪A National Bureau of Economic Research study of over 41,000 schools found phone bans had little effect on test scores, attendance, or bullying perceptions.
- ▪Classroom phone use dropped from 61% to 13% after schools implemented locking pouches like Yondr, and teacher happiness increased.
- ▪Surveys show stricter phone policies correlate with higher teacher satisfaction and that some districts use phone bans as a teacher recruitment tool.
- ▪Governors like Gretchen Whitmer and Kathy Hochul have promoted phone bans using child-wellness arguments, though the benefits appear more pronounced for educators.
- ▪At least 37 states and D.C. now require schools to restrict or ban student cellphone use, according to Education Week.
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...By Newsweek EditorsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberSee more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.When Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed classroom phone restrictions in February, she used the student-centered language most governors now do. It was all about academic success, youth mental health and rescuing children from a life lost staring vacantly into screens. “These bills will help keep kids focused in the classroom and break their growing dependency on screens and social media,” the Democratic governor said in February.The child-wellness case is strong enough, and issues like social media addiction and online bullying clearly cause harm to kids.
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