Federal bill would study the impact of cellphones on students’ mental health and academics

WASHINGTON — More kids and teens are getting their own cellphones and many are using them during the school day.

Now some federal leaders want to study the effects of cell phones in our classrooms.

Lawmakers from both parties believe cell phones can be a distraction at school. They also worry these devices can expose students to potentially harmful content online.

This is already a concern for some families.

“It was pictures of her in a cotton field picking cotton,” said LaQuanta Bivens-Hernandez, mother and a teacher.

Bivens-Hernandez said that was one of several racist images cyberbullies made of her daughter when she was in 8th grade. She said these posts were shared on Instagram.

“I worried about my daughter’s mental health because, you know, as well as I, when something’s out on social media land, it’s out there,” said Bivens-Hernandez.

A new bipartisan proposal would require the U.S. Department of Education to study the impacts of smartphone use in K-12 classrooms. It would focus on the effects on students’ mental health and academic achievement.

Lauren Paer with the children’s media advocacy group, Fairplay, is supportive of the legislation.

“Why would we not want to know how cellphones are impacting children, their learning environment, their mental health, their socialization? Especially when we have so much anecdotal evidence of harms,” said Paer.

Part of the measure would also create and fund a pilot program to provide schools with secure containers for students cellphones during school hours.

Paer believes limiting smartphone use at school would help with in-person socialization. She said devices can take away those opportunities.

“That’s particularly true for the most vulnerable kids, because if you’re already feeling a little isolated, maybe you don’t feel like one of the cool kids, you can kind of just disappear into your phone,” said Paer.

As part of this proposal, the Department of Education would also gather input from parents, students, and teachers participating in that pilot program.

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