Samantha Lettin’s Post

Cellphone Bans Can Ease Students’ Stress and Anxiety, Educators Say By Lauraine Langreo More schools across the US are restricting students’ use of smartphones in classrooms as concerns about their academic, social-emotional, and mental well-being increase. While a common motivation for schools to prohibit phone use has been to eliminate a source of distractions, another has been to help students’ mental health by reducing a source of stress and anxiety. In this Education Week article, the author explains how schools can ensure cellphone bans are effective, in part by presenting the policy as something that will improve students’ focus and well-being rather than presenting it as a punishment.

On June 18, the Los Angeles Unified School District school board voted 5-2 to formulate a no-phone policy beginning in January 2025. That same day, Gov. Gavin Newsom expressed support for statewide legislation to get smartphones out of students’ hands. Interesting article by Lauraine Langreo and Arianna Prothero from Edweek highlighting the research by David Yeager on how schools and districts can help students to break their addictive, unhealthy phone habits especially the ones who are getting C’s and D’s. They need status and respect more than anybody and they’re going to go to their phones even more because they need an alternative way to feel good about themselves. This is where we help middle schools at Palo. We help the students build skills in self-regulation, impulse control, and the ability to reframe or relabel situations, so students become good at modifying and taking control of their environments. https://lnkd.in/gt9EH6MS

Parents raise safety concerns over proposed PPS policy banning student cell phones "We’ve heard very clearly from teachers and school staff that cell phone usage of students during the school day, during class time is disrupting the class and it’s preventing students from being focused on their academics,” said PPS Board Member Julia Brim-Edwards. “It’s also having impacts on students’ mental health." Schools need to stop talking about students mental health. They should not be collecting kids medical data, including data that is used to assess their mental health or any other psychological data points. #privacy #security #ethics So let's focus on #education. Let's be scientific and empirical about this experiment on our kids. Empirically state the problem. Define the educational impact of cellphone distraction on kids in school. Are their grades suffering? By what measure? Do we expect cellphone bans to improve grades? By how much? How long will it take to see results? We need quantitative data ... transparent reporting and monitoring. We have an opportunity to lead our kids into becoming good #digitalcitizens, good all around citizens by helping them #selfmanage themselves. Mentoring #personalresponsibility and #accountability. The digital world isn't going away. Let's stop simply trying to pretend it doesn't exist or that adults don't use their devices constantly in their daily lives. Are we adults going to set our phones down? #leadbyexample As for parents needing to be in constant access with their kids or vice versa We are trying to build independent people, not codependent people. #Cyberpsychology #psychology ##humandevelopment https://lnkd.in/eZvD6BVd

📱 Cellphone Bans in Schools: A Broader Conversation on Accessibility As California schools move to restrict cellphone use, the debate has largely focused on reducing distractions and improving mental health. But what about the assistive role cellphones play in the lives of students with disabilities? For students who rely on phones for accessibility, these devices are not just tools—they’re lifelines. Features like text-to-speech apps, visual magnifiers, and real-time captions empower students to fully participate in their education. While the intent behind cellphone bans is well-meaning, the unintended consequences for students who depend on these tools could disproportionately impact their ability to learn and thrive. How can we strike a balance? Has your school proposed policies that incorporate assistive use of cell phones into their cell phone ban policy? Share your ideas for inclusive education practices in a cellphone-limited environment. 🧠 news source: https://lnkd.in/ev5XeVuC #AccessibleEducation #AssistiveTechnology #DigitalInclusion #InclusiveLearning #EdTech #IndependentContractor https://lnkd.in/ev5XeVuC

Seattle school to say goodbye to cell phones in the fall "A news release from Hamilton’s Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) Thursday said the goal is to “support academic performance, student engagement, mental health and staff retention while decreasing bullying and other disruptive behaviors.” Empirical data please. Support Academic Performace? Measured and reported how? Student Engagement? Measured and reported how? Mental Health? Dont even try. Schools shouldnt be measuring or quantifying student mental health. Not qualified. Staff Retention? Measured and reported how? Decrease Bullying? Same questions. Decrease other disruptive behaviours? Same questions. If we are going to experiment on our kids ... we should make sure we collect and share the data ... so we can determine whether bans work ... #education #technology #smartphones #mentalhealth #adolescents https://lnkd.in/eyNBrNqA

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐍𝐉 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐧. New Jersey is exploring a potential ban on cellphones in schools, sparking debates on student safety, privacy, and education quality. While the aim is to minimize distractions and improve focus, this move also raises important legal questions about students' rights and parental concerns. Read more in this article: https://lnkd.in/gQQDmcUw  . . . #NJLaw #StudentsRights #EducationLaw

📱 Cellphones and Mental Health 📱 #Cellphones are playing a significant role in the growing #mentalhealth crisis, especially among our #students. As educators, we saw firsthand how unregulated phone use contributed to student conflict and disrupted learning environments. After years of managing these challenges, we took action by implementing a new cellphone policy. The results have been transformative: ✅ 82% reduction in student disciplinary referrals ✅ 98% drop in physical violence/fights ✅ 50% drop in #chronicabsenteeism ✅ Noticeable improvement in #studentengagement across classrooms This shift has proven that setting boundaries around technology can foster a healthier, more focused learning environment for our students. What are your thoughts on cellphone policies in schools? Let’s keep this conversation going—together, we can create positive change! School District U-46 Illinois Principals Association Tony Sanders

Why a cellphone and social media ban in highschool might do more harm than good... Yesterday the province of Ontario announced a ban of cellphone and social media use in elementary and highschool classrooms. https://lnkd.in/epgndip2 I have a really unique position on this matter. I'm currently enrolled in concurrent education, and I work as a program instructor at Engineering Outreach. But, as a student at heart, I'm tired of seeing social media portrayed in a bad light. As a teacher, it IS really hard to engage students. Even if you incentivize students with participation marks, they still aren't fully engaged in the lessons. However, how much of the blame can we give students? If we consider phone use as an addiction, then we are insufficiently addressing this addiction. A ban isn't a fix, a student should voluntarily choose to focus on their education. I would need to do more research on this; however, I think the prolonged use of cellphones is the result of online-learning during the pandemic. As a student, I don't think many educators realize the power of cellphones and social media. Many non profit organizations and start-ups are founded/ran by highschool students. For example: -Lead the convo: https://lnkd.in/etqsauXc -H4Community: https://lnkd.in/evjpzzj2 In addition, social media and cellphones can serve as escapism for students. As an example, I know students who were bullied and refused to talk to their parents/teachers. Social media allowed them to connect to friends and family worldwide for support. As a fun fact, I am a SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER yet I have less screen time (and less social media time) than my parents, friends and family. It's possible to be productive with a phone.

📱📚 Ohio Schools Tackle Cell Phone Use for Better Learning and Connections! Across Ohio, schools are stepping up to address a growing challenge: balancing the benefits and drawbacks of cell phone use in the classroom. According to a recent report from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, over 60% of school districts have already implemented restrictions on cell phone use, well ahead of the July 1, 2025, deadline set by House Bill 250. This move comes amid concerns about how phones impact academic performance, mental health, and social interactions. Gov. Mike DeWine emphasized that limiting phone use leads to better focus on academics and stronger social connections. Lt. Gov. John Husted echoed this, citing reduced bullying and fewer disciplinary issues as benefits of these policies. Some schools ban cell phones entirely during school hours, while others allow limited use during specific times. The state has also provided resources, including a model policy and a toolkit, to help districts create learning environments that encourage healthy digital habits. What do you think? Are these cell phone policies the right approach to improving student outcomes, or should we explore other solutions? Let’s discuss it! 💬 #SaferCleveland #EducationMatters #DigitalWellness #CommunityVoices

The Misguided Ban on Cellphones in Los Angeles Schools The LAUSD's recent decision to ban cell phones during school hours aims to minimize distractions and safeguard mental health. However, this policy overlooks the critical role of technology in modern education and student safety. Instead of blanket bans, schools should focus on integrating technology responsibly and teaching digital literacy. Read my full editorial on the implications of this policy and how we can better prepare students for the future: https://lnkd.in/gfUZiGKi #Education #Technology #DigitalLiteracy #StudentSafety #MentalHealth #LAUSD #schools #bookburning Jeff Whitlock Jeff Pulver Rich Tehrani William Volk William Ryan Marshall Gobuty Jeffrey Belk Evan McGee Dave Rodriguez Erik Lagerway Erik Linask Robert Hertz Marc Magliano James Richey James Wood Bob Christopher Miles Lee Zachary Miles, Esq. Elizabeth Lopez, MBA Kenny Eliason Joshua Leavitt Anthony Minessale II Abbi Minessale Craig Walker Vincent Paquet Cari Goodrich Mahesh Ramanujam Ari Rabban Alan Percy Mark Rangell Mark Fine Tony Loiacono Melissa Schmitt Peter Csathy Jeremy Toeman