Los Angeles voted to impose a complete ban on smartphone use in the city’s public schools. According to USA Today, more than 429,000 students will be banned from using cell phones and social media platforms during the school day after the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Directors approved the ban last Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education voted 5 to 2 to approve a resolution to develop a policy within 120 days prohibiting students from using cell phones and social media platforms during the entire school day. According to the council, the policy, which will be implemented district-wide, will take effect by January.
I think we’re going to be on the cutting edge here, and the students, this city, and the entire state will benefit as a result,” said Board of Education member Nick Melvoin, who proposed the resolution. According to American media, the decision came at a time when the governor of the most populous state of California in the United States sought to ban the use of these devices in school to reduce its impact on student’s mental health. In Los Angeles, the country’s second-largest school district, school administrations must develop a plan to prevent using cell phones and social media throughout the day.
Excellent results after banning phones:
Melvoin, who proposed the ban, said, “Schools that experimented with banning phones for an entire day achieved amazing results. Children became happier, talked to each other, and improved their educational performance.” He added: “So I think it’s time to adopt this idea.”
The decision is necessary:
A video report by local KCAL News television said that the decision comes from health and security concerns regarding students. Many of them suffer from bullying on social networks. The decision cited research indicating that excessive use of cell phones is linked to increased stress, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, feelings of aggression, and suicidal thoughts among adolescents.
Studies have also shown improved school performance for pupils who do not use smartphones. In the United States (the cradle of social networks), there is growing concern about these platforms’ impact on young Americans’ lives.
Warning messages about the danger of social networks:
In an editorial in the New York Times, Vivek Murthy, the country’s chief medical officer, called for warning messages similar to those placed on cigarette packs to warn users of the danger social networks pose to their health. Murthy called on the platforms to publish clear warnings to “alert to the significant risks that the platforms pose” to the mental health of teenagers. The doctor pointed out that spending more than three hours a day on social media doubles the risk of causing symptoms related to depression and anxiety in adolescents.
Great support for the ban:
Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, started this article on Tuesday to announce his intention to ban the use of smartphones in schools throughout the state. This bill must first obtain the approval of local parliamentarians in this state, which Democrats dominate. This issue is a rare point of agreement between the two parties in America.
In Florida, governed by Newsom’s opponent, Republican Ron DeSantis, the state banned the use of smartphones in schools last year. Similar projects are being worked on in Oklahoma, Kansas, Vermont, Ohio, Louisiana and Pennsylvania. According to News, the biggest challenge will be implementing the decision and forcing students to put away phones, especially given some parents’ rejection.
