The student use of cell phones in schools is a hot topic this summer.
I've had parents, including one who works for Instagram, tell me phones should be banned or limited in Needham Schools because of the harm the overuse of phones and social media may have on students. There exist clear policies about the possession/use of phones in Needham Schools but the concerns are growing.
The recent publication of Jonathan Haidt's book, The Anxious Generation, has also spurred discussion and debate. In his book Haidt argues that today's parents have increasingly shielded their children from everyday struggles and over protect them, for example, by micromanaging their activities and learning in ways that have made children overly dependent and less resilient. He also believes that cell phones in the hands of children and adolescents has invited an epidemic of depression, sleep deprivation, and cyber bullying that did not exist before the technology became prevalent.
I think Haidt is on to something: I've experienced that many parents do exert a lot of energy smoothing the path for their children so that they face few obstacles or struggles inside and outside of school; a young person's development and sense of agency is stunted with parents and adults always coming to the rescue. Young people report higher levels of stress and anxiety and seem to be attached to social media and their iPhones in ways that are almost compulsive. Phone use in schools can distract from learning and with building strong social interactions.
One author's voice, like Haidt's, should not become gospel, particularly on an issue that is complex, nuanced, and knotty; there are other narratives and voices that take on the issue of the adolescent use of social media, cell phones, and growing up resilient (e.g., It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens by Danah Boyd or The Self Driven Child by William Stixrud.) For sure, there is nothing about raising and educating children that is simple!
The concern about student mental health and phones becomes more complex in the school setting where maintaining a focused and safe learning environment is a priority for teachers and principals. Unfortunately, folks are often too eager to tell professional educators what to do to manage and address various student/educational issues and problems that inevitably arise in the school setting. Here is one serious suggestion to parents who want devices banned: Don't purchase a phone for your child... But if you do give them a phone, don't let them take it to school.
I do think it's time for the Needham Public Schools to have a conversation about the higher levels of stress and anxiety students report and the impact that social media and phone use has on them inside and outside of school.
It's critical to note that the Needham Public Schools already has policies in place that prohibit the possession and use of phones in classrooms (and other electronic devices like Apple Watch) in grades K-8: if a K-5 student brings a phone/watch in school, the device will be confiscated. In grades 6-8, phones are only allowed to be in backpacks or lockers and turned off; they can't be used at anytime during the school day or will be confiscated.
At the high school, phones are prohibited from use during classes unless a teacher integrates the use of the phone into the lesson; students are required to keep their phones in classroom phone "hotels" that allow for less distraction during class time.
We embed within the K-12 curriculum learning opportunities to encourage responsible and safe use of technology tools for use inside and outside the classroom. We also welcome opportunities to partner with families and others to share ideas and best practices for the responsible and safe use of technology at school and at home.
In the coming year the School Committee will expect that we look at data, review existing policies, engage students, families and teachers - all in an effort to better understand what the issues are in Needham and to determine if new practices and policies around phone possession or use might be put into place to help support and empower adolescent learning, independence, and resilience both at home and in the classroom.
It may be difficult to get consensus around a challenging topic like this, but our goal must be to prioritize student well-being, responsibility, and academic success. In partnership with parents, we can figure this out!
