When the Distraction Is in Their Pocket: Rethinking Cell Phone Access in Class

As the Keystone literature test approached this past spring, testing procedures became a focus of one lesson, and as I covered the issue of cell phones and other electronic devices, one student shared his discontent and revealed that he spent an average of 12+ hours on his phone a day, some days reaching 18 hours. The shock that permeated my classroom led to some laughter. I, being an extremist, was horrified because I imagined a life being lost. Had I any reason to believe that this student was using his phone to further his education, develop a valuable skill, or earn money, I would not have been that concerned.  

The reason this classroom experience came to mind was the recent policy New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that will put a “bell-to-bell” ban on cell phones in school starting this fall. 

The argument about whether students should have access to their cell phones during class time is controversial, with many good claims from both sides; however, it is obvious how crippling cell phone use has become. 

But is a “bell-to-bell” ban the most effective solution?  

My question is whether the payout of allowing access to cell phones during the school day is greater than the cost. 

What do students gain by having access to cell phones in the classroom? Students can use their phones to complete assignments, and if an emergency arises, they can call home. Students can also listen to music while completing independent assignments. The criticism against these advantages calls attention to the difficult-to-avoid distractions. The two main points of concern that I observe are social media and mindless games.  

Two years ago, I provided a student with articles from the PEW Research Center, MAYO Clinic, and the National Institute of Health because he challenged my stance against cell phone use in the classroom and teens having social media accounts. I asked him for articles published by reputable sources that offered counterarguments, but he did not provide any, and he did not read the ones I gave him. I challenge anyone to provide me with a few.

My perspective shows that the cost of allowing students to have access in the class is far greater than any advantages, and even if a “bell-to-bell” ban is not the solution, something must be done because too many students are losing too much. 

I am not in a position to dive into the psychological effects of screen time and social media, but I can comment on what I observe. 

Students who spend too much time playing mindless games or scrolling social media lose a sense of self-worth, motivation, energy, and purpose. They are drained even though they do nothing that requires physical energy. I am convinced that the mental and psychological toll that cell phone activity takes drains people in ways that other activities do not. Difficult workouts, for instance, help boost energy even though a person feels fatigued immediately after. 

It is not possible to help these students after school dismisses; however, we can help during school hours. 

A major struggle I have with dealing with this issue is the lack of support. When I think of some of the issues that hindered education when I was in school, I think of drugs, violence, lack of funding, the rise of portable video games, and television-consuming afternoons and evenings. I compare how those struggles were handled when I was a student to how many adults seem to disregard the obvious dangers of cell phones, more specifically the unrestricted access to the Internet and social media, and I wonder. There are too many contradicting forces in the battle against the use of cell phones in classrooms, which has resulted in painful consequences.  

The extremist in me wants to deal with this the same way drugs are handled. Obviously, drug use leads to far more dangerous consequences in the short-term compared to cell phone addiction; however, the issue of teens spending too much time on cell phones, to the point where they cultivate sedentary lifestyles consumed with meaningless tasks in a failed attempt to find meaning or simply to pass the time, is worth our greatest efforts to combat. 

Even though many students and parents argue against banning cell phones in schools, many welcome such a ban because it is the only way they will avoid the distractions and destructive behaviors. 

Teachers and students have difficult jobs. Banning cell phones in schools will eliminate an unnecessary element that makes those jobs more difficult or impossible. The cost is too great to continue to do nothing.