Opinion | Smartphones don’t belong in schools

The tide is turning when it comes to kids and smartphones. Teachers, parents and even children are realizing that having the internet in your pocket during the school day is a disaster. What algebra teacher can compete with YouTube? Test scores are down. Michigan now ranks 31st in eighth grade math and 44th in fourth grade reading. All of Michigan lost ground during the pandemic — rural, suburban and urban — and we haven’t recovered.

Even more insidiously, smartphones can stunt children’s social skills and increase bullying. It’s no wonder childhood depression, anxiety and even suicide have skyrocketed. 

Luckily, our governor asked for legislation to address this urgent problem and Michigan lawmakers are heeding her call. In fact, the Senate already passed a bill requiring school districts to limit student use of wireless communication devices. However, this bill gives districts too much leeway to decide whether their policy applies to the whole school day or just to instructional time. And it only requires that districts reduce smartphone distractions, not eliminate them entirely.

Instead, Michigan should enact a ban like New York state’s: no smartphones at school from bell-to-bell. Class time, breaks between classes and lunchtime should all be phone-free. Entire countries, such as France and Brazil, have implemented bell-to-bell bans and reported fewer distractions and less cyberbullying. A student in Australia reported that their ban meant, “You’re paying attention to the teacher at the front explaining the things to you, not trying to focus on when your phone buzzes.” His experience is backed up by the research: If kids have a smartphone in their pocket, they are often thinking about it, even if they look like they’re listening to their teacher. In fact, a review of academic studies found that smartphone usage is negatively correlated with grade point averages. 

New York’s governor championed their new law because, “I want laughter in the hallways again,” and “no more memes instead of math.” As a mom and an educator, I can tell you it really is that simple. We shouldn’t ask our children to resist technology that’s so addictive many adults can’t pull themselves away. 

Proponents of S.B. 234 have countered that needs differ in urban districts versus rural ones. But the basics of brain chemistry, child development and learning do not change based on your ZIP code. Allowing some students to face the temptation of smartphones would only leave them behind. Let’s stop with half measures.

House Bill 4141 gets closer to what Michigan needs. It provides a full bell-to-bell ban for elementary and middle school students. High schoolers are prohibited from using smartphones during class time. It would be even better if high schoolers also had a full ban, but this legislation would move us in the right direction and level the playing field across the state. The bill is in its third reading before being called to a vote. 

In these fractious times, it’s worth noting that smartphone bans are largely supported across party lines. New York is a blue state, but they are following in the footsteps of red states such as Utah and Tennessee. H.B. 4141 is sponsored by Republican Rep. Mark Tisdel, while S.B. 234 is sponsored by Democratic Sen. Dayna Polehanki.

As a college professor I’ve seen firsthand that even the highest achieving students talk to each other less and have more trouble focusing the more connected they are to a screen. Student chatter before class used to be normal. Now it’s often silent. 

Some parents are rightly concerned about school safety. Experts on school shootings and other emergencies report that smartphones do not make kids safer. Their light and noise make it harder to hide, rumors fly on social media and kids are too distracted to follow instructions from their teachers. 

Parents can make their own decisions about smartphones at home, but school needs to remain a place where children learn. The only people who benefit from the childhood epidemic of smartphone addiction are the big tech companies. Let’s keep their content out of Michigan schools.