(Bloomberg) The Los Angeles Unified School District has approved a day-long ban on cellphones, arguing that the devices distract students from their learning, harm their mental health and stymie personal connections.
The district, the second-largest in the country with 400,000 students, said it will consider how to implement the program when it goes into effect in January, including whether to force students to keep their cellphones in locked pouches or special lockers.
The resolution approved Tuesday cited a series of studies that highlight the harmful effects of cellphone use among young people, including a Common Sense Media survey that found half of teens report feeling “addicted” to their phones and one that showed 97 percent of kids ages 11 to 17 use their phones during class.
“Kids no longer have the opportunity to just be kids,” board member Nick Melvoin, who introduced the resolution, said in a statement.
Los Angeles' current policy prohibits students from using cell phones during class, but allows them to use their phones during lunch and nutrition breaks.
School administrators across the U.S. are struggling with how to combat the epidemic of smartphone use among kids, with nearly 70% of high school teachers saying cellphone distractions are a major problem in the classroom, according to the Pew Research Center.
New York Governor Kathy Hockle said she will introduce legislation during the 2025 legislative session to ban smartphones in schools.
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