SPECIAL REPORT
States Ban Student Cell Phones in Class: What About in School Buses?
Non-academic use of cell phones, communications devices banned in over 7 out of 10 classrooms nationwide
Written by S.Z. Estavillo
C
ell phones in the classrooms have been a hot topic amid new state laws banning the devic- es, but they have long been on the minds of educators including those on school buses.
Teachers have historically viewed cell phones as a
disruption in educational settings because students are prone to pay more attention to their electronics instead of focusing on the classroom lesson. That is a big reason why 76 percent of schools nationwide prohibited non-ac- ademic use of cell phones and other communcations devices in the 2021-2022 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. In general, cell phone and electronics users have been
found to be distracted by their use. On a school bus, these devices can be a welcome distraction for students, especially during long commutes. But they can also present challenges. At a moment’s notice students can visit inappropriate sites or record a crash, a student fight, even a school bus driver meltdown. Mounting evidence illustrates the issue. A 2019 report from cell phone insurance company Asu-
rion found that Americans check their phones an average of 96 times a day. While the American Psychological Asso- ciation reported in 2018 that 43 percent of American adults “almost constantly” check their phones, admitting to dis- ruption in their work and personal lives. So, it’s no surprise that a recent 2021
Reviews.org report showed young adults (18-24) spent 5.4 hours daily on their phones. California law already gives school districts the leeway to pass cell phone bans for classrooms. The Los Angeles Uni- fied School District school board enacted such a ban on cell phones that takes effect in January. The Golden State seeks to take the next step with Assembly Bill 3216 that passed the California State Legislature in late August to prohibit or limit smartphone usage by students any time they are under the supervision of school personnel. This includes from the moment students step onto school buses. Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged support for the bill and it
30 School Transportation News • OCTOBER 2024
was expected to become law at this report, to take effect on July 1, 2026. “As the [U.S.] Surgeon General affirmed, social media is harming the mental health of our youth,” Newsom said in June. “When children and teens are in school, they should be focused on their studies, not their screens.” Social media is known to dominate children’s screen time use, potentially distracting them from learning. A Pew Research Center report found that 95 percent of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 have access to a smartphone, with many using it to engage on social media. About 46 percent of teens report being online “almost constantly.” Among the most popular platforms, 19 percent of teens say they use YouTube almost constantly, while 16 percent say the same about TikTok. Additionally, more than half of teens use social media daily, with 54 percent saying it would be difficult to give up. LAUSD Board member Nick Melvoin spearheaded the Los Angeles resolution, highlighting concerns about how cell phone use, especially when combined with so- cial media, exacerbates mental health issues like anxiety and cyberbullying. He also noted that, much like adults, students are increasingly glued to their devices. “They’re surreptitiously scrolling in school, in class time,
or have their head in their hands, walking down the hall- ways. They’re not talking to each other or playing at lunch or recess because they have their AirPods in,” Melvoin said. In addition to classrooms, the ban would extend to lunch time and other breaks between classes. The benefits of cell phone bans on school buses would be the same reason they’re limited in classrooms. As Melvoin pointed out, students aren’t engaging with one another when glued to screens. This could lead to unhealthy anti-social behaviors and fixation on social media. According to Yale Medicine, American teens between the ages of 12-15 who spent at least three hours a day on social media were twice as likely to experience depression and anxiety.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
