PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN Massachusetts once again started the school year without guardrails for cellphone usage in school. While the Massachusetts House considers the pros and cons of the legislation passed by the state Senate, the negative mental health effects of cellphones in schools continue to plague students’ ability to learn and socialize in classrooms across the state.
The issue holding back this critical protection for students? A new generation of parents are demanding a constant lifeline to their children, unaware of the detrimental social impacts of cellphone addiction that teachers are witnessing firsthand.
The anxiety of parents is impacting the tranquility of schools. The political balance of limiting digital distractions and cyberbullying in K-12 schools with parents’ demands to contact their children during the school day has resulted in a patchwork of district-level decisions by school leaders. Districts that have implemented cellphone bans have witnessed immediate improvements in students’ communication, socialization, and academics. They have also experienced pushback and outrage from parents…