Starting in 2025, the LA Unified School District will be enacting a ban on cellphones at school. Cellphone bans are nothing new; in May of 2023, the state of Florida passed a ban on phones in school as well. While some people support these bans, others are more reluctant. In this article, I will be breaking down both sides of the case on phones in school.

Why we should ban phones: 

• Phones are considered highly addictive. A scholarly journal published by the National Library of Medicine reported that on average, 16% of adolescents are addicted to their phones. In addition to this, addicitoncenter.com states that, “A recent study scanned participants’ brains with a phone addiction and discovered a change in their brain’s grey matter. According to the researchers, the physical shape and size of their brains resembled that of drug users.”
• It’s a distraction. Since phones are addictive, students can easily be distracted by their addiction in class. Even if they aren’t addicted, it’s hard to resist a buzzing phone. “Approximately 40% of public schools report moderate to severe negative impacts on student learning and on teacher and staff morale when students use their electronic devices without permission. Many teachers report that students being distracted with their cellphones is a major problem in their classrooms… The presence of smart phones may reduce cognitive capacity, especially for those highly addicted to their phones, and notifications disrupt focus and attention. Further, there is a negative association between time spent on smartphones and academic performance,” says KFF (affiliated with Kaiser Hospital).” A common reason for cellphone bans is the high risk of distracting from schoolwork, in turn reducing grades. 
• They are harmful to mental health. The National Institute of Health says that, “Numerous studies have found that addiction and depression often go hand in hand, and that addiction increases the risk of depression and is an important predictor of depression. A 4-year follow-up study confirms that Internet addiction is a stable cause of depression.” Increased awareness about student mental health have led to concerns about the impacts of smart devices.

Why we shouldn’t ban phones:

• They are a learning tool. While phones can be distracting in class, they can also be great learning tools. “Cell phones give students access to tools and apps that can help them complete and stay on top of their class work. These tools can also teach students to develop better study habits, like time management and organization skills,” claims Oxford Learning.
• Cellphones are a way for schools to help students prepare for adulthood. Statistics show that around 97% of the adult population possess cellphones in the US. Even if phones may be a distraction, students need to learn how to responsibly use these devices so that they can be successful as an adult. “A research scientist in the center for Health and Happiness, argues that more flexible classroom policies [regarding cell phones] can create opportunities for teaching tech-literacy and self-regulation,” explains Harvard Gazette
• Helpful for communication, especially in emergencies. Another reason many parents cite for keeping phones in class is the purpose of communication and safety. Many phones have built in tracking devices that parents use to keep track of their kids. In addition, phones can be very useful in a school emergency as they possess the ability to contact emergency services. “We aren’t texting our kids memes or asking them what the latest TikTok trend is,” National Parents Union president Keri Rodrigues says in a statement. “Cellphone bans fail to take into consideration the tragic, real-life scenarios that unfortunately play out all too often in schools. And schools have yet to improve communication with us.” 

In conclusion, there are many pros and cons to having cellphones in schools. There is no right answer for how to proceed on this policy. Only time will tell if phone bans even end up being effective. What do you think? Should phones be banned in schools?