Raleigh, North Carolina (WNCN) — Thursday, people from many fields, including parents, teachers, public health experts, policymakers, and more, met at The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation to talk about cell phone use in schools.
Krista Glazewski, Executive Director of the Friday Institute, said that the meeting took place on the campus of North Carolina State University so that people with different points of view could talk to each other and get advice.
“We’re still asking what we see and what the research says, but also what do people experience in their homes, schools, and communities?” What Glazewski said.
Glazewski said it’s been a hot topic in North Carolina school districts and with families because several states are trying to pass laws that would ban or limit cell phone use in schools. This year, a few states have already passed laws and made new rules.
As part of that bigger talk, she said, “we need to think about how we think about giving students of all ages cell phones.” “Are there any specific tips we could give these kids when they are younger that might be different from what we give them when they are older, like when they are teenagers and older?”
Some people, including Glazewski, said that the pandemic caused a sudden shift in the number of students using electronics and cell phones from home.
She also said, “What I like about the General Assembly and the lawmakers here is that they are thinking about what would happen in the future, what works for North Carolina, what we can expect, and what might be some of the possible outcomes.”
State Sen. Jay Chaudhuri said that the all-day talk has included people from all sides and lawmakers who are looking to their home states and districts.
“At the end of the day, it’s not a Democrat or Republican issue; it’s an issue of parents who are worried about the rising number of students who are depressed and anxious,” he said.
“We know that the pandemic has made our kids use these devices even more, and we need to find ways to limit their use to make sure they don’t overdo it, which could lead to problems in and out of the classroom,” Chaudhuri said.
Many people in the talk agreed with Chaudhuri that there doesn’t need to be a complete ban on cell phones. However, he said that laws that change how cell phones are used in schools could be very important for improving students’ mental health and education.
State Sen. Jim Burgin said, “I think it’s the first time that we really have a lot of people to talk about it in a very thoughtful way and look at what’s happening to our young people with cell phones.”
“Kids today spend eight hours a day on their phones and other electronics.” That takes a long time. That’s time they don’t spend talking to people, getting to know each other better, or going outside. There’s a worry.
Burgin said he has talked a lot about mental health all over the state. He said that a lot of people have said that cell phone use has led to bullying, classroom distractions, and mental health problems at school and at home.
Before lawmakers meet again next year, Burgin and Chaudhuri said they want to talk to more people and do more study.
Glazewski said that members of The Friday Institute are also going to do more study and look at what might happen if certain policies are put in place. She thinks that the discussion will help lawmakers and make it easier to get laws on the subject introduced soon.