Smartphones are ubiquitous, and not just among adults. Many kids have them now, even at elementary school ages–and they’re not just on TikTok at home, they’re distracted during school hours, too.
Given what we know now about the dangers phones pose to educational and social development, public schools should clamp down on kids’ use during school hours, at the elementary, middle and even high school levels. Stricter policies could facilitate learning, encourage focus and order in class, help teachers, and strengthen social interactions among students. School districts in other states, including Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania, are already doing this. Texas should be next.
It’s been 16 years since Apple released the first iPhone and even less time since social media boomed. This acceleration of technology has been a boon to society in many ways, enabling people to find information anywhere at any time at lightning-fast speed.
