Virginia To Enact 'Cell Phone–Free Education' in Public Schools

On Tuesday, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order mandating the introduction of "cell phone–free education" in Virginia public schools.

"The necessity of implementing cell phone–free education in Virginia's K-12 public schools is increasingly evident," Youngkin's order reads. "Parents, public health professionals, educators and other stakeholders across the Commonwealth are expressing concern over the alarming mental health crisis and chronic health conditions affecting adolescents, such as depression and anxiety, driven in part by extensive social media usage and widespread cell phone possession among children. Cell phone–free education will significantly reduce the amount of time students can be on phones without parental supervision."

Youngkin's directive orders state health and education bureaucrats to draft guidelines for schools, including a detailed definition of "cell phone–free education," model implementation plans, and alternatives for parents to contact their children when necessary during the school day.

"Creating a cell phone–free education environment in public schools is not only a prudent measure but an essential one to promote a healthier and more focused educational environment where every child is free to learn," the order reads.

Some critics have been suspicious of the widespread claims that phone use is the direct cause of increases in teen anxiety and depression. A much better case can be made that phones simply distract students, making teaching more difficult.

"One study from 2016 found that 97 percent of college students said that they sometimes use their phones during class for non-educational purposes," wrote psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt last year. "Nearly 60 percent of students said that they spend more than 10 percent of class time on their phones, mostly texting. Many studies show that students who use their phones during class learn less and get lower grades."

Youngkin's order is a better alternative to laws enacting sweeping bans on social media use by minors. While the precise changes to school policy are still unknown, the state government would do well to allow considerable flexibility, giving individual school districts and principals the ability to customize changes to best serve the needs of parents and students in their communities. 

However, some skepticism might still be in order here. Virginia has enacted freedom-curbing anti-tech legislation in the past in the name of protecting children. For example, Youngkin signed a bill into law last year requiring age verification for porn website access in the state.