A state lawmaker is about to introduce a bill to limit students’ use of cell phones in schools.
State Senator Ryan Aument says students would place their mobile devices in secure, lockable phone bags until the end of the school day.
He believes there will be improvements in academic performance, physical and mental health.
“While it’s great that the commonwealth dedicated an additional $100 million last year to schools to care for students’ mental health, that money won’t go very far unless we get at the root cause of the problem,” Aument said. “Because we know widespread access to smartphones and social media apps increases depression, anxiety, feelings of isolation, and even suicidal thoughts in teens and children, my bill is a commonsense approach to improve student mental health and academic performance alike.”
Aument would like to begin a pilot program in the next school year if the bill passes.
Learn more about the Aument’s bill here.