LITITZ, Pa. — Cell phone use in schools is coming under increased scrutiny from Pennsylvania lawmakers.
On Thursday, State Senator Ryan Aument announced he would be introducing legislation that would limit the use of cell phones and social media during the school day. His bill would allow school districts to voluntarily sign up for grants to purchase cell phone lockers, in order to keep kids focused during the school day.
“I think it’s key to secure the phones and give kids a break," said Senator Aument (R-Lancaster) “We have a responsibility to give parents and schools additional tools with respect to what happens in those six hours of the school day.”
Senator Aument said he is introducing the bill in response to a growing trend of cell phone and social media use and mental health issues among students.
One Pew Research study stated that 45% of teenagers felt overwhelmed by drama on social media. Another study from the American Psychological Association states that the rate of depression among teens has increased by around 150% since the early 2010s.
"Parents are seeing this in their own kids," said Senator Aument. "Now the data is backing up what we're already seeing."
Dr. Dara Babinski, a child psychologist at Penn State Health, said the questions over mental health concerns remain and more research is needed to study the impacts of cell phones on students. She added that parents and teachers should help kids foster healthy relationships with their phones.
“It’s critical that students are provided with adequate scaffolding, support, and opportunity to learn to use their phones in a way that promotes learning, and their physical and mental health," said Dr. Babinski.
The second part of Aument's bill would collect data on the effectiveness of the legislation. Senator Aument said his aim is to limit distractions in the classroom and promote student’s academic and mental well-being.
"If we're truly interested in improving student mental health and we're truly interested in improving academic performance, then we have to get them off these devices for at least a portion of their day," said Senator Aument.
Senator Aument is the second state lawmaker to introduce legislation on this issue—after Cumberland County Representative Barbara Gleim introduced a similar bill in February.