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The order, issued on Tuesday, directs the Virginia Department of
Education to create procedures that would restrict cell phone
use during instructional time, such as pouches or dedicated cell
phone lockers.
Education officials will consider exceptions for parents to
communicate with children for necessary reasons, as well as
protocols for students with medical needs or for emergency
situations.
The decision follows a similar cell phone ban announced last
month by the Los Angeles Unified School District. The chancellor
of New York City Public Schools has said that he, too, is
considering a phone ban for the nation's largest school
district.
They join a number of smaller school districts that have blocked
access to phones or social media out of a growing concern that
cell phones are detrimental to students' learning and mental
health.
Virginia's Department of Education has until Sept. 16 to issue
its final guidance on the new policy, which schools will
implement by Jan. 1, 2025.
"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," Youngkin, a Republican,
said in the order.
Youngkin's order references a study published in the American
Psychological Association which found that adolescents who spend
more than three hours a day on social media double their risk of
poor mental health. It also cites studies indicating that cell
phone use in class hurts students' ability to focus and engage,
resulting in lower grades.
(Reporting by Liya Cui in New York; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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