The Second Largest School in California is Banning Cellphones

The Los Angeles Unified School District's decision to ban cell phones as of January 2025 inspired a debate on this topic. They needed that time to address the challenges and develop viable solutions.

Considering that LA Unified is the second largest district in the country, it’s a bold move. In this district, it is evident that the quality of education is distributed by cell phones in schools.

🌿 Building Trust Through Open Dialogue

I recently had the chance to sit in on a really special exercise with some middle school girls and their moms about this cellphone ban.

I had the girls switch mothers and debate whether or not it’s a good idea to ban cell phones in their schools.

It turned out to be an eye-opening look at how parents and teens can find common ground on sensitive topics like cell phone policies in schools.

🐝 What I didn't expect was how open and honest the conversations would be.

For the most part, the parents and teens agreed that phones shouldn't be allowed during the school day.

But the discussion went deeper, with both sides sharing valid concerns - like how students would stay in touch with parents after school, or the risks of things like cyberbullying and academic dishonesty.

🐝 It really struck me... the girls expressed anxiety over being unreachable, especially if their parents were running late to pick them up.

And the moms shared worries about the increase in mental health issues they've seen due to excessive cell phone use.

What I didn’t expect was that, in many cases, the parents and teens would have similar opinions. 

What I observed was a vibrant conversation between the parents and teens.

I walked around the room listening to each couple and was amazed at how open and honest the girls were and how willing each was to share their opinions and respect each other. 

🐝 This exercise got me thinking about how these types of open dialogues could really help prepare kids for the emotional and social challenges of puberty.

⭐ Surprising Insights and Takeaways

For the most part, the parents and teens agreed that phones shouldn’t be allowed in school during the day.

The challenge was whether the school collected the phones or if they would remain in their backpacks.

Most girls preferred backpacks, but when I asked them if their peers were responsible enough to leave them there, the consensus was probably not.

Both agreed that having this conversation was helpful. Most of the girls shared that having conversations like this with their parents in the future would be beneficial.  

🐝 Even though the exercise started with discussing the cellphone ban...

This open discussion around cell phone policies can be a great starting point to uncover deeper insights about the challenges facing tweens today - from social media pressures to the rise of AI.

It's crucial to recognize and address the challenges of this change.

💭 Where to go from here?

After listening to everyone share their experiences, I concluded that this is a challenging issue that requires parents, students, and administrations to make decisions that are in the best interest of everyone. 

I observed that it’s essential to listen to our youth. Pose questions and give them the platform to voice their opinions.

🐝Having an open dialogue around cell phone policies can be a great starting point to build trust with your child and open the door for other important conversations - like the challenges of social media, peer pressure, and self-esteem.

Our Self-Esteem Peer Pressure Social Media class is designed to help parents and tweens navigate these sensitive topics in a fun, engaging way.

This 2½-hour interactive class addresses the issues of self-esteem, peer pressure, and social media by generating an open dialogue between parents and tweens.

Through a powerful class activity and informative discussion, parents gain insight into their children's social media world and the pressures they face.

Navigate the Cell Phone Dilemma

Sources:

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

by Jonathan Haidt 

Alanko, D. (2023). The health effects of video games in children and adolescents.

Alonzo, R., Hussain, J., Stranges, S., & Anderson, K. K. (2021). The interplay between social media use, sleep quality, and mental health in youth.

Common Sense Media. (n.d.). Parenting, media, and everything in between.

Haidt, J. (2023, February 23). Social media is a major cause of the mental illness epidemic in teen girls. Here’s the evidence. After Babel. www.afterbabel.com/p/social-media-mental-illness-epidemic

Haidt, J. (2023, February 23). Social media is a major cause of the mental illness epidemic in teen girls. Here’s the evidence. After Babel. www.afterbabel.com/p/social-media-mental-illness-epidemic

Nesi, J., Mann, S., & Robb, M. B. (2023). Teens and mental health: How girls really feel about social media. Common Sense. www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/how-girls-really-feel-about-social-media-researchreport_web_final_2.pdf

Tobias Rose-Stockwell, Outrage Machine

www.Screenagers.com