Lawmakers are considering whether Pennsylvania should set a statewide limit on student cell phone use.
It’s been a hot topic recently, and at Monday’s House Education and Committee hearing, members heard concerns from parents, teachers, and state officials.
“I think it’s important to point out these kids, they’re addicted,” Rep. Marc Anderson says. “We have an addiction to cell phones.”
Right now, every district makes its own rules.
Rep. Bryan Culter says, “There is nothing more disappointing than walking into a room full of young people and then seeing them all sit on their phones rather than engage with one another or discuss issues face to face.”
Experts told lawmakers phone use is out of control.
“Our students aren’t just using phones to plan fights; they’re arranging meet-ups for illicit activities,” said Beth Sanborn, president of the Pennsylvania Association of School Resource Officers.
“They are showing decreases in grades, they are showing increases in stress, mental health difficulties. This is happening across the board every day,” said Mitch Prinstein, chief of psychology with the American Psychological Association.
But, others said phones can be a lifeline, especially during school shootings.
“I would not want anyone to not have access to their phone in the case of an extreme emergency,” Rep. Milou Mackenzie says. “I want even more security in the schools. So however we can do that, but please do not cut off communication between parents and children.”
Some warned that in emergencies, phones can make situations worse.
Rep. Marc Anderson says, “Understand when your kid’s calling them when there’s a shooter; 1,200 other kids are calling parents. And the thing I hear from law enforcement constantly is, you have 300 parents descend on a school when there’s a fire or a shooter and it actually puts more kids in danger.”
Others questioned whether the state should step in at all.
Lawmakers say they’ll keep discussing the issue, while districts in our area keep enforcing their own phone policies.
