ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. -- Social media and smart phone use is on the minds of Virginia leaders. Governor Glenn Youngkin is ordering the state's Department of Education to come up with a plan to keep cell phones out of the classroom.
ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. -- Social media and smart phone use is on the minds of Virginia leaders. Governor Glenn Youngkin is ordering the state's Department of Education to come up with a plan to keep cell phones out of the classroom.
Youngkin's order stems from a few alarming statistics. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) has linked high-usage of social media to increased levels of depression and anxiety in children.
Paying attention to a teacher can be difficult when apps like Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok are at your fingertips. It's why parent Kelley Hart said phones and the instructional time don't mix.
"I think that it's definitely a distraction for many kids," said Hart.
Hart's views on cell phone use at school don't come without exceptions though.
"I think the pros of having the cell phone near them would be for safety purposes and making sure that they can get in contact with someone for an emergency," said Hart.
Youngkin's order touches on that, saying parents should be allowed to contact their children in an emergency or other important situations.
Other than that, Virginia lawmakers, citing a detriment to mental health, want phones out of sight.
According to the governor's release kids spend nearly five hours a day on social media. More than three hours doubles the risk of poor mental health, and the data backs it up.
The CDC reports since 2010 boys and girls saw a spike in depression by 161% and 145%, respectively.
Kathy Lewis, a former longtime nurse for the Accomack School District said student mental health should be a key focus.
"I think it's important that we think not only of their wellbeing and safety and learning today, but I think it's very important for the students to learn to pay attention and to acquire the skills that we need in the modern world," said Lewis.
The goal is to have schools adopt these new policies by next year. Virginia's DOE will publish their draft guidance by August 15th. It will be followed by a time for public feedback, and then a finalized version of guidance will be released in September.
Implementation of these cell phone policies across Virginia is set for January 1st, 2025.
