Dialing Down Distractions: Phone Bans in Schools

 

The Friday before spring break, Hopkins had an optional “Phone Free Friday” in honor of the national day of unplugging. Even though it was brought up at assembly and announced in advisories, I noticed no visible difference in the number of people on their phones. With the way Hopkins is organized, phone bans are unrealistic;  we need our phones to scan documents to upload onto the LMS, complete two-step verifications, or join a Quizlet Live during class. While all of the above could be done using a computer, it’s more cumbersome.  Some J-School classes, for example, have been instructed to put their phones in bins during class time. 

Another fault of phone bans lies in safety and security. With the rise of gun violence and casualties in schools, many students feel unsafe without the ability to have emergency contact. One solution to this would be adding telephones to various locations across the school, so students can feel at-ease because they have a way to make calls but won’t be distracted by side notifications throughout the day.On a similar note, lower technology devices such as flip phones would allow students to make quiet communication in case of emergency, all while being less distracting than the traditional smartphone. 

Despite its cons, phone bans can be beneficial. A big advantage would be on kids’ mental health.  The endless feed of negativity and unrealistic standards that we are constantly surrounded by online has been proven to have adverse mental health effects on teenagers. A study conducted by San Diego State University found that severe depression rates in girls have risen  by 58% as phones have become more prevalent. This would also decrease the number of Hopkins students makin g or viewing unkind content on social media, contributing to a happier and kinder environment for everyone. I feel I am much happier when I am separated from my phone, but struggle to isolate from it. 

Many criticize phone bans, particularly because kids need to learn how to deal with their screen time independently. However, bans can be a supportive measure. As with any addiction, a beginning step in intervention is removal of the “drug.” In drug and alcohol rehabilitation therapy, addicts often have substances tapered off. During the key stages of development that all Hopkins students are undergoing, removal of phones would be helpful in breaking an addiction that could stay with them for life. 

Taking away phones in schools would make for more focused classroom environments, increase social interaction, and boost the overall happiness and morale of the Hopkins community. This being said, removing them entirely would cause unnecessary stress and complications. Through a more thorough system such as implementing widely accessible landlines across campus, or only allowing lower-tech devices, the Hopkins community could flourish.