Thanks so much to the more than 2,000 of you who responded to our survey about cell phone policies in schools and parent preferences. CNN.com just featured our results for middle schools in an Op-Ed I wrote. Elementary and high school results will come later.
I am so glad to give you these important results below and to ask for your help moving forward.
The main finding is alarming. The majority of middle schools (55%) allow students to carry a cell phone on them all day. That means only 45% of middle schools require students put their phones away for the day, such as keeping them in lockers. Public schools are more likely than private schools to allow students to have their phones all day.
And as I explain in the Op-Ed, science and experience show that allowing middle schoolers to carry phones all day can negatively impact their academic success and emotional well-being.
The second key finding—and this gives us hope—is that over 80% of parents of middle schoolers do not want their kids to use their phones during the school day.
Parents want what the science supports—when it comes to creating optimal learning environments, policies that take cell phones out of reach of middle schoolers is ideal.
We believe so much in the importance of this that we have decided to dedicate time and energy to:
We have been compiling data, examples of specific “away for the day” policies, videos, and many other tools—and we need your help!
For this week’s TTT we would love you to do any or all of these:
We will be rolling out tools soon and will be eager to have your involvement all along the way. If you want the full middle school report, please email me at delaney@screenagersmovie.com.
I feel so grateful that so many of us want to decrease distractions and help our nation’s students.
With much appreciation,
Delaney and the whole Screenagers team
Here is a video from the Screenagers YouTube Channel that talks more about this subject
Thanks so much to the more than 2,000 of you who responded to our survey about cell phone policies in schools and parent preferences. CNN.com just featured our results for middle schools in an Op-Ed I wrote. Elementary and high school results will come later.
I am so glad to give you these important results below and to ask for your help moving forward.
The main finding is alarming. The majority of middle schools (55%) allow students to carry a cell phone on them all day. That means only 45% of middle schools require students put their phones away for the day, such as keeping them in lockers. Public schools are more likely than private schools to allow students to have their phones all day.
And as I explain in the Op-Ed, science and experience show that allowing middle schoolers to carry phones all day can negatively impact their academic success and emotional well-being.
The second key finding—and this gives us hope—is that over 80% of parents of middle schoolers do not want their kids to use their phones during the school day.
Parents want what the science supports—when it comes to creating optimal learning environments, policies that take cell phones out of reach of middle schoolers is ideal.
We believe so much in the importance of this that we have decided to dedicate time and energy to:
We have been compiling data, examples of specific “away for the day” policies, videos, and many other tools—and we need your help!
For this week’s TTT we would love you to do any or all of these:
We will be rolling out tools soon and will be eager to have your involvement all along the way. If you want the full middle school report, please email me at delaney@screenagersmovie.com.
I feel so grateful that so many of us want to decrease distractions and help our nation’s students.
With much appreciation,
Delaney and the whole Screenagers team
Here is a video from the Screenagers YouTube Channel that talks more about this subject
Should Students Use Phones During School Lockdowns? This emotional and critical question is explored in depth, featuring insights from a superintendent, police officer, principal, and safety expert. Discover why they advocate for phone bans, real-world consequences of phone use during emergencies, and survey results that might surprise you.
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We launched the Away For The Day movement in 2017 because we could see back then the detrimental impact of smartphone use in schools, not just on academics but also on the emotional wellbeing and social development of youth. The fact is research shows that Away For The Day is the way to go. This week we introduce our significantly updated Away For The Day campaign website to help you support cellphone bans at your schools or your kids’ schools.
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Last week, USA Today ran an outstanding article titled: “Schools don’t want kids on cellphones. Is banning them the solution?” Our team launched Away For The Day in December 2017 to provide science and tools to help more schools create policies in which phones are not with students during the school day, and we are pleased the USA Today article mentions the campaign. The moment of change is truly here. Unlike anything we have seen in the past, the rate at which schools and full districts are adopting away-for-the-day policies is outstanding! Read today’s blog for some highlights from the USA Today article.
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
