📲 Mental Health: Research shows that excessive cell phone use is linked to increased anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances among teens. A study by Common Sense Media found that 50% of teens feel addicted to their phones.
📲 Academic Performance: Studies have found that schools that ban mobile phones see an increase in student test scores, with low-achieving students benefiting the most.
📲 Cyberbullying: According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, 59% of U.S. teens have experienced cyberbullying, much of which occurs via mobile devices.
Given these concerns, it's no surprise that lawmakers are taking action. At least 14 states have enacted laws or regulations restricting cell phone use in schools. These regulations vary from complete bans during school hours to limiting use during specific times like class or exams.
Even though the evidence suggests that curbing cell phone use could lead to safer, healthier, and more academically focused environments for our students, I oppose outright cell phone bans in schools. These bans are a lazy solution to a complex issue.
While I believe that cell phones don't belong in the classroom, I also believe policies that outright bans phones do these kids a grave disservice. These devices are not going anywhere. Once our kids graduate from high school, they will enter college or the workplace with no guardrails on their tech access at all. Instead of taking phones away, we should be giving them the necessary tools to manage their use later in life. Regulate and limit during school hours, instruct on appropriate use, and discipline those kids who break the rules.
Schools should be educating our children on the responsible management of technology. Instead, these prohibitions abdicate that responsibility, kicking the can down the road for universities and employers to handle.
What are your thoughts on cell phone bans in high schools? Is it a step in the right direction, or are there better ways to manage the impact of technology on our youth? Head over to LinkedIn and answer my poll question to weigh in on this important issue.
Here's what I read this week that you should read, too.
AI Has a Trust Problem. Here's How to Fix It. — via Harvard Business Review
Molson Coors Walks Away from DEI Policies — via Brewbound
Brewers Association Highlights Priority Issues at National Legislative Summit — via Brewers Association
Starbucks is a Wrench in the NLRB Works — via The Chief Organizer Blog
Court Grapples with Whether Criticism Counts as 'Some Harm' in Discrimination Case — via EntertainHR
OSHA Launches Severe Injury Report Dashboard — via Joe's HR and Benefits Blog
The Hard Truth About Workplace Tragedies: Why Wells Fargo's Loss Doesn’t Require a New Policy — via Suzanne Lucas at Improve Your HR
It turns out that an employee planning her "exit strategy" with her attorney wasn't constructively discharged from her job. — via Eric Meyer's Employer Handbook Blog
NLRB appoints David Gaston its first chief AI officer — via HR Dive
Jack White Gives Donald Trump a Heads Up: "Lawsuit Coming from My Lawyers" — via Consequence
Wage and Hour Around the Corner: DOL Issues Guidance on Wage-Hour Risk Posed by Artificial Intelligence — via The Wage and Hour Litigation Blog