logo
Phone silence — with conditions — can enhance learning

Phone silence — with conditions — can enhance learning

Yahoo17-02-2025

The Nebraska Legislature is considering a cell phone ban bill backed by Gov. Jim Pillen. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)
Even though it may be late to the party, the Nebraska Legislature is making the right call by advancing a bill banning student cellphone use at school. A number of school districts already curtail students' phone time on campus.
If passed, Legislative Bill 140 would require Nebraska's 245 public school districts to get on the 'ban wagon' by adopting policies that would be within the scope of the law while preserving a district's prerogative to shape its own local details. LB 140 was introduced by Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue at the request of Gov. Jim Pillen.
Aside from the mind-numbing, time-wasting game of whack-a-mole teachers play patrolling their classrooms for cellphone use, the research about screen time's effect on students' minds and academic performance is clear and emerging. One study published in the 'Journal of Experimental Psychology' also identified cellphones as negatively impacting social development among middle and high school students.
In his book 'Stolen Focus,' Johann Hari cites research that indicates today's young people have far less concentration power than previous generations. And, as the title of his book suggests, their focus was 'stolen' from them through a combination of devices, algorithms and marketing.
Some of these studies reported that the average college student spends at most about 65 seconds on a task before needing to refocus.
Refinding your place or your thought or even your bearings after an interruption — what Hari calls the 'switch cost effect' — can be debilitating. We increase our mistakes, decrease our creativity and poke holes in our mind's ability to retain. He cites studies, which reveal that once our focus is interrupted — via classmate, text message, TikTok video, whatever — we need 23 minutes to reach the level of concentration before the interruption.
While LB 140 is rightly aimed at our youngest minds, adults are neither immune nor invulnerable to cell phone disruption. Hari, whose book was highlighted in this space several years ago, said the average office worker's continuous concentration tops out at three minutes, and the average Fortune 500 CEO gets about 28 minutes of uninterrupted focus a day.
The data is clear: Banning cellphones in schools has science on its side. Plus, perhaps the art of face-to-face conversation, on life support in many of modern society's precincts, may live to tell the tale.
A principal, in one of the state's largest high schools, in its second year of students checking in their cellphones before the first bell and picking them up after school, told me that the strangest thing was happening, especially at lunch. Students were talking to each other.
Before we give LB 140 the checkered flag though, let's tap the brakes a little. I love my cellphone with the fervor of a high school student. In my pocket I have a computer, a camera for stills or video, a jukebox, an editing studio, a small theater, a word processor, an interpersonal and professional communications hub, an encyclopedic information retrieval center, a personal valet who can order coffee, find a weather forecast and write a 500-word essay on the symbolism in 'MacBeth,' and, remarkably, answer seemingly any question my life poses.
Shutting down such a universally-useful device for hours on end should come with solid rationale and certain conditions.
For starters, young people have an innate and perhaps outsized sense of hypocrisy. As we develop policies that reduce phone use in school, the adults who maintain these guidelines would do well to model the same behavior. Leveling up on Candy Crush Saga while you monitor study hall would be a poor play.
Let's also remember that many parents get a sense of security knowing their children have phones they can use in case of an emergency. Sadly, we live in a world of active shooters and other distempers with which schools are faced. If LB 140 becomes state law, in addition to determining when and where students can use their phones on campus, districts would do well to have an unambiguous plan that underscores student safety and defines clear lines of communication in emergencies. The bill itself contemplates exceptions for emergencies.
I occasionally play 'There oughtta be a law.' Perhaps you do, too. Here's one: A cellphone conversation in a restaurant loud enough for the entire section to hear not only steals my focus, it can ruin a nice meal. And, if that law oughtta be, let's double the fine for using the speaker setting.
Too much? Not the Legislature's lane? Sure. But being on the proper side of the fight for our children's focus, concentration and, in a very real sense, their futures, is just right.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission hosts first meeting ahead of major deadlines
Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission hosts first meeting ahead of major deadlines

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission hosts first meeting ahead of major deadlines

The current membership of the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission hosts an inaugural meeting. From left, Commissioners Monica Oldenburg, Kim Lowe and Bruce Bailey. At left is the seat for Commissioner Lorelle Mueting of Gretna. June 9, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission hosted its inaugural meeting Monday ahead of a fast-approaching July 1 deadline to set licensing criteria and an Oct. 1 deadline to begin issuing licenses. Emergency regulations will more than likely need to be adopted to meet the July deadline that voters approved in November, because of public hearing notice requirements for regulatory changes. Next steps remain unclear for the commission, which has a very limited amount of funds for the task. Commissioner Bruce Bailey of Lincoln, who separately chairs the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, said the goal is to come up with something to show the public by July 1 and seek feedback. 'That's where we are at this time,' Bailey told reporters after the meeting. ''Til then, we really don't know anything.' Bailey said his 'gut feeling, realizing what a short window it is,' is that the board will 'most likely' need to consider emergency regulations. Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Ben Swanson, who explained the typical rulemaking process to commissioners on Monday, said he would address the emergency process at the next commission meeting at 10 a.m. on June 26. The commission was still deciding on a location. It was not immediately clear whether the group would hold additional meetings before the July 1 deadline. Under normal rulemaking conditions, an agency or commission drafts guidelines and sets a hearing for public comment. The public must be notified at least 30 days before said hearing. If commissioners approve the proposed rules and regulations later this month, with no significant changes, the guidance will be sent to the Attorney General's Office for constitutional review. The governor has final say on the rules and regulations before they are filed with the Secretary of State's Office. If the commission makes significant changes, there must be another hearing with another 30-day notice. Much of the first meeting focused on administrative hurdles, including the Open Meetings Act for virtual and in-person meetings and support from the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services for budget control and human resources. Bailey and Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, the group that led the new laws through the process to the measures' 2024 wins at the ballot box, described Monday's meeting as a needed 'step.' 'We have to take the wins when we get the wins,' Eggers told reporters. 'Today, having a meeting was a win.' However, Eggers cautioned that major questions remain about how the commission will find funds to work, the timeline for future regulations and how commissioners will respect what the people had in mind when they passed the new laws. 'We have always been committed to sticking in here and advocating and fighting and educating until the day that we see Nebraska patients who need medical cannabis as an option have it, that it's accessible to them, that it's safe for them,' Eggers said. 'That day is not here yet.' State lawmakers in May approved a two-year state budget with a $30,000 increase in the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission's bottom line for staffing related to any of the commission's shared duties with the Nebraska Cannabis Commission, for staff who might take on new duties under the medical cannabis law. Voters placed all three members of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission on the Medical Cannabis Commission. The governor changed the commission's members in recent weeks by choosing not to reappoint Harry Hoch, Jr., to the 2nd Congressional District seat, leaving just Bailey and Commissioner Kim Lowe of Kearney, as first reported by the Nebraska Examiner. However, lawmakers didn't approve creating a new budget line for the Medical Cannabis Commission the way they did when the Asian American Affairs Commission was created in 2024. Lawmakers also declined to pass a bill clarifying the framework within the Liquor Commission for medical cannabis-related spending and revenue collection. The result is an unclear system that commissioners started grappling with on Monday. Jacob Leaver, deputy state budget administrator, said spending from a Liquor Control Commission cash fund should be used for the 'bare minimum.' He suggested that the cannabis commissioners approve a 'subprogram' in the state budget, which can be done administratively but doesn't equate to new spending. He said commissioners 'theoretically have $0 of appropriation.' 'Essentially, you have to 'borrow' [an] appropriation from the liquor side into that new subprogram for the medical cannabis side,' Leaver said. The Liquor Control Commission has one cash fund, with a maximum annual spending limit of $100,000, which was slightly increased this spring. The fund collects revenue from various liquor-related fees, such as for registration or server training, or from selling copies of governing rules and other documents. The fund is rarely used but tapping into it creates a new juggling act. State law allows those funds to be used for 'any administrative costs' associated with specific liquor statutes. Medical cannabis statutes were placed in a different section of the law, and the budget bills did not expressly authorize additional spending from that fund. Bailey asked whether those funds could be paid back if the Liquor Control Commission authorized diverting funds for the Medical Cannabis Commission. Leaver said 'yes and no,' as the Medical Cannabis Commission collects no general state taxes (income, sales, etc.) but could direct application fees, for instance, back to the cash fund. Liquor commissioners could ask the Legislature for more funds in 2026 or backfill spending, state budget officials have said. Bailey told reporters the commission would look into getting some funds soon in the face of a tight budget but 'a large goal.' 'We'll do our best, as we can,' Bailey said. Bailey and Lowe were sworn into their new roles Monday, as was Dr. Monica Oldenburg of Lincoln. The trio unanimously voted to elect Oldenburg, an anesthesiologist, as chair and approved up to two members to meet with outside consultants or experts and come back with that information. Commissioner Lorelle Mueting of Gretna missed the first meeting. Oldenburg defended Mueting as having had a prior commitment and said commissioners tried to get to work as soon as possible. The AG's Office did not, as it has in the past, threaten the commission Monday with a future lawsuit if licensing moves forward by the Oct. 1 deadline. Attorney General Mike Hilgers and his staff have repeatedly threatened that action, including in court and before the Legislature. Legal action continues in Lancaster County District Court, with a longtime marijuana opponent, former State Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell, trying to void the new medical cannabis laws. Kuehn's filings argue that the laws are an unlawful delegation of power and run afoul of federal laws against marijuana. Hilgers and his office have argued the AG should be the one to challenge the laws on encroaching on federal constitutional powers and have asked that Kuehn's case be dismissed. Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong is currently considering whether to dismiss the case. However, a June 5 filing from Kuehn now seeks to add Oldenburg and Mueting to the case while removing Hoch from the lawsuit. Hoch was not reappointed to the commission as Gov. Jim Pillen seeks someone with more 'cannabis experience,' according to Hoch. 'This is a constantly evolving and fast-moving controversy as government actors actively seek new ways to use taxpayer resources to implement the measures at issue,' the latest court filing from Kuehn said. One of Kuehn's attorneys, former State Sen. Andrew La Grone, attended Monday's inaugural meeting of the Cannabis Commission. Kuehn's lawsuit also targets Pillen, Secretary of State Bob Evnen, other state officials and the three sponsors of the 2024 campaign, including Eggers. Eggers said she hopes the commission remembers the lives at the center of the fight, including her son who has a severe form of drug-resistant epilepsy. She said the window of opportunity to work together for safe access remains open. 'I hope they approach this remembering that the decisions and the way they do this does impact real people, and those real people and the patients and the voters of the state are watching,' Eggers said of the commission. 'I believe they have a very, very strong expectation to how this goes.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

America Has Theories on Whether Trump-Elon Musk Feud Is All Fake
America Has Theories on Whether Trump-Elon Musk Feud Is All Fake

Yahoo

time9 hours ago

  • Yahoo

America Has Theories on Whether Trump-Elon Musk Feud Is All Fake

After President Donald Trump's beef with Tesla CEO Elon Musk practically broke the internet, Americans are wondering if all the drama was meant to deflect from one crucial piece of legislation: Trump's Big Beautiful Bill Act. Others, however, don't think the president is smart enough to pull it off. Let's get into it. After passing in the House by the skin of it's teeth, the GOP spending bill is headed to the Senate, drawing mixed reviews from Democrats and Republicans alike. With major cuts to Medicaid– which Trump promised he wouldn't do– questionable AI regulations, permanent taxes cut to the wealthy, adding trillions to the national debt and much more, Trump's Big Beautiful Bill Act is anything but beautiful, and more folks should be paying attention. But alas, they're not… And after last week's blow up between him and Musk, many online have theories that the Trump and Musk battle got people watching the wrong fight. 'This Trump-Musk fight seems like a distraction,' @d_originalone noted on June 5. Another user pointed out the suspicious timing of the feud coinciding with the bill. 'Elon Musk sitting on Epstein information and only releasing it because him and trump aren't friends makes him just as disgusting as Trump,' @namenonew started. 'It's all a distraction & greed tactic folks.' Even CNN host Audie Cornish noted 'there's a billion-dollar bill at stake—but all eyes are on the fight between two billionaires.' She continued, 'Medicaid, SNAP, and foreign policy are all in the balance, yet headlines focus on Musk and Trump.' 'Who gives a rat's ass bout a fake feud between 2 Nazis,' @kenyadad12 boldly tweeted before adding the real concern should be 'this bill GOP pushing through that will allow trump to ignore contempt orders from the courts.' Although many are convinced Trump's alleged scheme is to divert Americans from the dangers of the tax bill with the drama of the century, there's no way to exactly know if that's the president's real plan. But, you can't put anything past the man, who is known for his antics and divisive nature. On TikTok, @omekongo listed Trump's travel ban to 12 different countries, a recent abortion directive endangering pregnant people nation-wide and most importantly, that 'big, ugly tax bill' as reasons for Trump's alleged smoke and mirrors trick on America. Other folks online don't want to give Trump and Musk any credit for allegedly scheming to deter from the real issues plaguing the country. 'There's no master plan, no distraction; they're just impulsive fascist idiots,' @LivForJReeves10 said on X. @trustno1evah on TikTok said no matter how hard Trump might try to pull the wool over Americans' eyes, they're not doing a good job at it. 'This Trump and Musk fallout is all a staged LIE,' she said. The bill itself is over 1,000 pages long, tackling any and everything under the sun while still checking off key points in the MAGA rulebook, 'Project 2025.' With legislation this long and tedious, it's not shocking Americans won't be able to digest the full impact the bill will have on their lives. In fact, even House Republicans like Ga. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene and Neb. Rep. Mike Flood admitted to skimming over key points in the vital tax legislation. If the very people elected to read and review proposed legislation have confessed to being unaware of the very small, fine print, then Americans should probably be paying even closer attention to what's at stake.

Nebraska congressman's bill would prioritize filling Weather Service vacancies after DOGE cuts
Nebraska congressman's bill would prioritize filling Weather Service vacancies after DOGE cuts

Yahoo

time11 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Nebraska congressman's bill would prioritize filling Weather Service vacancies after DOGE cuts

Flood's legislation was cosponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers from Florida, California, Oklahoma, and Illinois. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN — Nebraska Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Flood introduced legislation this month that would make it harder for National Weather Service employees to be fired. The bipartisan-backed bill, named the Weather Workforce Improvement Act, would reclassify Weather Service employees as public safety personnel — essentially protecting them from most future administrative hiring freezes and buyouts. Flood's legislation was cosponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers from Florida, California, Oklahoma, and Illinois. No other members of the Nebraska delegation have yet signed on as cosponsors. The bill also would allow the agency director a two-year authority to hire meteorologists and other positions deemed critical for the Weather Service, to fill positions that can't be filled now due to a broader freeze on government hiring. 'It doesn't matter if you're a Republican or a Democrat or an Independent,' Flood said. 'Everybody wants accurate weather forecasting.' The proposal comes after a Weather Service office in the Omaha area and other Great Plains offices announced pausing the deployment of weather balloons in April. Omaha-based NWS office will deploy weather balloons again after DOGE cuts Flood and others in the federal delegation reversed that decision after pushing back against the then-Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency cuts — though Flood said last week that the vacancies had started during former President Joe Biden. The station is launching two weather balloons a day, Flood has said, but the Omaha-area Weather Service office has said it still faces staffing issues. Flood told the Examiner in April that if his legislation had been in place, 'it would never have gotten to the point it is.' The Weather Service has faced staffing issues long before Trump's second term, but recent cuts required 'urgent action,' according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Trump Administration fired a total of roughly 600 workers from both agencies in March as it tried to reshape the federal bureaucracy. DOGE cuts to the Weather Service affecting Nebraska contributed to two forecasting offices that cover some rural parts of western and southwestern Nebraska to no longer monitor local weather around-the-clock. Weather Service offices covering parts of rural Nebraska no longer monitor weather 24/7 One office in Wyoming that covers eight counties in the Nebraska Panhandle, and the other in Kansas that forecasts for three counties in the southwestern corner of Nebraska had to find backup during uncovered shifts. Other nearby forecasting offices — dealing with their own staffing problems — have to handle the load. The Weather Service said last week it had been granted an exemption to Trump's government-wide hiring freeze to hire 126 people to 'stabilize' the department. That is less than a quarter of the cuts made to the agency this year. Nebraska and local rural weather experts say NWS staffing shortages threaten public safety. Flood said he hopes to get his proposal amended into a 'more comprehensive weather-related bill' for a vote on the House floor. He says it is more challenging to pass a law at the federal level than his time as a state lawmaker, where he served as speaker. 'Passing the law in Congress is like a Rubik's Cube with 536 squares on it and a lot of different colors,' Flood said during a press call last week. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store