How cellphone-free schools can work for everyone
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While critics have expressed concerns about safety and communication loss for students and families, Newton middle schools have found solutions like creating accessible phone stations in the front office that allow students to contact home when necessary, and they have accommodations for students with specialized needs.
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The national 'Wait Until 8th'
These approaches are increasingly supported by medical research. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, in his book '
Psychiatrists have seen a growing number of young people struggling with attention problems, insomnia, loneliness, and mood issues, symptoms that are often tied to excessive smartphone use.
Smartphones affect attention and sleep, two essential components for a healthy developing brain. The constant stimulation of smartphones rewires attention networks in the brain, making it harder for young people to focus on tasks that require sustained effort. Over time, this impairs not only their ability to concentrate, but also their emotional regulation, impulse control, and capacity for deep learning — all of which are foundational for academic success, healthy relationships, and long-term mental well-being.
In a
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Creating smartphone-free school environments is not about punishment or control; it's about providing a supportive space where students can focus, connect, and recharge. Even if students continue to use smartphones at home, time away from devices during the school day offers young minds the rare room to breathe — space for deeper thinking, social connection, and a daily digital detox in a world where digital input rarely takes a pause.
As schools with smartphone policies are showing, it's possible to set
A Massachusetts
Attorney General
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Such changes do not require major funding, but they require thoughtful planning and community support. With
It is time to move past the debate over whether smartphones belong in schools and focus on how to manage them wisely in a world where they are here to stay. If we do, we can help students thrive — academically, socially, and emotionally.
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