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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Youngkin signs Virginia law limiting 'bell-to-bell' cellphone use in public schools
Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill into law Friday limiting cellphone use for all Virginia public elementary, middle and high school students. Youngkin, who built his political career championing parents' rights in education, ceremoniously signed two versions of the bill, HB1961 and SB738, at the Carter G. Woodson Middle School in Hopewell, Virginia. Youngkin said it was a fitting location for a day filled with such "hope." "When we come together — elected officials, administrators, teachers, parents and all of you — we can move mountains, and we can change something that needs to be changed, and that is to find freedom, freedom from cellphones," said Youngkin, who was flanked by his wife, Virginia first lady Suzanne S. Youngkin; public school students; education advocates; and local politicians. "We come together in order to move a mountain," Youngkin said, as he highlighted the negative effect of cellphones in schools on mental illness, conduct in class, academic performance and interpersonal relationships. Teens Spend More Than A Quarter Of Their Time At School On Phones, New Study Finds The bill strictly limits the use of phones in classrooms to reduce distractions and disruptions, codifying Youngkin's executive order signed last year "to protect the health and safety of students in Virginia's K-12 public schools by issuing guidance on the establishment of cellphone-free education policies and procedures." Read On The Fox News App Dc Council Proposes Bill To Ban Cellphones In District's Public Schools "We are building on the foundation laid by Executive Order 33 to make Virginia the national leader in restoring focus, academic excellence in the classroom and restoring health and safety in our schools. This legislation ensures that every school division adopts a full bell-to-bell policy and removes cellphones from classrooms, creating a distraction-free learning environment," Youngkin said as he signed the bill into law. Research indicates using cellphones in the classroom can have a negative effect on students' grades, social skills, emotional development and mental health. In a 2024 Pew Research Center study, more than 70% of high school teachers said cellphones distracting students in the classroom is a major problem. "This wasn't just an issue. It's a crisis. And when we have a crisis, we have a unified call for action, and that's what this gathering is all about, this unified call for action," Youngkin said Friday. Hopewell City Public Schools adopted a "pouch system" in its secondary schools at the start of the 2022-2023 school year, which has been used as a case study and potential model for the Virginia Department of Education's cellphone-free education rollout. "I want to add my appreciation for Hopewell's leadership because it was your leadership that inspired the executive order that I wrote last summer," Youngkin said. The statewide legislation requires school boards to develop and public schools to enact policies to restrict student cellphone use during the school day. The law includes exceptions for students with individualized education plans, Section 504 plans or health conditions, so cellphones can be used when medically necessary. The law also prohibits schools from suspending, expelling or removing students from class for violating cellphone policies. Florida became the first state to pass a law regulating cellphone use in schools in 2023. More than half of all states now have similar laws in article source: Youngkin signs Virginia law limiting 'bell-to-bell' cellphone use in public schools
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Virginia Screen-Free Week encourages you to unplug for a bit
Over 40% of teens with the highest social media use rate their overall mental health as poor or very poor, according to according to the American Psychological Association. (Photo by Daniel de) Gov. Glenn Youngkin dubbed April 14-19 Virginia Screen-Free Week, which the governor's administration encourages citizens of all ages to observe by reducing their time on digital devices and increasing activities that promote human connection, physical activity and improved mental health. Virginia Screen-Free week includes resources and activity guides for parents and children, schools and communities and is an extension of the work Youngkin and lawmakers have undertaken to counter the negative impacts excessive social media and screen time can have on developing minds. 'By reducing distractions and supporting healthier screen use, we are creating space for deeper learning, stronger relationships, and more meaningful engagement—both in and out of the classroom,' Education Secretary Aimee Rogstad Guidera said in a Monday release about Virginia Screen-Free Week . A 2023 Gallup survey revealed that teens who spend five or more hours per day on social media apps were more likely to report negative emotions compared to those who use social media less than two hours a day. In response, Youngkin launched initiatives to encourage and enforce time away from phones in classrooms, which the administration said can offer students a few hours most days to focus on their studies instead of their devices. The governor's Executive Order 43 established the Reclaiming Childhood Task Force, which analyzed social media and screen times' role in mental health, while last summer's Executive Order 33 directed state agencies to draft guidance for how schools could implement cell phone-free policies. Youngkin signs executive order to establish 'cell phone-free education' in Va. public schools Virginia lawmakers introduced legislation this year to allow local school boards flexibility over how cell phones and smart devices are governed in classrooms. Youngkin has since signed the bills, carried by Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke and Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax. Rasoul told The Mercury in February that the legislation enables age-appropriate policies across different schools but has exceptions for students with disabilities that rely on electronic devices to communicate. The proposal also prevents harsh disciplinary measures to ensure that violating the school's phone policy alone wouldn't lead to suspensions or expulsions. Last week, U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman, D- Fredericksburg, introduced federal legislation that could take phone-free school policies nationwide, if passed. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt — whose book, 'The Anxious Generation,' focused on social media's connections to youth mental health — provided a statement in the press release about Vindman's bill. 'Schools that go phone free almost always report increased student engagement, decreased disciplinary problems,' Haidt said. 'And, most touchingly, teachers say that they hear laughter in the hallways again.' Virginia scholars have weighed in on the family and education benefits of limiting screen use, as well. Longwood University professors Sarai and Adam Blincoe enjoy a low-tech lifestyle when it comes to cell phone, laptop or tablet use and are also raising their young children with little screen time. On a cross-country road trip last summer, their kids only watched two movies, they said in an interview. Sarai is a psychology professor and Adam is a philosophy professor; their shared interest in how cell phones affect people has infused their work. In 2021, they published a research paper based on input from their students, who they encouraged to test out a lower-tech lifestyle outside of the classroom while surrendering their devices inside its walls. Sarai offered students extra credit for disregarding their phones during class time and solicited surveys from them later in the semester. Sixty-five percent of students reported more cognizance of their cell phone use habits as a result, 50% reported how the practice affected cell phone use in other classes, and about 15% reported how the habits carried over to their cell phone use outside of class time. 'I feel that (functioning cell phone-free) has increased my focus in class,' one student wrote. 'Ever since I realized how much more focused I am without my phone … I have found myself leaving my phone in my backpack or sometimes in my dorm room.' Meanwhile, Adam's research tested student responses to device-free time outside of classroom environments. Students were required to pick a novel to read in book form, rather than on a device. Students shared that the exercise reminded them of the joy of reading in particular, but also encouraged them to carve out leisure time more broadly. Adam also required students to take three 20-minute walks without their phones per week. 'I witnessed genuine relief when students realized that they had permission to opt out of the phone even for small periods of time,' he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
General Assembly passes bill giving schools more say on classroom phone rules
A group of teenagers checking their cellphones. (Photo courtesy of SDI Productions via Getty Images) Virginia school boards may soon have more control over how cell phones and smart devices are governed in classrooms. Legislation granting local districts the authority to craft their own policies cleared the General Assembly on Friday and now heads to Gov. Glenn Youngkin for consideration. House Bill 1961, introduced by Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, and it's companion measure, Senate Bill 738 by Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax, comes amid growing concerns over the impact of smartphones on children's health. While research has linked excessive phone use to adverse effects on students' well-being, advocates also recognize the role devices play in providing educational resources and communication tools. Last year, a similar measure aimed at allowing school boards to ban phones and other 'handheld communication devices' during school hours failed to pass. However, many schools had already implemented their own restrictions. Unlike Yougkin's existing guidelines, Rasoul emphasized that his proposal provides more local flexibility and ensures age-appropriate policies across different schools. It also includes critical exceptions for students with disabilities who rely on electronic devices for communication. Importantly, Rasoul said the legislation prevents harsh disciplinary measures, ensuring that violating a school's phone policy alone wouldn't lead to suspension or expulsion. 'We just wanted to ensure that this new cell phone policy wasn't weaponized against the students and that would lead to suspension and expulsion,' Rasoul said. 'While the student can be pulled from the classroom, of course, if they're acting up, we want to ensure that we are not utilizing this new policy in a way that, in and of itself, just by violating the policy would lead to expelling a student.' Last summer, Youngkin signed Executive Order 33, directing his administration to implement cell phone-free policies amid rising concerns over children's mental health and declining academic performance. Citing research by the American Psychological Association, the order highlights that adolescents who spend more than three hours daily on social media daily are twice as likely to experience poor mental health. It also references studies showing that children spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on social media and that students who use their phones during class learn less and earn lower grades. Under the guidelines, which took effect on Jan. 1, elementary, middle, and high school students are required to be phone-free during the entire school day, with middle and high schoolers permitted to use their phones only before or after school. Local school divisions have the flexibility to tailor specific rules to their district's needs. The policy also includes exemptions for students with disabilities and English Learner students with documented language barriers. During a Senate Education and Health subcommittee hearing last month, Pekarsky said that the response to Youngkin's order was 'successful' and 'positive.' However, she stressed the need to formally establish these policies in state law to ensure consistency and local control. 'We just need to codify this to make sure that everyone knows that you have to have a policy, you have to talk with your community [and] discuss what policy works for you,' Pekarsky said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
