Researchers say repeated phone checking, more than overall screen time, may be especially disruptive to learning and linked to reduced cognitive control.
Cellphone bans plans are satisfying no one: Parents have concerns about reaching their child in the event of an emergency; teachers aren't happy about their new role as the phone police; and students don't gain anything when technology is taken away.
New research from Stony Brook Medicine shows most parents support smartphone bans in schools, even as students spend more than an hour a day on their phones during school hours, raising concerns about learning and social time.
A parent coalition in Los Angeles is pressuring the district to scale back device use, saying school-issued iPads are fueling distraction and behavior issues, with some children falling behind academically or becoming overstimulated during mandated screen time.