Do We Need a Phone Ban in Schools?

Even before smartphones became a ubiquitous part of daily life, we were already seeing rising levels of anxiety among students. I remember vividly working at a boarding school in Northern New England on 9/11, which also happened to be the first day of classes. As the devastating news unfolded, we were able to support the students, providing them with accurate, real-time information. However, in today’s world, I can’t help but think how different the situation would have been.

Imagine if smartphones had been prevalent in schools back then. Anxiety levels would have skyrocketed as kids glued themselves to their phones, falling down rabbit holes of misinformation on social media. Parents, too, would have likely panicked, frantically calling their children to manage their own anxieties—even if their children were nowhere near any actual danger. With the phone ban in schools, these scenarios could be mitigated, allowing students to focus on real-life interactions rather than digital panic.

It was in the wake of 9/11 that many parents began to insist their kids carry phones “just in case of an emergency.” On the surface, this seems reasonable enough. But is it, really? In light of tragic events like Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, and, more recently, the incident in Georgia, this desire to stay connected feels justified.

But the recent push for a phone ban in schools challenges whether constant connectivity is really the answer to ensuring safety. 

Increased mental health struggles among students

Overuse of screens has already triggered an epidemic of mental health struggles among students—a crisis that has far surpassed the worst-case scenarios these phones were meant to prepare for.

This growing concern around smartphone use in schools has even led to bans in several districts across the U.S. As Natasha Singer, a technology reporter for The New York Times, discussed in a recent podcast episode of The Daily, these restrictions have sparked a contentious debate among educators, parents, and students.

Are we managing anxiety or fostering dependence?

At what cost are we pushing this constant connectivity? As a society, are we losing a sense of self by overusing doomsday scenarios to justify the excessive use of smartphones? It seems that we are so busy worrying about what could happen that we’re overlooking the very real crisis happening in the present.

Is this push for students to have constant access to their phones really about their physical safety, or are we simply trying to manage their anxiety? In some ways, it feels like we’re creating a symbolic umbilical cord that keeps kids tethered to us, preventing them from learning how to manage their own stress and challenges.

What banning phones could bring back to the classroom

On a lighter note, I can’t help but hope that the push for a phone ban in schools will improve the quality of classroom learning. Without phones, students will likely become more engaged in their education. It might even bring back some of the old-school “problems” that teachers used to deal with before smartphones took over.

Remember the days when teachers would beg us to keep our voices down in the hallways or the cafeteria? Pleading with us to stop laughing so loudly, joking around, or hopping from one table to another? Sure, those days could be chaotic, and yes, even the occasional food fight was less than ideal, but at least it was lively. It was the kind of age-appropriate behavior that, while annoying at times, made school more interesting.

Over the past few years, every time I walk into a school cafeteria that allows smartphones, it feels like I’ve walked into a funeral. The atmosphere is too quiet, with students sitting expressionless, staring at their phones, typing out an occasional “LOL” rather than laughing out loud. It’s downright depressing.

Creating space for real connections

By implementing a phone ban in schools, we could reintroduce a healthier environment where students connect face-to-face, laugh together, and experience life in the moment. Removing phones could encourage students to engage in more social, interactive, and even chaotic ways vital for their emotional and social development.

Phones were meant to keep us connected, but sometimes they have the opposite effect. A school ban could allow students to rediscover what it means to truly connect—not through a screen, but in real life. However, navigating these changes isn’t always easy, especially for students who have become so accustomed to relying on their phones for socialization and managing anxiety.

In such cases, professionals like educational and therapeutic consultants can play a key role in helping schools and families create strategies that support students through this adjustment. These experts can offer tailored recommendations, ensuring that students are supported inside and outside the classroom, making the transition smoother for everyone involved.