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It’s an exciting time to be alive in this golden era of technology. 

The daily advancements in technology offer undeniable societal benefits, including workforce efficiency, medical progress and cultural exchange.

There’s just one problem — it’s “screwing the kids over.”

Through “addictive, mind-numbing content” and entertainment made readily available in the form of a cell phone, today’s youth are exposed to an “unprecedented threat.” We live in a world where the average teen spends nearly nine hours a day staring at a phone, and that’s not okay. 

In the interest of preventing children from becoming “incompetent, addle-brained sheep,” we need to come together and protect them from the “poison” they carry around in their pockets anywhere and everywhere. 

This is the close-minded narrative that an increasing crowd of “save the children from their screens” advocates love to chant. A chorus of adults and members of older generations demonize increasing cell phone usage as a modern epidemic, the sole driving force behind why “kids today are getting dumber.”

For the most part, however, their complaints have yet to spark many meaningful changes — until now.

In June 2024, the LAUSD Board of Education voted to ban cell phone usage throughout the school day, citing concerns over distractions, academic performance and mental health.

While the intentions behind the policy are commendable, a ban would ultimately be ineffective and may even exacerbate the very issues it seeks to address.

Proponents of the phone ban argue that smartphones are a primary source of distraction in the classroom, and it’s true that students who use phones during instruction tend to perform worse academically.

A 2014 study by professors Andrew Lepp, Jacob Barkley and Aryn Karpinski at Kent State University found that students who reported higher levels of cell phone use earned a GPA that was, on average, 0.33 lower than peers who used their phones less. 

However, distractions in the classroom are multifaceted. Factors like teaching methods, classroom environment and student engagement play significant roles in a student’s ability to focus. 

For instance, traditional lecturing styles of teaching do a poor job of keeping students actively engaged in the material. According to a 2011 report by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), only 35% of students report being highly engaged during lectures.

Further, in 2013, the American Educational Research Association (AERA) reported that students retain 20% of what they hear in lectures, as opposed to 50% of discussions and 75% of peer-driven teaching on the same topic.

Banning phones wouldn’t necessarily lead to improved attention because it doesn’t address the root causes of all distraction — a lack of student engagement coupled with minimal desire to learn. 

No matter what restrictions you place on students, a desire to learn must be cultivated. Students can’t be forced to learn or pay attention. Banning phones wouldn’t guarantee learning, but would likely generate resentment.

The aim of true education is to inspire a love for learning in students. It may sound idealistic and far from practical, but no more than the delusion that forcing students to comply with a ban wouldn’t foster feelings of rebellion.

A more effective approach would be teaching students to manage their technology use responsibly. Relative to how large of a role technology plays in all our lives, it’s baffling that dedicated education on navigating it properly is so limited.

In terms of sheer relevance, even a semester-long class on digital literacy and technology management would be more worthwhile than almost any other subject.

Cell phones serve as vital tools for communication, organization and learning. 

They provide unprecedented access to educational resources, collaboration tools and social networks that enhance the learning experience and the cultivation of relationships in and outside the classroom. 

Platforms like Khan Academy and YouTube are prime examples of tools students can utilize to aid their academic performance. Offering detailed, accessible lessons on specific topics in the form of video content created by professors and educators around the world, these platforms make getting help easy.

Quizlet is a popular platform for creating digital flashcards, enabling millions of users, students and teachers alike, to add an unmatched element of convenience and portability to the learning experience. Flashcards can be made public and shared with others, promoting a network of mutual aid and support.

Yes, cell phones can open doors to misuse if malicious intent is present, just like any tool — including school-issued Chromebooks and standard, programmable graphing calculators. 

Banning phones would strip students of a multifaceted resource that supports their education and well-being.

Moreover, emergencies can happen at any moment. Being able to communicate with friends and family during critical times creates a sense of security and safety. 

On Nov. 1, 2023, Van Nuys High School was placed on lockdown due to a stabbing that occurred on the quad. 

While school administration quickly followed protocol to ensure student safety, there was an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension. 

Packed into classrooms, countless students were anxious to contact friends and family to check up on each other. Their cell phones not only allowed them to do so, but provided a sense of security and assurance amidst the chaos.

In a situation that broke national headlines, it would have been absurd to bar the very students on campus from contacting loved ones at will.

Students are part of a connected world, just like everyone else, and taking phones restricts such connections.

The argument that authority and order would be better maintained with phone bans sounds sensible, but overlooks a crucial point: such policies undermine the trust and respect that should exist between students and teachers.

Instead of fostering a collaborative atmosphere, strict bans breed resentment and an adversarial relationship with administration and staff. 

At schools like VNHS, where these tensions already exist, a culture of distrust is the last thing we need.

Ultimately, if schools are to prepare students for adult life, we need to advocate for teaching digital literacy and responsible technology use over outright bans. Through dedicated courses, students could learn to make informed decisions online and manage their screen time responsibly, a vital component of their well-being.

The efforts to ban phone usage may be well-intentioned, but they are unlikely to yield the desired outcomes of improved focus and academic performance. Instead, they risk hindering student engagement and alienating students from a critical tool for communication and learning.

Times have truly changed, and policies aiming to address rising concerns about technology must consider every perspective to be effective. 

Let’s focus on education, not prohibition.

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2024 print edition.