Boston Children's doctor says research shows "phones have no business in schools"
NEWTON - With a new school year came a new cellphone policy in many Massachusetts schools. In Newton, kids are required to have their phones off and away during class. In Newton middle schools, the district plans to roll out Yondr pouches to lock up kids' phones starting in January.
"The distractions and the difficulties of Internet enabled devices in the pockets of our children have been quite challenging over the last several years in particular, especially post COVID, students were often connected to their devices all the time," Dr. Anna Nolin, Newton Public Schools Superintendent, told WBZ.
Phones locked in pouches at school
In Brockton during the first week of school, students at the high school received their Yondr pouches, which magnetically lock with their phones trapped inside over the course of the school day. Teachers and administrators unlocked the pouches in the cafeteria and as kids exited school.
The Yondr pouches in Brockton are one factor in an overall safety plan to address in-school violence that made headlines last year.
The push for keeping cellphones out of classrooms is not new, but is top of mind following the pandemic.
Cellphones "undermine" key tasks of school, doctor says
If you ask Boston Children's Hospital Director of Digital Wellness Lab Dr. Michael Rich, keeping phones out of classrooms is the right move.
"Smartphones in particular actually undermine the two key tasks of school, the first being didactic learning of math, science, literature, the arts," he said. "The other arguably as, or more important task is their social, emotional learning. They're learning how to form a society. It's the first time in their lives they function as an individual."
Dr. Rich's research shows that "phones have no business in schools," he says. "Because if mom is in your pocket saying, 'how'd you do on that quiz? Do I need to talk to the teacher? Or is that kid still picking on you in the playground?' You never have to resolve those issues for yourself."
"We lost a lot when 'friend' became a verb," Dr. Rich said.
Dr. Rich opposes the use of the word "ban," and encourages districts to take a more positive approach, like "phone free learning."
When WBZ spoke with Dr. Rich, he was traveling to Utah to help a school district roll out its new phone-free policy. Brock Films, a company that was filming Dr. Rich on his travels, provided snippets of it to WBZ.
There should be certain exceptions for students with disabilities and certain needs to use their phones, he explained.
Many parents in Newton told WBZ they support the cellphone restrictions. "I think it's a great idea," said one parent.
However, given the frequency of school shootings in the U.S. including one this week, some parents were concerned about a cellphone ban's impact on safety.
"There has not yet been a school shooting situation where a phone saved a child," Dr. Rich said. "Frankly, they are a distraction from what needs to happen which is listening to the teacher and getting safe."
Dr. Rich told WBZ the impact of phones distracting kids from learning in schools is imminent. "We don't have the time for legislators to get this right," he said. "Kids are growing up right now, and we need to think about them as parents, as educators and give them the best care possible right now, rather than arguing in the halls of Congress."