New Jersey students could soon face a ‘bell-to-bell’ cell phone ban in schools

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A report issued by a New Jersey panel that was created to study how social media affects teenagers is recommending a “bell-to-bell” ban on cell phones in schools.

The New Jersey Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents report calls for local school districts to have the authority to approve the bans, which would include students’ time spent on school buses, during school-sanctioned events, lunch breaks and between classes.

The commission included students, parents, education officials and mental health and policy experts.

The report supports legislative efforts to regulate online student activity, including a measure sponsored by South Jersey Assemblyman Cody Miller, D-Gloucester.

For cell phone bans, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’

Miller said his legislation directs the state Department of Education to establish policies and guidelines for controlling cell phone and social media use during instructional time.

“It gives school districts the flexibility to determine which policies work best for them to limit cell phone use within the classroom,” he said.

Miller said the bill also stipulates that if students have documented medical conditions where they need access to their cell phones, they will have that access.

Anxiety, depression and other possible dangers of student cell phone use

Stephanie Marcello, chief psychologist for Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, said studies show that social media can harm the social-emotional health and well-being of children between the ages of 10 and 19.

“Social media use, particularly in those age groups, increases things like anxiety and depression and even loneliness and suicide,” she said.

Marcello noted social media exposure can also cause issues with academic learning, attention spans and the ability to interact with others.

“Learning how to connect with people,” she said. “How to deal with things right there, being aware of what’s going on around you and not just having your head down in a phone.”

Miller said limiting access to cell phones and other internet devices during school hours is a matter of common sense.

“We hear from educators all the time that they have a really difficult time managing behaviors within the classroom because students have access to their cell phones,” he said.

Studies show the vast majority of students visit social media sites every day, and a substantial number of teens, almost 50%, report being online almost constantly.

Marcello said the impact of social media on children depends on the specific sites they visit, how much time they spend online, what parental controls are in place and other factors, including pre-existing challenges and their strengths and vulnerabilities.

Digital citizenship, media literacy and other policy recommendations

The report also suggests that school districts focus on efforts to provide students with instruction on digital citizenship and media literacy.

Other recommendations from the report include:

• Parents should delay their child’s access to social media, and when it is granted, parents should monitor their child’s use of social media and set clear usage boundaries.

• Social media companies should restrict access to social media platforms for users younger than 16 and provide tools for parents to better navigate social media use with their children.

•  Social media companies should develop and improve resources to prevent cyberbullying, discrimination and child exploitation.

Health care providers should screen adolescents for signs of “problematic social media use” to identify potential risks and provide early intervention

Commission co-chairs Pearl Gabel and Charles Gelinas called the report a roadmap for action.

“Social media has rewired childhood, and the stakes could not be higher,” Gabel and Gelinas said in a statement. “New Jersey has the opportunity to lead the nation and prove that when it comes to our children, safety and well-being come first.”

New Jersey Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer said the commission was comprised of an impressive panel of state and national experts. “Building off of this work, we must continue to review new research in light of the recommendations presented to address the pressing issue of health and academic impacts of social media use on our students,” he said.

During his State of the State address in January, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy voiced support for a cell phone ban in schools, saying cell phones made it difficult for kids to retain the substance of what they learn.

Miller said his bill has bipartisan support, and he expects the legislation to be posted for a vote in the coming weeks.

The New Jersey state Senate passed an identical version of the measure at the beginning of this year.