After years of debate among schools, parents, and students over whether smartphones should be banned from classrooms, the Globe's Big Idea columnist Kara Miller has come to a conclusion: Phones are bad for students, and taking them away is the only solution.
Here’s why:
Diminishing attention spans in the classroom. Research has shown that with the rollout of 3G around the world, bringing internet access to cell phones, test scores dropped pretty universally. The decline equated to losing a quarter of a year of school.
Declines in work productivity. On average, we check our emails 77 times a day, and compulsively read texts, comments on Facebook, or replies to a post on X. “We want to know who needs us, who likes us, who is saying bad things about us,” Kara writes. And that erodes our ability to concentrate, especially if we are working on something that involves deep thinking, such as complicated presentations, research, coding.
Poor quality sleep. Kids who use electronic devices like smartphones in the hour-and-a-half before bedtime get lower-quality sleep and are more lethargic the next day, studies show – not a good recipe for learning.
Emotional damage. A range of research from around the world has linked high use of cellphones to “digital stress, low self-esteem, worries and angers, loneliness, anxiety, depression, and mood disorders.” Bullying also comes into play, as kids make cruel TikToks or ridicule unpopular students in group chats.
A ban can be a tough sell to parents, who like the idea of being able to reach their kids, even if only to tell them they’ll be late picking them up. And with a rise in school shootings in the US, some want their children to be able to call to let their parents know they are all right.
Several countries have banned smartphones in schools or are testing the idea. A recent study out of Norway of 400 middle schools that had banned smartphones showed positive results, including decreased bullying and improved academic performance among girls.
The US has been late to the party. Florida, Indiana, and South Carolina have instituted bans, while the governors of California and New York are pushing for them. In Massachusetts, a growing number of communities are restricting electronic devices, including Ipswich, Lowell, Brockton, Methuen, Fall River, Sandwich, and Pioneer Valley Regional. Governor Maura Healey has not called for a cell phone prohibition in schools. But Kara writes, “She should.”
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POINTS OF INTEREST
Elizabeth Kenny's long COVID symptoms improved with treatment, but she still tires by the end of the day. SUZANNE KREITER/GLOBE STAFF
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SOUTH KOREA The country is grappling with a deluge of non-consensual, explicitly sexual deep-fake videos and images that have ruined women’s lives and deepened the gender divide. Parliament is finally cracking down. (Associated Press)
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ELECTION INSIGHTS | 31 days until the presidential election
Local election clerks in Massachusetts are preparing for a daunting election ahead — and facing a deluge of threats, interference, misinformation, and burdensome requests.
“Elections aren’t what they used to be,” Elizabeth Turner Greendale, a clerk in Holliston and president of the state’s town clerks association, told my colleague Samantha Gross. Clerks “are retiring sooner than intended because they wanted to avoid the presidential election cycle.”
Massachusetts isn’t alone. Nationwide, nearly 40 percent of local election officials left their post between 2018 and 2022, according to a recent study. For those who remain, the threats and problems started early in this election year:
Phishing: In September, election workers received an email that looked like it was from a reputable national organization that helps ensure voting integrity. The message asked the clerks to fill out a survey, which included their personal cell phone numbers and home addresses. Experts say this information could be used to target election officials during or after the Nov. 5 election.
Conspiracy-fueled requests: There has also been a coordinated effort to bombard clerks with public information requests for troves of data related to the 2020 election such as voting machine tapes and serial numbers, copies of digital ballots, and file names. One guy even pressured a clerk to register his child to vote so that he could claim a voter fraud conspiracy.
Suspicious packages: In September, the FBI and Post Office intercepted suspicious packages sent to election divisions in at least eight states — including Massachusetts. Some of the letters contained an unknown substance, but the FBI would not comment on the investigation.
Visiting the sea lions outside of the New England Aquarium is the perfect little side quest to brighten up your day. If you’re in the area — swing by. If you work downtown or live nearby, take a quick detour. It’s a great, free way to break up the day.
This online business by Duly Lee is dishing some of the best, creamiest Basque cheesecakes: A gooey middle. Its buttery, salty base. The caramelized top. Plan ahead, because you have to pre-order the cake, then pick it up on a “drop” date/location in Cambridge.
Rating: Bagged 9/10 (💰)
HEADLINES IN THE CLOUDS
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