California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Tuesday that he wants to limit students' use of smartphones during the school day, citing mental health risks associated with social media, UNN reports citing AP.
Details
The announcement, first reported by Politico, comes a day after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms and their impact on young people. Newsom said he plans to build on a law he signed in 2019 that allows school districts to restrict or ban smartphone use by students while in school or under the supervision of a school employee.
"As the surgeon general has confirmed, social media is harming the mental health of our youth," the Democratic governor said in a statement. - "I look forward to working with the legislature to limit smartphone use during the school day. When children and teens are in school, they should be focused on learning, not on screens.
Newsom's office did not provide further information on the proposal. But the California School Boards Association has said that any rules on student smartphone use should be left to school districts, not the state.
"We support legislation that empowers school leaders to make local policy decisions that reflect the concerns of their community and what is needed to support their students," said Representative Troy Flint.
The Los Angeles Unified School District board on Tuesday voted to develop a policy that would prohibit students from using cell phones during the school day, with some exceptions. Board member Nick Melvoin, who worked as a teacher and regularly visited school campuses, said he was "struck" by how "students are glued to their cell phones, not unlike adults.
Addendum
Newsom's announcement comes amid a growing debate across the country about how to deal with the impact of social media and smartphone use, especially on young people. Some teens have vowed to stay away from social media to improve their mental health and help themselves focus on their studies and extracurricular activities.
In Florida, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis earlier this year signed one of the country's strictest bans on children's use of social media. Earlier this month, the New York State legislature passed a bill that would allow parents to block their children from receiving social media posts suggested by the platform's algorithm.