YORK, Pa. — As the back-to-school season approaches, there has been growing discussion around potential changes to cell phone policies in schools.
This conversation has been fueled by Senator Ryan Aument's efforts to provide cellphone lock pouches to school districts across Pennsylvania, made possible through the state budget's inclusion of a Pennsylvania School Mental Health and Safety Grant.
FOX43 reached out to 16 schools in the area to inquire about their plans to utilize the grant funding to procure and implement lockable pouches for cell phones. Thus far, no school has confirmed that they will be implementing the use of cellphone lock bags.
The Bermudian School District, Conewago Valley School District, Ephrata Area School District, Gettysburg Area School District, Central Dauphin School District, and Halifax Area School District have indicated that they will not be pursuing this initiative.
“The District will not be applying for the grant at this point in time. We currently have a strict no cell phone use policy in place throughout the district,” said Tyler James, the superintendent for Halifax Area School District. “This was implemented last year and we want to continue to monitor adherence and enforcement.”
Meanwhile, the Eastern Lancaster County School District and Lebanon School District have stated that they remain undecided.
“We have not yet made a decision on the options in the PCCD grant. Most of our admin team is working with our staff today as part of our new teacher induction program so we won’t be able to help before your deadline,” said Michael Snopkowski, the superintendent of Eastern Lancaster County School District.
When asked when they would make a decision, FOX43 never heard back.
The discussion on this matter has also sparked broader conversations about the impact of screen time and social media on students' developmental growth. Melissa Brown, a psychologist and clinical manager at UPMC, said there are concerns about the negative effects of excessive screen time and social media use on the mental well-being of children and teenagers.
“As our screentime [increases]-- social media, video games, etc, we see this negative decrease in our cognitive decrease in our cognitive function, our social and emotional wellbeing, as well as just our mental health issues which is anxiety, depression and our physical health,” said Brown.
Brown also emphasized that these negative effects extend to physical, cognitive, and mental health, stressing the importance of parents monitoring the content their children consume and the duration of their social media usage.
While the potential implementation of cellphone lock pouches remains uncertain, it is evident that the impact of social media and screen time on students' well-being is a topic that requires careful consideration and discussion.
Senator Aument's advocacy for the bill reflects a response to the escalating trend of cell phone and social media usage and its connection to mental health issues among students.
The grant, administered through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, has been earmarked for various purposes, with some districts, such as the Williams Valley School District, indicating that they intend to allocate the funds for safety and security personnel.