California governor Gavin Newsom said about it issued a statement in support of efforts to limit smartphone use in schools across the state. whom The New York Times The governor announced his stance hours before board members in the Los Angeles Unified School District passed a proposal to ban school phones, according to reports. Newsom said this summer he will work with lawmakers to “restrict smartphone use during the school day” because kids and teens “need to focus on their studies, not their screens.”
The governor also referred to and agreed with the op-ed published by the US Surgeon General The Timeswhere social media platforms should be required, he said display warning labels removed from office because it could significantly harm the mental health of teenagers. Vivek Murthy explained in his op-ed that “A label calling for action in Congress will remind parents and teens that social media has not been proven to be safe.”
Newsom said the rules he is developing will build on a directive he signed in 2019 that allows (but does not require) regions to adopt phone bans. If California passes a law banning phone use during school hours, Florida and Indiana will join the list of states with similar legislation. Florida schools are required to prevent students from using their phones during class, and some districts even require students to ban phone use until it’s time to go home. Other states are ready to follow suit. New York City designated social media Governor Kathy Hochul as a public health threat earlier this year said before said it would implement phone restrictions for schools in New York state next year.
LA board members ultimately passed the phone ban proposal, but two members voted against it. Someone said The Times he voted no because teachers are already struggling to enforce existing restrictions in schools. Perhaps more importantly, he said parents should be able to contact their children during emergencies such as school shootings, echoing the concerns of parents who have opposed phone bans in the past.
