SFCxUS Invited to Speak About Phones in Schools at Yale Education Leadership Conference
SFCxUS was invited to participate in the Yale Education Leadership Conference several weeks ago on a panel entitled "Technology in Schools: Should Cell Phones Stay or Go?" Leadership Council member Emily Boddy, who is also the founder of Reconnect Western MA, represented us, speaking powerfully about the academic and social benefits available to students at bell-to-bell phone-free schools. Additionally, a high school principal on the panel described the profound, positive shift in culture since his school implemented a bell-to-bell policy just 45 days ago, including more laughter and conversation among students in the hallways and lunchroom.
Two arguments that were made against phone-free school policies were: 1) students need to be educated on how to use phones properly, which can’t happen if phones are banned; and 2) we need more data to understand the real risks and harms, as well as benefits, of phones before outright bans take hold. In response, Emily suggested that it is a both/and situation: we can BOTH remove the phones—which at the very least are a major distraction from learning—AND provide education to parents, teachers, and students. When schools are phone-free for the entire day, she explained, students are freed from constant dopamine-fueled distraction to cultivate their attention spans and executive functioning skills. These are the very skills they will need to better manage their phones if/when they have them. The discussion at Yale was an example of how different perspectives can be offered through respectful dialogue.
As Emily noted on the panel, SFCxUS offers programming to support families, schools, and communities in evidence-based best practices like delaying phone and social media use and giving kids more independence and responsibility in the real world. We also offer digital safety resources that are free from consumer-tech influence or funding. Huge thanks to Emily for representing our movement at Yale!
