Now streaming on Netflix, the series Adolescence offers a thought-provoking look at the modern teenage experience. While the narrative centers on a boy named Jamie, the show masterfully shines a light on the influences and pressures adolescent boys manage in today’s online world. As I watched, one observation was undeniable: the teens spent so much time on their phones.
Curious about how much time different age groups are spending on their phones? Take this quick, 3-question quiz!
Extensive research already paints a picture of what excessive phone use is doing to our brains, our bodies, and our abilities. Social media triggers our serotonin receptors, essentially telling our brains, “Come back—look more—this is fun!” In fact, phones are so intentionally addictive they’ve been dubbed the “modern-day hypodermic needle.” (I know, ick.) The significant difference, though, is that while injecting drugs is typically a secretive act, we openly indulge our phone addiction everywhere we go. This addiction is one of the reasons why asking students to put their phones away and implementing effective phone use policies is a complex challenge.
Phone Use Policies in Schools
Educators, administrators, and families are struggling with not only creating, but also enforcing, effective phone use policies. Parental pushback, along with the reality that teachers find themselves monitoring phones–stealing time away from instruction–add to the mix. As of March 2025, over half of all states have implemented some form of phone ban, as illustrated below:
“Take Cellphones Out of the Classroom Educators Say,” by Tim Walker, emphasizes 3 main issues: First, cellphone bans are multiplying, instigated by mounting evidence that they impact students’ ability to focus and their mental health. Secondly, many policies are inconsistent and difficult to enforce. And finally, educators are advocating for clearer policies allowing them to spend more time teaching and less time patrolling.
“Smartphone use at schools is fairly widespread, and it varies based on school rules, teacher and staff enforcement, and student compliance. During school hours (Monday through Friday, 8 to 3, excluding holidays), 97% of participants used their phones, for a median of 43 minutes (ranging from less than one minute to six and a half hours).”
— Constant Companion: A Week in the Life of a Young Person’s Cellphone Use. Common Sense Media.
“For my school, we do have a phone policy and we’re not technically allowed to have it out during class, but a lot of people do in spite of that. And definitely, I think if you track kids at my school, their phone usage, you would definitely see them checking their phones, and then checking Snapchat during class.”
—10th Grader
Constant Companion: A Week in the Life of a Young Person’s Cellphone Use. Common Sense Media. (p 5).
“It’s kind of up to teacher discretion. So at the beginning of the year, they said it’s not allowed, but it’s really up to each teacher whether they allow it in the room or not. A lot of them do.”
— 11th Grader
The Restorative Justice Playbook. Fisher, D., Frey, N., and Smith, D. (p 7).
Banning Cell Phones is Complicated
Designing and executing effective school cellphone policies has a lot of moving parts. Like most things we work to figure out, there are both positives and negatives. Remember sippy-cups? We had clean carpets, and years later, a generation of kids in need of speech therapy. So, what are the real pros and cons of cellphone bans in schools?
Pros:
- Fewer distractions for students
- Less phone policing for teachers
- Access to information and learning applications
- Opportunities for collaboration
- Virtual studying and study groups
- Enhanced communication and connection with classmates, teachers, and families
- Improving technology skills
- Learning responsible online behavior
Cons:
- Family distress about the ability to reach their children
- Loss of face-to-face, human connections
- Less time interacting with nature and enjoying the outdoors
- Health concerns stemming from increased sedentary activities
- Equity and accessibility—students may only have internet access at school
- Negative impact on test scores and long-term learning retention
- Relationship between off-task use and achievement
Dylan Lukes, from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, shares his research in “Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Cellphones in Schools.” The most frequently voiced concern? Families’ ability to reach their children. Many policies wisely adjust for this by permitting phone use during transition times, like between classes or at lunch. Additionally, schools are committed to clearly and effectively communicating with parents and families in the event of an emergency.
Continuous connection has, indeed, been shown to increase anxiety and prevent our brains from truly disengaging. As one researcher said, “That’s not a red flag—that’s a siren!”
As we continue to study the effects, the debate surrounding cell phones in schools is far from over. From academic performance to mental well-being, how these (always present) devices impact our youth–and honestly, all of us–is becoming more and more evident. As we move forward, promoting a balanced approach that prioritizes learning, encourages relationships, and safeguards mental health will be key. It’s about empowering students to navigate the digital world responsibly, not just banning devices.
What steps will you take to find that essential balance?
Want more support navigating student phone use? Take a deeper dive with Course 5348: An Educator’s Guide to Navigating Cell Phone Use in School and unpack both sides of the smartphone-in-schools debate. You’ll explore real-world policies, design your own classroom plan, and create digital citizenship lessons that put phone use in context.
About the Author
Susanne Leslie is a Professional Learning Specialist at Teaching Channel. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and a Master’s in Education. As a former parent educator, Susanne’s specialty is Culture, Wellness, and Early Childhood instruction. In her current role, she writes courses and content, and is an enthusiastic advocate for play and time outdoors as the best teaching tools.
Fun Fact: Susanne has jumped out of two (perfectly good) airplanes!
Resources:
Amy, J. (2025, March 24). More states move to ban cell phones in school: Georgia is the latest to act. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/cellphones-phones-school-ban-states-c6a54feb9d2661e04989b7cdd5b2821b
Chen, S., et al. (2023). Neurobiological risk factors for problematic social media use as a specific form of Internet addiction: A narrative review. World Journal of Psychiatry, 13(5), 160–175. https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v13.i5.160
Common Sense Media. (2023). Constant companion: A week in the life of a young person’s smartphone use. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/2023-cs-smartphone-research-report_final-for-web.pdf
Digital Wellness Lab. (n.d.). What the science says: Smartphones in schools. Retrieved May 28, 2025, from https://digitalwellnesslab.org/articles/what-the-science-says-smartphones-in-schools/
Engle, J. (2023, November 7). Should schools ban cellphones? The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/07/learning/should-schools-ban-cellphones.html
Haidt, J. (2023). Anxious generation: How the great rewiring of childhood and adolescence is causing an epidemic of mental illness. Avery.
Leslie, S. (2019). FOMO to JOMO: Anxiety series part one. Teaching Channel. Retrieved May 22, 2025, from https://www.teachingchannel.com/k12-hub/blog/fomo-to-jomo-anxiety-series-part-one/
Leslie, S. (2024). A closer look at The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. https://www.teachingchannel.com/k12-hub/video-blog/a-closer-look-at-the-anxious-generation-by-jonathan-haidt/
MNT. (2025, March 24). Adolescence [Television series review]. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/arts/television/adolescence-netflix-smartphones.html
OSF Healthcare. (n.d.). Kids’ screen time: How much is too much? Retrieved May 26, 2025, from https://www.osfhealthcare.org/blog/kids-screen-time-how-much-is-too-much/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2024, May). Screen media use among adolescents aged 12–17 years: United States, 2021 (NCHS Data Brief No. 513). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db513.htm
Sky News. (2025, March 24). ‘Andrew Tate phenomena’ surges in schools – with some boys refusing to talk to female teachers [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSJTVkvfTps
