NORFOLK, Va. — While cell phones have made some aspects of life easier, they are one of the most widely spread addictions, according to researchers, therapists and the National Institute of Health. Researchers have connected long hours on screens and using social media to mental health issues and poor academic performance. That's why there's been so much discussion on how to get kids to put phones down when at school.
With distraction-free classrooms in mind, Norfolk announced on Monday a "no cell from bell to bell" policy will go into effect in January, in line with the Virginia Department of Education's official guidance. VDOE released the guidance in response to Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Executive Order 33, which aims to combat the "alarming mental health crisis and chronic health conditions" from cell phones and social media.
The order calls for school divisions to have cell phone policies in place by the new year, and VDOE is allowing districts to decide some of the limits.
Watch: Norfolk Public Schools cell phone policy video (Credit NPS)
Norfolk is the latest district in Hampton Roads to ban cell phones. Virginia Beach implemented a cell phone ban in 2022, Chesapeake is in its second year, and Portsmouth made the switch this school year.
Virginia Beach also discussed its policy at this week's school board meeting. There, officials shared that the district saw a significant increase in cell phone violations this year, but they are trying to fine-tune the policy so it is clear, consistent, and helpful to students, staff, and parents.
As the districts try to balance distraction-free learning with parent-child communication, one topic that comes up again and again is how cell phone usage for safety and emergency purposes will be handled.
"It is a complicated dynamic," said Dr. Sarah Williams, a licensed psychotherapist.
Watch previous coverage: How do VDOE cell phone guidelines work in a school emergency?
Dr. Williams explained there's a few reasons why we see some parental anxieties.
"Parents definitely have valid concerns in terms of the safety and welfare once their child leaves home and enters the school building. There was a time when the neighborhood schoolhouse was one of the safest places, generally, where a child could go. Now, it's one of the areas where there are concerns," said Dr. Williams.
She said districts should make sure parents have other ways to check in with kids.
"Those are just areas that, perhaps at the administrative level, the school system can kind of tap into parents that have anxiety or separation anxiety about the child not having a cell phone," said Dr. Williams.
Watch previous coverage: No cell phones from 'bell to bell' in schools, VDOE says in final guidance
VDOE's guidance gives room for schools to allow cellphones during emergencies and highlights the importance of effective plans for communication during emergencies.
In the meantime, Dr. Williams said there's good reason to work towards healthier amounts of screen time.
"It interferes with the human experience, human development and child development," said Dr. Williams. "The rule of thumb is the cell phone should never be a replacement for human interaction. The less time we spend on technology and the more time we spend engaging enhances the child's relationships and the opportunity to develop emotional intelligence outside of technology. So if we can encourage parents to understand there's value in that distance... making sure children know how to communicate at the end of the school day, understanding what are safe relationships, how to identify an unsafe psychological space and creating, maybe, afternoon time just to address communication face-to-face without the use of a cell phone."
As kids head off to school with new cell phone polices in place, she says it's wise to watch out for some withdrawal symptoms too.
"I would suggest that parents keep an eye out for any other form of withdrawal symptoms that occur, like in any other addiction," said Dr. Williams. "If there's immediate implementation of this policy, you can expect the child to maybe have some additional issues at school that have not occurred before. Maybe they have some problems with communication, maybe appearing depressed, maybe the child has some more anxiety. And [the parent can] offer more communication and opportunities for the child to be able to express those concerns."
She also said if you feel your child's sleeping, eating or learning habits are impacted, you can always reach out to a licensed therapist.
