California Bans The Use Of Cellphones In Schools To Prevent Negative Impacts On Student Mental Health

California Governor Gavin Newsom (photo: x @nytimes)

JAKARTA The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, signed a law on Monday, September 23 requiring schools to limit or ban the use of smartphones in the school environment. This step was taken in line with the growing consensus that excessive use of cell phones could increase the risk of mental illness and disrupt the learning process.

A total of 13 other states this year have also banned or restricted the use of mobile phones in schools or recommended local educators to take similar steps, after Florida spearheaded the policy by banning classroom phones by 2023, according to a report from Education Week.

California, which has nearly 5.9 million students in public schools, is following in the footsteps of Los Angeles Regency. The district education board has banned the use of phones for its 429,000 students since June.

In the same month, US General Surgeon Vivek Murthy called for social media platforms to be labeled as alerts, similar to those in cigarette packaging, by linking this issue to a mental health emergency. Murthy cites a study in a JAMA medical journal showing that teens spending more than three hours per day on social media are at higher risk of mental disorders, while a survey from Gallup shows that the average teenager spends 4.8 hours per day on social media.

The bill, which was passed with a vote of 76-0 in the state assembly and 38-1 in the senate, requires the school council or related government agencies to develop policies that limit or prohibit the use of cell phones by students on school campuses, no later than July 1, 2026. This policy must also be updated every five years.

"We know that excessive use of mobile phones increases anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems, but we have the power to intervene. This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world around them, not on the phone screen, while they are at school," Newsom said in a statement.