As the new school semester gets underway, we’re once again greeted with a sense of anticipation and change—whether it’s new building renovations or fresh faces among the teaching staff. This year, Montgomery County students are encountering a new initiative aimed at reducing smartphone usage during school hours. The plan requires students to store their devices in lockers or other inaccessible places. Montgomery County joins a growing list of districts, including those in New York, Los Angeles, and Virginia, which have introduced similar measures in response to concerns raised by the U.S. Surgeon General about smartphone use.
Smartphones have transformed our lives over the past decade, becoming ubiquitous among all age groups. These devices offer a wealth of applications, from social networking, listening to music to educational resources. However, this widespread usage has also led to a rise in smartphone addiction, characterized by symptoms such as tolerance, withdrawal, loss of control, and a strong sense of dependency. This addiction can severely impact daily activities and responsibilities, sharing similarities with other behavioral addictions such as gambling or substance abuse.
The prevalence of smartphone addiction among adolescents is particularly alarming. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that approximately 90% of U.S. teenagers owned a smartphone in 2023, up from 60% in 2014-2015. A meta-analysis by Olson et al. (2022) revealed that around 25% of adolescents in the U.S. exhibit problematic smartphone use. This addiction has been linked to various negative outcomes, including mental stress, depression, anxiety, and impaired academic performance.
As a high school student, I’ve seen many peers struggling with smartphone addiction, exacerbated by increased screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic. While I support the MCPS policy to curb smartphone use in schools, there are several critical considerations that need to be addressed for its successful implementation:
Open communication and transparency: Policy changes can be polarizing. To navigate this, MCPS should establish open forums involving policymakers, students, parents, teachers and administrators. These forums should allow stakeholders to express their concerns, understand the rationale behind the policy, and provide feedback. Continuous dialogue will be crucial in refining the policy and addressing any issues that arise during implementation.
Balancing accessibility and restrictions: A blanket ban on smartphones may not account for situations where access is crucial, such as emergencies or health conditions. The policy should include provisions for students who need their devices for communication during emergencies or for managing health conditions, such as continuous glucose monitoring for diabetes. A more flexible approach that considers these special circumstances would be more effective.
Guidance over restriction: Simply banning smartphones may lead to unintended consequences, including resistance from students who might view the policy as punitive rather than supportive. Instead, schools should focus on guiding students towards healthier habits. For example, providing educational apps on tablets and offering alternative activities such as sports or music can help students manage their smartphone use more effectively. By replacing a bad habit with a positive one, schools can support students in overcoming smartphone addiction.
I believe by addressing these concerns, the MCPS policy has the potential to gain broader acceptance and ensure a smoother implementation process, benefiting students, teachers and parents alike.
Xin Ye Michelle Liu is a student at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac.
