Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order to establish a “cell phone-free” education in Virginia’s public schools.
The order aims to create a healthier and more focused educational environment by limiting the exposure to addictive cell phones and social media and eliminating distractions in the classroom.
The big picture: The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) will conduct a public engagement effort with parents, students, teachers, and local school leaders to establish age-appropriate restrictions or elimination of cell phone use during instructional time.
- Recent studies indicate that spending more than three hours a day on social media doubles the risk of poor mental health for adolescents, and there has been a significant increase in the rate of suicide among children.
- The executive order is complemented by the Surgeon General of the United States’ advisory to put a warning label on social media apps, aiming to address the harmful effects of excessive screen time on children’s physical and mental health.
