Los Angeles Board of Education bans use of phones, social media platforms during school day

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) board has approved a ban on cellphone and social media use for over 429,000 students during the school day, USA TODAY reported yesterday.

This decision, passed with a 5-2 vote, mandates the creation of a policy within 120 days to enforce the ban, which will take effect district-wide by January.

The aim is to reduce classroom distractions and address student mental health concerns, following a Pew Research Center survey from fall 2023, which found that one-third of U.S. K-12 teachers see phone distractions as a major issue in their classrooms.

The ban has sparked varied reactions from school administrators, parents, and students, who have raised issues regarding student safety, communication, and policy enforcement, according to The Los Angeles Times.