California Assembly Bill 3216 and Why More is Necessary to Create Real Change in Teen Phone Use
Kendall Lichtenstein
In September 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 3216, the Phone-Free School Act, which requires each school district and charter school to develop a policy limiting smartphone use at school. The deadline to adopt these policies is July 1, 2026.
This bill serves as a good first step to addressing excessive phone usage among teens, but more uniform, comprehensive legislation is necessary to create meaningful change. The goal should not be to eliminate phones altogether, but instead to help students develop healthy habits towards phone usage that will last beyond their years in school.
It is no secret that excessive phone use among teens is a big problem. Increased screen time has been shown to worsen teens' sleep quality and contribute to symptoms of depression and anxiety. Because of this, legislation that restructures and restricts phone usage is vital. Technology is only becoming a bigger part of our lives, making it even more important that schools focus on helping students create healthy habits surrounding their phone usage, instead of just outright banning phones.
Simply removing phones during the school day is not the key. Students need to learn how to interact with the world without constantly relying on a screen. Schools should use new legislation as a chance to encourage healthier habits and teach students that they can socialize, relax, and regulate their own emotions without just turning to a piece of plastic in their hand.
Additionally, for real change to occur, policies regarding phones in school should be more uniform throughout the state. It should not be left entirely to each district to determine how students can develop these habits. A clearer statewide approach would allow for there to be ample resources towards enacting a more all encompassing policy that helps students from all over.
With this bill set to take effect in just a few days, it is clear that California recognizes excessive screen time in teens as a dire issue. Now, it is vital that the state's government uses this new precedent to continue to improve the way students throughout the state view their phones, as lasting change will come not from banning phones, but from teaching students how to use them responsibly.
Image Credit: https://www.gisd.org/families/cell-phone-policy
Sources:
https://www.lockedinapp.co/resources/phone-free-school-laws-california