OPINION: Social media warnings, device bans, and parents’ teaching

There is some high-level talk taking place about social media and cell phones--particularly regarding young people and those attending school. 

First, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy stated on Monday, June 1 that Congress should put warning labels on social media platforms.  He did not talk about the details of how this might be done, but immediately most people thought about the warning labels that were put on cigarette packages.  Regardless of how the warning looks, the Surgeon General obviously thinks there is a problem.

Second, the Los Angeles Unified School District voted affirmatively on a resolution the next day in favor of an all-day, cell phone ban while on campus.  Nick Melvoin, School Board Member proposed the resolution saying that “devices distract students from learning, lead to anxiety and allow for cyberbullying.”  The School Board is thinking in the right direction.

The Board voted 5-2 to clear the way for leaders to create a policy on how to ban devices.  Regardless of how they go about implementing a ban, the School Board obviously thinks there is a problem.

Earlier this year, the California Assembly Bill 3216 was introduced and would require school districts to adopt a policy to limit or prohibit student use of smartphones while at school.  This Bill has the support of Governor Gavin Newsom.

The Surgeon General seems to be drawing attention to the fact that children and adolescents are keenly susceptible to damage.  His raising the issue means that this is seen by many as a public health crisis.

It is well-documented that social media is accompanied by health concerns.  You don’t have to look very far to find statistics about the harmful effects of social media.  In addition, smartphones can be extremely distracting.  How many of us have been in a conversation with someone who receives a text or phone call and immediately gives priority to his phone?  College campuses are full of students walking to and from classes and not looking at where they are going.  These students are moving like Zombies—staring at their phones while mindlessly walking.  In adulthood, too many meetings are attended by those giving priority to every ding and buzz of their phone over the one who is leading the meeting. As one person I know likes to say, we have a bunch of 35-year-old teenagers on our hands.

Before the local school board votes and before the Surgeon General makes a pronouncement, it is the parents who have excellent opportunities to be about teaching children proper phone use.  Parents are the primary teachers here.  Parents must teach their children to give others their undivided attention.  We must help them see that the living, breathing, human being in front of them takes precedence over the incoming text in the palm of their hand.  None of this “Hold on…Let me get this” stuff.

Some parents are concerned and think that such a ban will hinder their ability to always be in contact with their children.  How to ensure the capability of parental contact, especially in emergency situations, must be addressed.  For my wife and me, we are fine not having the capability to be in constant contact with our boys, but when it comes to their time in school, we do want to be able to call the office and get in touch with our kids.  Likewise, if our children need to get in touch with us during school, we want them to be able to go to the office and call.

We do not want our kids using cell phones during school.  Cell phones distract students from the educational environment.  All kids should have good experiences at good schools, and cell phone use does not contribute to this. 

We want our kids to be fully present at school—singularly focused, completely invested, and totally dedicated to the transformative educational experience.    We want them to love the true, the good, and the beautiful.  And those things are not found in a device.  They are found in books and in rich relationships with teachers and classmates.

Todd E. Brady serves as Staff Chaplain and Advanced Funeral Planner at Arrington Funeral Directors. He and his wife, Amy have five sons. You may write to him at tbrady@afgemail.net.