The Growing Concern Over Smartphone Use in Schools
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, as more schools consider banning smartphones in classrooms, a new study reveals just how much time teens spend texting, streaming, and scrolling during the school day. According to research from Seattle Children’s Research Institute, the average teen with a smartphone spends nearly 1.5 hours of a 6.5-hour school day on their device—time that could otherwise be used for learning.
Key Findings: How Much Are Teens Using Their Phones?
The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, tracked 117 teens ages 13 to 18 over two separate study periods in 2023. Researchers used a smartphone app to monitor their screen time and discovered:
- Teens spent an average of 1.5 hours per school day on their phones
- 1 in 4 teens used their phones for more than two hours during school
- Whole-day phone use averaged 5.6 hours
- The top five most-used apps included messaging, Instagram, video streaming, audio, and email
Why It Matters: Screen Time vs. Learning Time
Experts warn that excessive smartphone use isn’t just about tallying hours—it’s about what activities are being replaced. When students spend hours texting or scrolling social media, they are losing valuable learning time.
Additionally, researchers noted that their findings likely underestimate total screen time, as the study only tracked smartphone use—not tablets, laptops, or other digital distractions.
Smartphones and the Teen Mental Health Crisis
Many blame the pandemic for worsening the youth mental health crisis, but studies suggest that smartphones and social media are key contributors. Research has linked excessive screen time to increased rates of stress, anxiety, and depression in teenagers.
“Social media might make them stressed and depressed, but the hours they’re spending online keeps rising.”
What’s Next? The Push for Classroom Smartphone Bans
In response to these concerns, more schools are considering banning smartphones during school hours. Some districts have already implemented strict phone policies to help students focus on learning and reduce distractions.
With the growing body of research highlighting the negative impacts of excessive screen time, this study adds to the urgent conversation about how schools and parents should handle smartphone use among teens.
Final Thoughts
As smartphone use among teens continues to climb, schools, parents, and policymakers must consider how to balance technology use while ensuring students get the best possible education—without constant digital distractions.
What do you think? Should schools ban smartphones during class? Let us know in the comments!
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a lot of school systems are banning or looking at banning cell phones