As of August 2025, 22 states and Washington, D.C. have enacted laws or policies banning or restricting cell phone use in K-12 schools. One survey found 72% of high school teachers cite cell phones as a major problem in their classrooms. My county school board has joined in and banned cell phones during class hours for elementary and junior high; a high-school ban is coming. Educators feel that removing cell-phone use during class hours will help maintain student focus, improve learning, and foster better mental health.
The focus on cell phones in school reflects a concern among adults not only of academic achievement, but also about social-media effects on emotional and social development throughout adolescence. Consider, for instance, Maslow’s influential hierarchy of needs, a motivational theory in psychology that categorizes human needs into five levels: Biological needs for food, water, shelter, warmth, and sleep; Safety needs for security, stability, and protection; Belonginess needs for love, and connections with others through live personal interactions; Esteem needs for self-esteem, and respect from others; Self-Actualization needs for self-fulfillment and personal satisfaction. During adolescence, belongingness needs are prominent. I think we can safely say that if Maslow were forming his theory today, he would substitute neither wi-fi connections nor number of virtual friends for hands-on, live interpersonal social interactions.
Adolescence involves increasing social interactions with peers, entering romantic relationships, and assuming more adult actions in the family. These changes require open communication, and experiencing and interpreting face-to-face emotional expression that will help the adolescent acquire social and conflict-resolution skills, and satisfying relationships. No cell phone can meet those requirements. Restricting their use in school is a good idea.
Psychology and Stress 