"In thinking of benefits and drawbacks, are we — by allowing them — causing more harm than good?" Superintendent Kevin Smith said during the Board of Education's meeting on Thursday, May 23.
Like some other districts in the state, Wilton is considering the possibility of prohibiting student use of personal smart devices in schools. After discussing the idea Thursday, the town's school board agreed to form a committee to explore it.
"I feel like every time I turn a corner or open my computer, there's a new article or new something that's raising the flag and asking questions about whether or not cellphones in schools should be banned," said Smith. He cited findings by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt that attribute a dramatic increase in mental health issues among young people with the emergence of social media in the 2010s.
"He pointed out that it's the same timeframe when teen mental health begins to take a real dip," Smith said. He noted that according to Haidt, the advent of "social media as a phenomenon" led to replacing a "play-based childhood" with a "phone-based childhood."
The concept of phone-free schools has been "a very robust conversation" among communities in Wilton's state district reference group, Smith said before asking school board members their thoughts on restricting the devices in Wilton schools.
"I think it's something that we should more than seriously consider," school board Chair Ruth DeLuca said, adding that she believes student access to smartphones in schools does more harm than good.
"My personal leaning is that the benefits do not outweigh the cost," she said. "I'm overwhelmed by the literature that shows how distracted your mind is ... even just the presence of (a phone). You're wondering if something has come up or some text has come in or something has been posted, and that just cuts your concentration."
Andrea Leonardi, the district's assistant superintendent for special services, said community cooperation would be important if a restriction is placed on student cellphone use.
"Part of what would need to be understood is how we as a community are going to help manage our district," she said. "Parents are texting their kids all day long and they're not going to like that they can't (do that)."
Leonardi said she's not against banning devices during the school day, though.
"It doesn't mean that it's not the right thing to do," she said. "We can get over the hump, but the hump of that discomfort is going to be real."
Leonardi likened a device ban to when smoking was banned in schools.
"There's always going to be a challenge," she said. "There was a teachers lounge with smoke billowing out when I went to school. ... And then we said cigarettes are not allowed in school and it was big thing for a minute but then it (blew over)."
Smith said he will come back to the Board of Education in about two weeks with a proposal regarding the formation of a committee to discuss the idea of restricting devices in schools.
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