(The Center Square) — A “bell-to-bell” cell phone ban in New Hampshire schools has the backing of Gov. Kelly Ayotte and a majority of lawmakers on board.
The trouble is that no one can agree on who should enforce the proposed regulations: the state or local school boards.
Ayotte, who supports the House’s state-run proposal, wants a compromise ahead of the proposal’s Thursday deadline. A legislative “conference committee” met to hammer out differences between the competing bills on Tuesday, but abruptly recessed without acting.
Now, with less than one day until the Legislature’s deadline for signing off on any Committee of Conference reports, Ayotte is prodding lawmakers to send a final bill to her desk to help the first-term Republican fulfill a key campaign pledge. She said the restrictions are desperately needed to address youth mental health issues and curb teens’ use of social media.
“Screens are negatively impacting our learning environments and making it harder for teachers to do their jobs,” Ayotte said in a statement, urging legislative leaders to reach consensus on the bill. “When students park their phones for the day, they focus on learning and build stronger relationships with their peers, and teachers don’t have to worry about policing cell phone use.”
The Ayotte administration touted support for the measure from Dr. Jonathan Haidt, author of “The Anxious Generation”, who said studies have shown that excessive screen time is associated with increased rates of anxiety, depression and sleep deprivation among children and teens. He too is urging lawmakers to take action on a final bill.
“Social media is designed to steal the attention of kids and teens who are at pivotal stages of their mental development,” Haidt said in a statement. “The one place where we can truly safeguard their developing minds is schools.”
Social media companies are increasingly being blamed for the rising rates of depression, suicidality and other mental health issues among youth nationally. In response, states and local governments are increasingly considering legislation and legal action to crack down on social media use.
A 2023 Gallup study found at least 51% of American teenagers were using social media apps at least four hours a day.
If approved, New Hampshire would join a dozen states — including New York, California and Florida — that have banned or restricted cellphones in schools, part of broader efforts to remove classroom distractions for students as concerns about their mental health mount.
Another 11 states, including Maryland and Alabama, have introduced bills targeting restrictions as of December, according to the health policy research group KFF. Alabama’s proposed legislation suggests fining students for violating the policy, the group said.
A recent University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll found 69% support for requiring New Hampshire school districts ban cell phones, with 57% of Democrats and 78% of Republicans favoring a ban.
“New Hampshire’s policy mandating bell-to-bell device separation will help bring conversation and laughter back to the hallways of schools across the state.” Haidt said. “New Hampshire has an opportunity to give their kids a real-life childhood.”
