Newburgh, New York — Students at Newburgh Free Academy in New York are praising the school’s decision to lock away cellphones for the entire school day, including lunch, citing improvements in their mental well-being. This move follows a surge in screen time among adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown, as reported in a study last year by the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics.
Tyson Hill and Monique May, students at the academy, express relief after the constant phone use that marked the pandemic. May attributes her mental health struggles directly to phone and social media use during that period, emphasizing its detrimental impact.
“My darkest moments are because of my phone,” says Tyson Hill, echoing the sentiments of many students grappling with increased screen time.
A study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that 57% of high school girls in the U.S. felt persistently sad or hopeless during the pandemic, a rate double that of boys. Monique May discloses instances of feeling bullied or isolated after engaging with social media.
“In my middle school experience, people would talk about you on Snapchat, post stories making fun of your appearance,” May shared. “It made me feel depressed.”
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who issued an advisory on the effects of social media on youth mental health in May, labels the youth mental health crisis as the defining public health issue of our time. Expressing concern about losing a generation to depression, anxiety, and suicide, Murthy contemplates advocating for “restrictions” on smartphone use during school hours.
“We should have restrictions on phones in the school setting,” Murthy stated. “These devices, particularly social media, behave largely as addictive elements.”
Ebony Clark, assistant principal at Newburgh Free Academy, supports the ban on phones, noting a reduction in online bullying. Clark emphasizes that the policy allows students to focus on their education without the distractions of drama.
“All I’m doing is giving them the opportunity to engage in school and leave the drama outside these doors,” Clark stated.
Monique May attests to positive changes in her mental health due to the cellphone restrictions at Newburgh. “I’m more confident in who I am,” she said, attributing her newfound confidence to the ability to focus on herself without worrying about external opinions.
As the debate on the impact of smartphones on youth mental health continues, Newburgh Free Academy’s cellphone ban emerges as a potential solution gaining attention for its perceived positive effects.
