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SALT LAKE CITY — A new proposal from Utah Sen. Mitt Romney aims to encourage schools across the country to prohibit the use of smartphones during class hours, with the goal of boosting learning outcomes and reducing negative mental health impacts.
The Smart Kids Not Smartphones Act, which the Republican is co-sponsoring along with Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, would create a "nonmonetary award" given by the U.S. Department of Education to recognize schools and districts that adopt phone-free policies. The bill directs the education secretary to maintain an annual public list of schools that meet the requirement and tells federal agencies to provide guidance on policies and enforcement for schools to follow.
"There is no question that smartphones are a major distraction to students in the classroom," Romney said Thursday. "They also contribute to deteriorating mental health, social isolation, and cyberbullying among our youth. Our bill would encourage schools to institute policies which would prohibit the use of smartphones during class time, while still allowing for reasonable exceptions for emergencies, educational activities, and students with exceptional needs."
Romney's office cited a 2023 Common Sense Media study that found that 97% of 11- to 17-year-olds in the study used their phones during school hours, for a median of 43 minutes.
"For my school, we do have a phone policy and we're not technically allowed to have it out during class, but a lot of people do in spite of that," one 10th grader told researchers. "And definitely, I think if you track kids at my school, their phone usage, you would definitely see them checking their phones, and then checking Snapchat during class."
Another high school student told researchers "a lot" of teachers at their school allow phones in the classroom.
"Smartphones in the classroom are a massive distraction from learning and socializing with other students, and feed into our kids' addiction to technology," said Murphy, who serves on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, alongside Romney. "There are plenty of schools, including in Connecticut, that have seen improved student mental health and academic outcomes after implementing policies that limit phones in the classroom."
"This simply bipartisan bill would recognize schools that implement smartphone bans during instructional time as well as provide transparency and give students and parents the opportunity to share input on those policies," he added.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in December approved a pair of amendments to the Advancing Research in Education Act sponsored by Romney that direct federal agencies to gather data on smartphone use by students.
Romney isn't the only Utah politician focused on children and smartphones. Gov. Spencer Cox asked public schools around the state to implement smartphone bans in January. The governor has also pushed lawmakers to enact regulations on social media companies aimed at improving youth mental health.
