Cellphones in Schools: A Crisis or a Connection?
SAFELab Director Desmond Upton Patton provides insight into school cellphone bans and digital wellness for youth.
Whether students should or should not have cellphones in school has been a hot topic in the U.S. of late. Many educators and parents worry about how cellphone use can affect focus and mental health, with the potential to incite violence in school halls, but, at the same time, they want students to have a phone available in case of emergency.
Annenberg Professor Desmond Upton Patton studies how youth navigate the internet, including how they use cellphones to interact with their peers, express themselves and process grief, joy and loss online through his research center, SAFELab.
Q: Why do you think school districts in Pennsylvania and beyond are cracking down on cellphone use?
We are living in a moment where schools are struggling to figure out how to support young people in a digital world that moves faster than policy, research and practice. Cellphones are a powerful tool; they connect, entertain, educate and create, but they also distract, expose and harm. Schools are responding to real concerns: students distracted in class, the spread of violence and harmful content online, and the impact of social media on mental health. But banning phones outright isn’t a solution; it’s a reaction. If we want to address the real issues, we need to focus on education, support and responsible digital citizenship rather than just restriction.
Q: What should parents and their community be doing to prevent the negative impacts of cellphone use?
Parents and communities need to be in active conversation with young people, not just about what they do on their phones, but how it makes them feel. We can’t just police, we have to listen. When a young person is engaging with harmful content, we need to ask: What is drawing them to it? What need is it fulfilling? That’s where intervention happens. Parents should be co-learning, exploring digital spaces alongside their kids, modeling healthy engagement, and setting boundaries that aren’t just about control but about care. Schools, churches, community centers — these spaces need to be places where young people can talk openly about their digital lives without fear of punishment.
Q: How can cellphones be used positively?
Cellphones are an extension of young people’s identities, creativity and connection to the world. Instead of seeing them as distractions, we should ask: How can we harness their power for good? Young people are using their phones to build community, express themselves, document their lives and even organize for social change. They can be tools for mental health support, with access to wellness apps and peer support groups. They can be a gateway to learning — whether that’s through YouTube tutorials, educational apps or digital storytelling. If we center intentionality, cellphones can be used to uplift, rather than harm.
Q: What are some guidelines for creating healthier, safer social media platforms?
- Built-in digital well-being tools: Platforms should have easy-to-use tools that help users track their engagement, set limits and take breaks.
- Better content moderation with cultural nuance: AI and human moderators must be trained to recognize the complexities of language, culture and context, especially when it comes to Black and brown youth.
- Fostering joy and community: Platforms should elevate content that promotes well-being, creativity and connection — not just what drives clicks and controversy.
- Real-time intervention for harm: When someone is engaging in harmful behavior online, there need to be real-time interventions, whether through community support or direct outreach from mental health professionals.
- Youth-centered design: Young people need a seat at the table when these platforms are built. We should be designing with them, not just for them.
