Los Angeles has joined a growing list of United States school districts, states and cities restricting the use of smartphones in public schools amid a debate over the effects of social media and technology on children and young people.
Last month, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board, which is responsible for about 1,000 schools, approved a resolution to develop a policy to ban student use of cellphones and social media platforms within 120 days. The policy itself would not be implemented until 2025, however. California passed legislation in 2019 that allows school districts to restrict smartphone usage during school hours with the exception of emergencies.
