US senators introduce bill to restrict phone use in schools

On October 1, United States Senators Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, and Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, introduced a bipartisan bill to restrict phone use in classrooms, the Washington Examiner reported. The legislation is named the Unplugged Schools Grant Act. [1]

According to press release details cited by the Washington Examiner, the proposed act would create a federal grant program. Funding would go to states that establish policies prohibiting students from possessing or using personal electronic devices during school hours, assisting schools with implementation. [1]

Efforts to address screen time in educational settings have gained international attention. As FTMQ News reported earlier, more than 150 medical specialists in the United Kingdom sent an open letter to government ministers warning that classroom screen time causes physical and developmental harm to children. [3]

The British clinicians noted that excess screen usage contributes to short sightedness and leads to treatments such as speech therapy, hearing aids, and glasses, FTMQ News previously reported. The United Kingdom government stated it was consulting on classroom screen time policies. [3]