The Balance Project Supports Distraction-Free Schools
By Detgen Greeff
The New Jersey State legislature is considering a bill to help restrict student use of personal internet-enabled devices during the school day. The Balance Project supports this effort to reduce digital distraction in schools for three primary reasons:
Youth Mental Health Crisis - The causes of the current youth mental health crisis are multifaceted, but the weight of the evidence clearly shows a significant relationship with exposure to social media and other digital and online products. Former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has said that children need device-free spaces - including schools - and has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media. https://edhub.ama-assn.org/jn-learning/video-player/18901909
Disruption to Academic and Social Skills - All children deserve a safe school environment to learn, and experience social growth - free from cyberbullying and other harm. Unfortunately, the introduction of personal devices in school environments has had the opposite effect.
Teachers see the impact on student focus and learning. A National Education Association poll showed that 83% of teachers support an all-day phone ban. https://www.nea.org/resource-library/impact-social-media-and-personal-devices-mental-health
More than 20 states have already banned personal communication devices for the entire school day, including New York, where 92% of schools reported a smooth transition to the new distraction-free policy that began in 2025. More than 15 other states are working on passing similar restrictions.
The move is also supported by the New Jersey Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents, which released a report in September 2025, “Growing Up Online.” The report details the harms of excessive cellphone and social media use for New Jersey children, and provides guidance for parents, policymakers and education officials on how they can improve the relationship between young people and social media.
FAQs:
How do distraction-free school policies affect administrator workload and students' tight schedules? Schools with over 2,000 students have successfully implemented procedures to support a bell-to-bell policy. Administrators and teachers ultimately regain time in their day with fewer resources spent supporting dysregulated students or handling hazing, harassment, and bullying (HHB) claims. Data shows a dramatic drop in HHB and other behavior incidents after a phone-free policy is enacted.
What if students don't have cell phones with them during an emergency? We know this is a major concern for some parents and students. As parents who care deeply about protecting all children, we were fascinated to learn that school safety experts actually recommend that students not have phones during a school shooting or similar emergency. Their attention should be squarely on the adult in charge and what is occurring in real time. The most powerful protective factor against school violence is school connectedness. Student use of cell phones during the school day degrades vital social cohesion and enables increased bullying and harassment.
How can parents stay in touch with their children during the school day? Developmental psychiatrists say there should be no better place to allow children to explore their independence than in the safety of the school community. Student anxiety actually decreases when phones are removed for the day.
How can we help students learn to use phones responsibly? We need to prepare children with communication and media literacy skills, as well as the ability to focus and think critically. These skills are best learned through face to face communication, not with devices that are purposely designed to addict them.
HELPING IS AS EASY AS 1-2-3!
To help ensure this bill passes, please contact your state representatives before 12/22 and ask them to support Assembly Bill 4882. See below for language you can copy/paste into an email and share over the phone. Do what you are comfortable with, but we'd love for you to do both (email AND call).
Calling or emailing your state representatives to voice your support for this important legislation is critical to getting it passed, as we know there are varying opinions on this topic across the state.
Here's how:
1. Find out which legislative district you live in by entering your address here. Your address will pop up and show you on the map which district you are in.
2. Go to the list of Districts and when you find yours, click on the District number to link to your local representatives. You will see photos and contact information for your officials - please contact all three of them if you can.
A brief phone call or email can make a big difference! Legislators want to know what their voters think. They often only hear from groups that are large enough to have an organized lobbying program.
Example language:
Hello, my name is ________, and I am your constituent living in _______. I am calling / writing today to ask you to vote in favor of passing Assembly Bill 4882 (or “Bill A4882”), to limit the use of internet-enabled personal devices in schools.
It’s that simple! You are welcome to add more about the reason you support the legislation or even describe how you hope the legislation will help your children or community. For example:
I want my kids' school to be a place where they can focus on academics and in-person social skills and not have to worry about digital distractions or what’s happening online. Phones and smartwatches are designed to grab our attention, and my kids don’t need that extra distraction. If they know no one has a device during the school day then they can relax and focus, and won’t be worried about what they are missing or what might be happening online.
Feel free to contact us with any further questions. Please consider forwarding this information along to friends and neighbors to help and post on your social media account.
The Balance Project
