California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said Tuesday he supports restricting smartphone use in the state’s schools, citing potential mental health risks associated with social media.
Newsom said in a statement on Tuesday that it would work with the state Legislature to restrict smartphone use in schools, just a day after Surgeon General Vivek Murthy again sounded the alarm about the harm social media can pose to teens.
“As the Surgeon General stated, social media is harming the mental health of our young people. Building on legislation I signed in 2019, I look forward to working with the Legislature to restrict smartphone use during the school day,” Newsom said.
“When children and teenagers are at school, they should focus on their studies – not on screens,” he added.
Murthy called for a surgeon general warning label to be placed on social media platforms in an op-ed for The New York Times on Monday. He also reiterated his concern that social media is contributing to the youth mental health crisis and advised parents and schools to create phone-free environments.
Political first reported Newsom’s decision to support these efforts. Newsom’s statement also came as the Los Angeles school board voted Tuesday to ban cellphones in classrooms.
The ban in the Los Angeles school district makes it the largest district to pass a ban on cell phones in classrooms. It follows a growing national trend of banning these devices in schools to restrict their use in the classroom.
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