Peterson says cellphone restrictions in school have been broadly positive

Emily Peterson said recent restrictions on student cellphone use align with research about anxiety and attention and that schools are seeing fewer classroom interruptions and more student interaction.

Peterson cited a book, The Anxious Generation, and said teachers reported many interruptions from phone notifications that disrupted lessons. “I’ve heard a lot of really positive things, more positive than negative things, about the cell phone policy,” she said, adding that protocols that allow emergency access (for example teacher‑controlled pouches) strike a reasonable balance.

She said she would be cautious about making rules more strict than current practice, because parents want a reliable way to contact children in emergencies.