Pa. Senate education committee votes for pilot program to lock up students’ phones

Members of Congress are seeking to set a minimum age to access social media and put more of the onus on social media companies and their algorithms, while also giving parents more controls in trying to protect their kids online. (Photo by Peter Cade/Getty Images)

The Senate Education committee voted on Tuesday to pass a bill that would fund a pilot program to allow public schools to lock students’ phones away during the school day.

Sen. Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster), the bill’s sponsor, cited studies showing a decline in student mental health and academic performance. These trends correlate roughly with the growing popularity of smartphones and social media, and Aument believes there is a causal connection.

“I can’t think of another issue I’ve worked on in the 14 years that I’ve been here that has resonated quite like this has,” Aument said. “I just think it’s absolutely critical that we take steps to free our kids from these devices, from the addiction to these devices, from the addiction to social media, during the school day”

If passed, the bill would create a two-year pilot program that public schools around the state could voluntarily opt into. Students at those schools would be required to put their phones in special pouches that could only be opened by a teacher or administrator during the school day.

Participating schools would be required to track instances of bullying and violence, as well as academic performance over the course of the pilot program and report that data to  the state’s school safety and security committee.

The bill directs the state to provide funding for the purchase of the lockable bags, but does not contain a specific dollar number. The bill currently has no fiscal note attached.

Only one senator on the committee, Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny) voted against the bill, citing concerns about the legislation potentially benefiting a specific company.

Last year, NBC reported that a single company, Yondr, has made $2.5 million over 8 years selling lock bags made specifically for cellphones to state governments.

“I’m certainly open to exploring a pilot that gives schools the resources they need to address this problem locally, but am concerned that, as introduced, this bill is too narrow,” Williams said.

Sen. Tim Kearney (D-Delaware) agreed with Williams that the bill was overly “prescriptive” about how students’ phones should be handled, but still voted to support it.

“Certainly my intent is not to steer toward any specific provider of bags,” Aument said. He added that the lock bags, however, provided the best method he was aware of to both ensure that students stay off their phones while protecting their property.

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