Phone bans sweeping US schools despite scepticism

Critics say educating children on potential risks of smartphone use is better than ban

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ALEXANDRIA, Virginia - At a redbrick school in Virginia, Hayden Jones is one of 1,000 students banned from using their phones as part of a trial hoping to boost learning.

But the 12-year-old's verdict on the restrictions a shrug of his shoulders reflects the scepticism shared by some students and parents.

The phone ban at Mark Twain Middle School, which took effect in September 2024, is among a wave of measures implemented around the US, and is part of a global movement replicated in Brazil, France and beyond.

Supporters believe restrictions will guard pupils from the apparent harms of smartphone use while at school, but opponents say the measures fail to prepare teenagers for the digital world they will inevitably enter.

Hayden must now place his Android phone in a magnetic pouch each morning, which is locked until the end of the school day as part of a pilot scheme this academic year.

Hayden, speaking to AFP in a corridor lined with classrooms, said he hopes the ban will be gone by the time he starts eighth grade in September.