There’s something quietly heartbreaking happening in classrooms across the country.
It’s not loud. It’s not dramatic. But it is real.
Teachers see it in the way students glance down at their laps during lessons.
Parents feel it when their child gets home but struggles to recall what was learned.
And many of us—myself included—have watched our kids wrestle with attention, overwhelm, and emotional dysregulation.
The conversation surrounding cell phones in schools isn’t just about discipline or distraction. It’s about human development. It’s about what helps our children grow into who they truly are—curious, connected, and fully present.
Recently, I was invited to speak at the Kansas State Capitol, where lawmakers are considering a bill to limit phone use in classrooms. I didn’t go to argue. I went to witness—to offer a voice grounded in research, healthcare, parenting, and lived experience.
This moment matters. Not because it’s about banning something… but because it’s asking us to build something better in its place.
Presence. Focus. Safety. Peace.
Let’s talk about what’s really at stake—and why we need to.
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Kansas Cell phones in schools
Earlier this month, I found myself standing inside the Kansas Statehouse—not as a politician or lobbyist, but as a parent, a former nurse, and a woman who has walked alongside families struggling to navigate this digital world with their kids.
I was invited to speak about something I care deeply about: screen habits in schools.
If you’d told me a decade ago that I’d be speaking into a state-level conversation about banning cell phones from classrooms, I might’ve laughed. But years of listening—to teachers, to law enforcement, to families—I see now that this moment is less about the devices and more about asking a harder, more human question:
How do we protect the mental, emotional, and cognitive well-being of our kids in an always-on world?
You can watch the local coverage here, or read the full article from KSHB: Kansas lawmakers tackle property taxes, budget cuts and cell phone bans.
It’s not about punishment. It’s about presence.
In my brief moment on air, I said this:
“I tell my kids it’s like a muscle — we have to build that muscle to focus and maintain attention on one thing. It gets weaker the more we have technology and devices in front of us all the time.”
That wasn’t just a metaphor. It came from watching kids in classrooms, watching my own children, and watching patients years ago whose nervous systems were overwhelmed—always on edge, always plugged in.
We’re witnessing a quiet erosion of attention, presence, and mental stamina. And it’s not just laziness or lack of willpower. It’s neurobiology catching up with a tech environment that was never designed with kids in mind.
Holding the nuance: safety, connection, and fear in the same breath
Now, I know banning phones raises real concerns.
“What if there’s an emergency?”
“What signal does this send to kids about trust?”
These questions matter. They deserve a nuanced, compassionate conversation—not political soundbites. I’ve sat with parents on both sides of this issue. I’ve heard their fears. And I don’t dismiss any of them.
What’s often missed in these debates is that true safety—the kind that protects our kids’ bodies, minds, and hearts—requires more than immediate access to a screen. Sometimes, it means giving them space to grow the internal resources we want them to have in crisis moments: focus, calm, clarity, and courage.
The bigger invitation: Questions to Ask
At The Screen Guardians Foundation, we are not anti-tech. We are tech conscious. This moment unfolding in Kansas is bigger than any single law or policy—it’s a cultural re-evaluation. It’s a chance to slow down and ask ourselves:
- When and where do kids deserve a break from the noise?
- What kind of cognitive environment do we owe them at school?
- How can schools and families walk together—not apart—toward healthier habits?
Whether you agree or disagree…
I invite you to start a conversation in your home, your school, or your neighborhood.
Ask your kids what they notice about themselves after 20 minutes of scrolling versus 20 minutes outside.
Ask your teachers what they witness when phones are gone.
Ask your own body how it feels when it’s fully present.
These aren’t legislative questions. They’re human ones.
Want to learn more about healthy screen habits at school and home?
Explore tools and curriculum on our website: Kids Digital Health Hub
Or reach out to bring our full K–12 program to your district
