Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has issued an executive order to limit or ban cell phone use for approximately 1.2 million public school students, citing concerns over

mental health and academic underachievement among adolescents.

The order, issued on Tuesday, directs the Virginia Department of Education to develop procedures that would restrict cell phone use during instructional time, potentially using solutions like pouches or dedicated cell phone lockers.

The policy will include exceptions for necessary parent-child communication, students with medical needs, and emergency situations.

This decision follows a similar ban announced by the Los Angeles Unified School District last month. The chancellor of New York City Public Schools is also considering a phone ban for the nation's largest school district. Several smaller school districts have already blocked phone access or social media due to growing concerns about the negative impact on students' learning and mental health.

The Virginia Department of Education has until September 16 to finalize the new policy, which schools will implement by January 1, 2025. Photo by Chainwit., Wikimedia commons.