Fairfax County’s School Board has taken a stand on when it feels kids should be given a cellphone. At its April 23 meeting, the board passed a resolution encouraging parents to wait until their child has completed eighth grade.
The resolution supports the Wait Until 8th initiative. It cites research showing that “the prefrontal cortex — the region of the brain governing judgment and impulse control — continues to develop throughout early adolescence, making children under the age of 14 particularly vulnerable to addiction-like patterns of smartphone use.”
It also notes evidence showing “early and heavy smartphone use” can cause “negative effects on student sleep, behavior, mental health, susceptibility to cyberbullying, and academic engagement.”
The school board said that the resolution is intended “to empower families with the resources and strength of community support needed to make informed decisions together.” However, it cannot “mandate personal technology choices for any family.”
Fairfax County Cellphone Policy
In 2024, Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order mandating that the Virginia Department of Education come up with a cellphone policy for the state’s public schools.
Beginning this school year, FCPS high school students can no longer use their cellphones and other personal devices — such as AirPods and smart watches — during the school day, with the exception of their lunch periods. For grade levels K-8, phones and personal devices must be off and stored in a locker or backpack for the entire school day (bell to bell).
Feature image, Drazen/stock.adobe.com
