Sanders introduces pilot program to reduce cell phone use in public schools

(The Center Square) - Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is including a plan to limit cell phone use in schools as part of a mental health pilot program.

The governor asked schools on Tuesday to apply for a grant program that includes funding for pouches where students can store their phones during the school day.

"The average American teen now spends nearly 5 hours a day on social media, usually on their phone, often in school," Sanders and Education Secretary Jacob Oliva said in a letter to the state's schools. "Spending three or more hours a day on social media doubles kids’ risk of mental health problems. Since smartphones became widespread, suicide rates have tripled among young teens, self-harm among girls has gone up nearly 200%, and depression among teenagers has increased 150%. Teen math, reading, and science scores have dropped in the United States and other developed nations since 2012, while school alienation has risen across the board."

The program also includes a telehealth mental health program.

"School leaders have also told us that there is a need for more mental health services, especially in areas of our state with a shortage of mental health professionals," they said in the letter.

The program stems from a meeting Sanders and Oliva held with school superintendents last month.

“The Natural State is not unique; youth depression, anxiety, and isolation have risen across the country," they said. "But we do have a unique opportunity to address this crisis in a collaborative way."