LOWER LAKE, Calif. — In preparation for the beginning of the school year, we spiffed up our facilities, planned curriculum, purchased supplies and reconnected with our core purpose: to help students develop the skills they need to be successful in life.

We’ve got some big challenges when it comes to academics, but we have what we need to support students’ academic growth.

What keeps me up at night isn’t academics, it’s our students’ well-being. Specifically, I am worried about the impact of cell phones and vaping. Both prey on their need for social acceptance and distract students from learning–and both are highly addictive.

Smartphones

In a recent letter to all California schools, Gov. Gavin Newsom called on us to restrict smartphone use in the classroom, noting:

Excessive smartphone use among youth is linked to increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 72% of high school and 33% of middle school teachers report cell phone distractions as a major problem. Common Sense Media found that 97% of students use their phones during the school day for a median of 43 minutes. Combined with the U.S. Surgeon General’s warning about the risks of social media, it is urgent to provide reasonable guardrails for smartphone use in schools.

At Konocti Unified, we already have a policy limiting cell phones in the classroom (Policy 5131.8: Mobile Communication Devices). It says, “Mobile communication devices shall be turned off during instructional time.” There are a few exceptions, as in the case of an emergency or when the student has special permission, but overall, the policy responds to the fact that smartphones typically decrease students’ ability to learn.

When we began to enforce this policy more strictly last year, suggesting that students put their phones in a secure location during class time, some parents pushed back, worried their child would not be able to access their phone in the event of an emergency. After talking with our police chief and fire chief, I am more convinced than ever that the safety argument doesn’t hold water.

Both chiefs noted that during an emergency, the last thing they want students doing is focusing on their phones, responding to frantic parent requests or communicating with friends in remote locations. More than at any other time, during emergencies students should put their phones away and focus on their surroundings and the instructions of the school personnel and first responders trying to keep them safe.

I would love to ban phones from school campuses altogether. This would eliminate cyberbullying and make our campuses more welcoming for all. I recognize that bullying can happen in person and that rumors can be passed without the use of technology, but we all know how quickly and easily information flies when smartphones with access to social media are used.

More and more, studies reveal what most of us intuitively guessed: that social media can be devastating for young people. It makes it harder to build strong, interpersonal relationships, disrupts sleep, distracts from homework, creates unrealistic expectations about people’s lives and bodies, invites risky behaviors, and more.

I hope schools, families and our community can work together to limit children’s use of smartphones and social media.

Vaping

The other issue weighing heavily on my mind is vaping. Although it is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone younger than 21 because of the health hazards it poses, we’re seeing students as early as elementary school with vape pens at school, with many more in middle and high school.

Using vape pens is more addictive and damaging than many people realize. Some vape cartridges have as much nicotine as 600+ cigarettes, and students are going through a single cartridge in about two days. Vapes also deliver nicotine more efficiently than cigarettes, allowing nicotine to pass through the blood-brain barrier more easily.

Nicotine is one of the most highly addictive substances people can get their hands on, so it’s no wonder that even if students wanted to quit, they would struggle to do so. Instead, they end up on the nicotine roller coaster with emotions sailing up and then crashing down. Kids full of nicotine are more irritable, so it’s not surprising that we’ve seen a rise in arguments and other aggressive behaviors.

To make matters worse, many teens add sugary caffeinated energy drinks to the mix.

Children need to know how to care for themselves–about the impact of these substances on their physical and mental health, and they need to be protected from addictive substances that harm them. Especially when it comes to teens, they may look like adults, but many do not have the emotional maturity to make good choices. They are far more influenced by immediate gratification (yummy flavors), advertising, and social status.

If we are to tackle either smartphone use or vaping, schools, families, and our whole community needs to work together. If you feel strongly about these issues (whether you agree with me or not), I want to hear from you. I plan to create a committee of educators, parents/caregivers, and community members to figure out common-sense ways to support our students.

Please let me know if you’d like to be a part of this effort.

Becky Salato is superintendent of the Konocti Unified School District.