Schools across the US banned phones. Teens are demanding more offline support

More students are advocating for their own digital wellbeing and developing programs to thrive in tech-free learning environments As students across the country return to school this month, many will be confronting a new reality: classrooms without smartphones. Educators and parents have long fronted the fight against the debilitating influence technology can wield. Yet, many young people say they have been left out of important conversations around school phone policies, which are now in effect in at least 39 states and Washington DC. Student organizers told the Guardian they support screen-time bans in schools, but such policies are often haphazardly enforced and don’t address the root causes of screen addiction, such as intense social pressure and feelings of isolation. In response, more students are advocating for their own digital wellbeing and developing programs to thrive in tech-free learning environments. Olivia Howard, a rising junior in New York state, recalled receiving her first iPad when she was in kindergarten. For digital natives like herself, she said, quitting their devices cold turkey was never going to be easy. “We were the first generation to grow up on technol