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by Guy Page
As Vermont lawmakers weigh a proposed ban on cell phone use in schools, supporters are presenting a Bloomberg-produced documentary called “Can’t Look Away: The Case Against Social Media.”
The film, which purports to shed light on the psychological and real-world harms linked to youth use of social platforms, is being screened in conjunction with the proposed Phone- and Social Media-Free Schools bill (H.54), now under review in the Vermont State House.
Critics of the tech industry’s current model argue that addictive design features and weak privacy protections are at the heart of the crisis. Yet not everyone agrees on the solutions. Opponents of bills like H.54 caution against overreach, and some civil liberties groups raise concerns about infringing on teens’ access to digital spaces that can also provide support and community.
H.54 has a lengthy, bi-partisan list of sponsors. As introduce, the bill would “prohibit the use of cell phones and personal electronic devices during the school day in public schools, independent schools, career and technical education centers and prequalified private prekindergarten programs, as well as to prohibit schools from communicating with students through social media.”
H.54 was discussed in fourth and fifth drafts Friday morning and afternoon in House Education. Following this ‘mark-up’ of the bill, a committee vote could possibly send the bill to the House floor this week. House Education members include:
- Rep. Peter Conlon, Chair
- Rep. Chris Taylor, Vice Chair
- Rep. Erin Brady, Ranking Member
- Rep. Jana Brown, Clerk
- Rep. Joshua Dobrovich
- Rep. Leanne Harple
- Rep. Robert Hunter
- Rep. Emily Long
- Rep. Kate McCann
- Rep. Beth Quimby
- Rep. Casey Toof
The screenings are part of a coordinated effort by the Vermont Coalition for Phone- and Social Media-Free Schools, supported by Smartphone Free Childhood US and local partners like Woodstock’s Pentangle Arts. Advocates say the film empowers parents, educators, and policymakers with the information and emotional urgency needed to push for safer online environments for children.
“This film serves as the social media warning label that the former U.S. Surgeon General said we need,” said Rep. Angela Arsenault (D-Williston), a supporter of H.54. “We have an obligation to act.”
The documentary highlights disturbing trends, including links between social media use and increased risk of fentanyl exposure, exploitation, and youth suicide. It features families affected by these tragedies, some of whom are affiliated with the Social Media Victims Law Center. Publicity materials show grieving parents holding photos of their children, emphasizing the human cost behind data-driven platforms.
“I now see that any of our children—not only those who use the apps non-stop—could get trapped in a dangerous situation and in over their heads,” said Liza Earle-Centers, a parent and teacher active in the coalition. “It really isn’t an exaggeration to say that it can go south fast.”
Vermont joins over 20 countries hosting the film as part of a global movement to scrutinize social media’s impact on youth mental health and safety. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and other international leaders have echoed the call for regulatory reform.
Following each screening, local experts and community leaders host discussions and offer action steps. Upcoming events include stops in Burlington, Manchester, St. Albans, Woodstock, and Barre. A full list of dates and venues is available at PhoneFreeSchoolsVT.
“As an arts organization, this is our job—to tell the stories that need to be heard, to create a forum to discuss, and to facilitate healing whenever possible,” said Deborah Greene, Executive Director of Pentangle Arts. “I am proud to be part of a community that prioritizes pushing this agenda forward to protect our kids.”
Upcoming screenings include:
Mon. May 12 ~ 6:30pm ~ Fletcher Free Library in Burlington.
Tues. May 13 ~ 5pm ~ Manchester Library
Wed. May 14 ~ 6pm ~ St. Albans Free Library
Fri. May 16 ~ 6:30pm~ Pentangle Arts in Woodstock
Mon. May 19 ~ 5:30pm ~ Spaulding High School Auditorium in Barre
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Categories: Education, Legislation
My take on this issue comes from a different perspective that should be considered in protecting our youth and their instructors.
Cell phones are basically one plus watt transmitters and receivers and in my younger years I did a lot of work regarding body worn covert transmitters and receivers during my security work years and it was a big concern in protecting the health of the agents wearing this equipment, and we took great pains to protect those assets, so let’s say you have 300 kids running around in close quarters, with one watt transmitters, and receivers ,beaming around and through them, with their cell phones having various levels of protection/screening, in close quarters ,and that is one heck of a lot of wattage, close to young developing human bodies, and that wattage is transmitted on, and through that forming human body ,including their brains, and the long term effects are still not fully understood, so to ere on the side of caution, I advise banning all cell phones from school grounds, given that young American’s IQ’s are dropping at an alarming rate, and autism has increased by a huge amount, and why is not fully understood, so I suspect all this wattage everywhere might have something to do with it, so, given this, until we find the exact reasons, it is best to be safe than sorry.
My take… but it seems we care more about our agents health, then our nations youths health. We have it bass ackwards!
It depends how heavy handed this rule will be. My local school does a poor job notifying parents when buses breakdown and students will be late arriving home. I don’t mind rules for in class use but if this becomes heavy handed where bus monitors keep kids from communicating with parents, or if kids cannot possess a phone even in their school locker then I am not in favor of the ban.
Considering that kids can’t put down the phone as they are more concerned about gossip amongst the student body and not missing something, I actually think this is a good idea. It also seems that kids don’t understand what being accountable is and if they are, they run to their parents because someone was mean to them.
If we can’t have a ban then we need not just a heavy set of rules but they need to be enforced and student accountability must be put in place.
Kids can not put down their phones. Looks like the adults have the same problem.