110th District Representative Greg Markkanen hopes to expand on the Governor’s recent call to limit cell phone use among Michigan students.
During Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address, she encouraged legislators to address the social media crisis among Michigan’s students that has exasperated mental health challenges and bullying. Upper Peninsula Representative Markkenan of Hancock says he wished the governor expanded on her idea to limit cell phone use in schools. As a former teacher, Markkanen shared his experience of seeing bullying in school firsthand. Expressing that simply limiting cell phone use in school will not make a significant enough change to address youth mental health challenges and bullying.
Markkanen says getting phones out of classrooms is an important first step. The state needs to explore the root cause of these problems, including unlimited access to social media platforms. The representative pointed to recently passed laws in Florida and Utah that have sought to address social media use by youths. Florida’s law sets an age limit for kids creating social media accounts such as a Facebook page or TikTok account. Utah’s law sets ‘quiet hours’ and limits usage when kids should be sleeping.
The state of Florida’s law has been challenged in court by social media companies and tech giants, represented by the Computer and Communications Industry Association. That case expects to hear oral argument this week. Learn more about Representative Greg Markkanen’s thoughts on cell phones in schools here.
Comments