Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Education Secretary Jacob Oliva have issued a call to action for school superintendents across the state, urging them to participate in a new pilot program designed to enhance student mental health care and regulate in-school cellphone use.
In a letter sent Tuesday, Sanders and Oliva highlighted the initiative’s focus on funding telehealth mental health services and assisting schools in locating mental health providers and navigating insurance issues. This move builds on recommendations from superintendents who met with the governor and education secretary last month.
The pilot program will allocate funds to all participating secondary schools to provide pouches for students to store their phones during school hours. The aim is to reduce screen time and social media exposure, which Sanders and Oliva argue contributes to mental health issues among students.
“The Natural State is not unique; youth depression, anxiety, and isolation have risen across the country,” the letter stated. “But we do have a unique opportunity to address this crisis in a collaborative way. We have made this a priority in our Administration, and we are committing state resources to help with this crisis.”
Governor Sanders has been a vocal advocate for regulating social media access among minors. She supported a 2023 law that would have required minors to obtain parental permission before creating social media accounts, although a federal judge blocked the law just before it was set to take effect in August.
In addition to legislative efforts, Sanders has promoted Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation, by sending copies to all U.S. state and territorial governors, as well as Arkansas legislators. She endorses four primary goals: prohibiting smartphones before high school, banning social media use before age 16, implementing phone-free school environments, and encouraging more outdoor play and childhood independence.
The push to reduce smartphone use in schools is gaining momentum nationwide. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to restrict smartphone use during school hours following a call from the U.S. surgeon general for Congress to mandate warning labels on social media platforms. The Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second-largest, has approved a cellphone ban set to take effect in January.
Florida led the way last year by becoming the first state to ban cellphones in schools. Idaho and Ohio have also enacted laws to curb phone usage, and up to eight other state legislatures are considering similar measures, according to Education Week.
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