The way your kids can use their cell phones at school would change if Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill.
HB 379, which is officially called “Technology in K-12 Public Schools,” would require that older students learn how to use social media safely. It would also make it illegal for students to use social media while using the internet at school.
We all know that most kids have smartphones at school. But this new law would make it so that teachers have to have a place where kids can put their phones while they are learning.
“Harm can happen if the students don’t know how to use the tool properly,” said Palm Beach County middle school teacher Karen Epstein.
Epstein always reminds her kids about how to be safe on the internet and social media.
“They didn’t have the power they have now, and that comes with awesome responsibilities and awesome results,” Epstein said.
A new rule that is on its way to DeSantis would not only back social media safety lessons for middle and high school kids, but it would also make them take them. Some of the topics would be mental health, security, trafficking in people, and abuse.
Tammy Fields, who runs the Palm Beach County Youth Services department, said, “The main thing we hear from students about what they see online is bullying.”
Fields said that social media can be helpful in some ways, but every day she sees the issues it can cause.
“I don’t think kids and some people know how long something will be on the internet. Fields said, “Once it’s there, it stays there.”
The new rule would make it illegal for students to use social media while using the school’s internet. It would also make it illegal for them to use their phones during class time unless a teacher permits them as part of the lesson.
Fields said, “It makes sense that kids shouldn’t be on their phones in class.” “The only thing I would say is to make sure the phone is still there in case of an emergency.”
Parents in Palm Beach County like Scott Borden always think about how safe the internet is for their kids.
Borden said, “We watch, but we don’t cross the line because we know that can send them in the wrong direction.” “But we’re keeping an eye on anything that might make you wonder.”
Everyone should work together to help kids make smart choices when they are in front of a computer.
The law would also make it illegal to use TikTok on devices owned by the school district, through internet access given by the school district, or as a way to support any school, club, or team in the school district.
If DeSantis signs the bill into law, it would go into effect on July 1.
