US Boarding School Banning Smartphone Use... What Is the Situation After Two Months?

Filming Schoolyard Fights Banned for One Year Starting This Fall Semester Due to Issues Last Year
Positive Reactions Include "No Pressure from Notifications or Messages" and "Happier Without SNS"

Notice of Prohibition of Smartphone Use on Campus Posted on the Bugstone School Website. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Nowadays, the 'Smombie' generation (a blend of smartphone and zombie) who cannot put their smartphones down all day has become very common. But is it really possible for teenagers to live without smartphones?

Recently, the American Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that a boarding school in the United States, which began a year-long social experiment to eliminate smartphones on campus two months ago, is experiencing a small success contrary to initial concerns. The school in the spotlight is Buxton School in Williamstown, Massachusetts. With nearly a 100-year history, Buxton School is a small school with only 57 students in total. Because of this, the school prides itself on a family-like atmosphere where teachers and students gather around the table to eat and share school duties, but this sense of community gradually deteriorated due to smartphone use.

Students secretly used smartphones not only during meal times but also during classes where phone use was prohibited. Instead of gathering with friends in the lounge after school to chat, they often got absorbed in social networking services (SNS) and videos. Moreover, the situation worsened when the school closed for several months and switched to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Amid this, last year, when a student filmed a fight at school and uploaded it live, the school took the drastic measure of banning smartphone use on campus.

In March, Buxton School announced this decision and stated it would be implemented starting this fall semester. There are no exceptions to the decision; neither students nor teachers can use smartphones on campus. After the announcement, the school was in chaos. John Calafos, the vice principal of the school, recalled, "At that time, all the students were crying and yelling at the teachers," and "Parents' reactions varied."

Eventually, the fall semester began in September, and about two months later, students surprisingly showed a calm attitude, not clinging to their smartphones. Via Sass (18), a student at the school, said, "I feel relieved to be able to take walks or study without the pressure of having to respond to the flood of notifications and messages like bombs." The school plans to conduct satisfaction surveys regarding the smartphone ban decision continuously for one year, and the first survey in September showed responses indicating "it's not as bad as we worried."

Instead of allowing smartphone use, the school partnered with the phone company Light Phone to provide all students with phones that have minimal functions such as calls and texts. The Light Phone cannot be used for internet or camera functions. In unavoidable situations, students may carry tablets or smartwatches, and laptops are also permitted.

Buxton School students are in grades 9 through 12, equivalent to high school, and are soon preparing for college admission. There is growing interest in whether students can continue to stay away from smartphones when they return home during vacations or after graduation. During a recent four-day holiday, students were given their smartphones back, but many said it felt strange to use them again. Yamalya Marks (17), a current student, said, "Using the phone again felt like committing a crime," and "I was able to make more friends without using a smartphone." She also said, "I am much happier using SNS less," and added, "I don't know if I will return to always carrying a smartphone, but I hope not."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.