Residents urge North Allegheny to ban personal smart devices in classrooms, cite mental‑health research

Two residents used the district’s public‑comment period on May 22 to press the North Allegheny School Board to tighten controls on personal smart devices and to expand health instruction on online harms.

Stephanie Haff, who gave her address for the record, said youth anxiety and depression have risen sharply and that widespread smartphone use and social media are a major factor. She cited a study by the London School of Economics on schools that banned phones, testimony by Tristan Harris to the U.S. House and a 2022 Common Sense Media report during her remarks. Haff proposed two district actions: first, a policy requiring personal smart devices be secured out of reach for the school day (she suggested lockers or similar storage); second, adding instructional units to health classes that teach students about healthy face‑to‑face relationships and the risks of online content. In the meeting transcript she summarized the recommendation: "I propose the idea of 2 actions to be taken in our school. Number 1, create a policy that requires all personal smart devices... be put away for the day in lockers."

Lisa Hatch, a second resident speaker, said her child attends NAI and described classroom practices that require phones to be left in a designated spot when students enter, and she referenced a Keystone exam email asking students to keep smartphones and smartwatches in backpacks. Hatch said such measures are feasible and urged the district to adopt consistent classroom storage practices to reduce distractions.

Board response and status
Board members did not debate or vote on district phone policy during the meeting. The chair thanked the speakers for their comments; no directive, referral to staff, or formal study was recorded in the meeting minutes for May 22. Both residents framed their remarks as requests for policy changes backed by research rather than as immediate proposals before the board for adoption.