High-school counselor: cell-phone ban 'a game changer,' but schools need more counselors and resources

Ian Trambulak, a high-school counselor at Lamoille Union High School and a board member of the Vermont School Counselor Association, told the House Education Committee that social media and constant device connectivity have intensified student anxiety and that the recent statewide ban on cell phones in school buildings has produced immediate, noticeable benefits in engagement.

"I can tell you right here and now in no uncertain terms, that [the cell phone ban] has been a game changer at my school," Trambulak said, describing improved engagement and a more focused school culture after the law took effect in January and his district implemented related policies at the start of the school year.

Trambulak framed the change as only a start. He described a generation carrying higher baseline anxiety, with less resilience to discomfort, and said the pandemic and pervasive social media have made students "never really get to be alone with their own thoughts." He said counselors see students with rising anxiety and fewer tools to manage it, and that when schools are asked to "do more with less" students bear the brunt of cuts to counselors, social workers and behavior specialists. He said his district cut a diversity and inclusion specialist to get the budget through.

Asked what would help, Trambulak urged a "paradigm shift" that lets schools request necessary staff and resources—more counselors, work-based-learning coordinators, transportation for internships and other supports—rather than expecting schools to make do. He also emphasized building relationships and personalized instruction as strategies that reduce reliance on coercive compliance and improve student engagement.

What happens next: Trambulak's testimony underscores a continuing committee focus on how school policy (such as the cell-phone ban) and budget choices interact to shape student mental health; committee members followed with questions but no formal action was taken at the hearing.