WEBVTT - CA Schools Soon To Be Phone Free

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<v Speaker 1>The idea of your kid having a smartphone in the

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<v Speaker 1>classroom is moronic. I can't believe anybody even considers allowing it.

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<v Speaker 1>But California may have set the standard for the whole country,

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<v Speaker 1>as they often do. The Governor, Gavin Newsom has signed

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<v Speaker 1>into law the Phone Freeze School Act.

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<v Speaker 2>And we welcome Josh Hoover, California Assemblyman, to the show.

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<v Speaker 2>Josh was behind the bipartisan act trying to protect kids

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<v Speaker 2>from the harms of smartphone use during the school day. Josh,

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<v Speaker 2>how are you.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm doing great, guys, great to be back.

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<v Speaker 2>Congratulations, well done. Nice to see something bipartisan happening in

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<v Speaker 2>calvi UNICORNEA.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, absolutely agree. You know what we have seen from

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<v Speaker 3>twenty ten to twenty nineteen, we've seen anxiety and depression

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<v Speaker 3>rates among adolescents go up by over fifty percent, the

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<v Speaker 3>suicide rates gone up forty eight percent, and among young

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<v Speaker 3>gers g al specifically from ten to fourteen years old,

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<v Speaker 3>we've seen the suicide ray you go up one hundred

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<v Speaker 3>and thirty one percent. These are statistics that Jonathan Height,

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<v Speaker 3>who I know you guys talked about a lot on

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<v Speaker 3>your show, breaks down in his book The Anxious generation,

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<v Speaker 3>And what he says is, you know, one of the

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<v Speaker 3>things we've seen during that same period of time is

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<v Speaker 3>the increased use of smartphones among young people. I'm a

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<v Speaker 3>dad of teenagers, and this is something I'm very passionate

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<v Speaker 3>about getting a hold of. So we introduced the Phone

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<v Speaker 3>Free Schools Act to really limit access to that during

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<v Speaker 3>the school day.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, so, what was the pushback on this? Like, I

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<v Speaker 1>can't believe there even needs to be a law. I

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<v Speaker 1>doubt there's a specific law that says you're not allowed

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<v Speaker 1>to play the trumpet in class. Who would just all

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<v Speaker 1>agree that that's a bad idea nobody needs.

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<v Speaker 4>I've heard you play the trumpet. I don't think you

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<v Speaker 4>need a law.

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<v Speaker 1>What is the pushback on this other than what if

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<v Speaker 1>there's an emergency? Is there any other pushback other than

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<v Speaker 1>the ridiculous overstated what if there's an emergency?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, so the bill actually includes exemptions for emergencies, So

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<v Speaker 3>if there was ever an emergency, you certainly could give

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<v Speaker 3>students back access to the phones. But absolutely, I mean,

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<v Speaker 3>this is a very simple rule to implement in schools.

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<v Speaker 3>We're not talking about Nokia's with the game Snake and

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<v Speaker 3>texting on them. I mean, we're talking about access to

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<v Speaker 3>social media, which is the real problem. Gallup, the relatest

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<v Speaker 3>Gallop numbers actually found that kids are spending American teenagers

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<v Speaker 3>are spending five hours per day on social media apps

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<v Speaker 3>alone and during.

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<v Speaker 1>The school day.

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<v Speaker 3>It just absolutely has a terrible impact on their academic

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<v Speaker 3>performance and their mental health.

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<v Speaker 2>So, Josh, we were cracking wise earlier about the fact

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<v Speaker 2>that it takes that the Phone Free Schools Act gives

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<v Speaker 2>county education offices until July first of twenty twenty six

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<v Speaker 2>to draft their pol Why the heck does it take

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<v Speaker 2>that long?

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<v Speaker 3>Well, you know, this is kind of just part of

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<v Speaker 3>the negotiation process, I would. You know, a lot of

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<v Speaker 3>school districts, including by the Way, former school district I

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<v Speaker 3>used to represent, and Los Angeles Unified, which is the

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<v Speaker 3>largest school district in California, have already voted on these policies,

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<v Speaker 3>So it's already happening in a number of places throughout

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<v Speaker 3>the state. But this puts a hard deadline on every

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<v Speaker 3>district in California to take action. I wish it was

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<v Speaker 3>a little sooner, but I think it's important that we're

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<v Speaker 3>forcing them to take action.

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<v Speaker 1>But what the hell, why does it why can't it

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<v Speaker 1>be done by noon today?

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<v Speaker 4>You're not allowed to have a cell phone and class anymore.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you'd have to ask the Democrats who demanded that.

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<v Speaker 2>I guess, I mean, seriously, what's the argument.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, it absolutely could be done by today. And actually

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<v Speaker 3>our hope is that, you know, this really pushes it

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<v Speaker 3>over for districts to start having this conversation immediately. But

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<v Speaker 3>I agree with you, it should be sooner.

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<v Speaker 1>Those of us who aren't in government don't understand how

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<v Speaker 1>what's going on with you all people?

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<v Speaker 4>I mean, it makes no sense to me whatsoever.

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<v Speaker 1>No more cell phones in class.

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<v Speaker 4>You announce over the loudspeaker and it's done. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>A lot of these school districts, and Josh, you can

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<v Speaker 2>speak to this, are of fifetoms or do you say

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<v Speaker 2>fiefdoms where you know, the local school boards and the teachers'

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<v Speaker 2>unions and the administration they don't appreciate anybody meddling with

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<v Speaker 2>their deal.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>This bill was actually opposed by the school Boards Association.

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<v Speaker 3>They were actually the only opponent, and it was largely

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<v Speaker 3>due to a local control argument.

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<v Speaker 4>But the reality is that.

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<v Speaker 3>This is clearly a matter of statewide concern. All of

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<v Speaker 3>our kids need to be off their phones during the

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<v Speaker 3>school day.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, I understand it.

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<v Speaker 1>Now.

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<v Speaker 4>I'll discuss that when you're when we're done with you. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 4>I'd like.

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<v Speaker 2>To hear more about that anti trumpet legislation, though worth

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<v Speaker 2>mentioning last.

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<v Speaker 3>Phones go by the way.

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<v Speaker 2>You'll take my trombone when you pry it out of

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<v Speaker 2>my No, you can have it, come to think of it.

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<v Speaker 2>Last year, Florida passed the rule barring students cell phones

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<v Speaker 2>from K through twelve. Similar law goes into effect next

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<v Speaker 2>year in Indiana. Ohio, the governor as signed a bill

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<v Speaker 2>makes schools come up with policies to minimize student cell

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<v Speaker 2>phone use wait to impost half measures of Ohio. In Virginia,

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<v Speaker 2>the governors also ordered schools to have cell phone free

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<v Speaker 2>education by January, and in New York City, they said

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<v Speaker 2>last month they would table plans to introduce cell phone ban,

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<v Speaker 2>which had been in effect until twenty fifteen. What see

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<v Speaker 2>year twenty twenty four. Last I check, Eric Adams probably

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<v Speaker 2>got a bribe to keep them in classrooms.

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<v Speaker 4>Anyway.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't have to comment on that, Josh. All right,

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<v Speaker 2>well that's good news. We say, well done, and it's

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<v Speaker 2>good to talk to you as always.

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<v Speaker 3>Absolutely, guys, thanks for covering this all right.

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<v Speaker 4>You got it?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, it's a good move. It's a little frustrating

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<v Speaker 2>it takes that long a.

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<v Speaker 1>Little, it's just done. But I understand it now. So

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<v Speaker 1>here's my example. Quite a few years ago, Joe and

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<v Speaker 1>I had we're going to do a TV station was

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<v Speaker 1>going to come to an interview with us here at

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<v Speaker 1>the radio station, and had a brand new boss starting

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<v Speaker 1>that day found out that the TV station was going

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<v Speaker 1>to come interview us, and he canceled it because he

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<v Speaker 1>hadn't been consulted on it or involved in the decision

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<v Speaker 1>at all.

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<v Speaker 4>He didn't cancel it because it was a bad idea.

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<v Speaker 4>It was a great idea to have a TV station

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<v Speaker 4>come interviews.

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<v Speaker 1>But it wasn't a good look for who decides what when,

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<v Speaker 1>So he canceled it to make it clear that no, no, no,

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<v Speaker 1>I decide.

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<v Speaker 4>If you're going to have a TV interview or not.

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<v Speaker 4>You don't decide.

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<v Speaker 1>That's what's going on with the pushback on the cell

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<v Speaker 1>phone thing, right, the teacher's unis or whatever. I have

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<v Speaker 1>to say, no, no, no, no, you don't tell us what

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<v Speaker 1>to do, right, even if we're agreement with this we'll

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<v Speaker 1>decide how it rolls out when it rolls out.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I'm generally very sympathetic to the idea of local

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<v Speaker 2>control of virtually everything, including schools. But to have such

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<v Speaker 2>an undeniably awful force in any classroom is it's indefensible

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<v Speaker 2>on any level. It is a TV screen and a telephone,

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<v Speaker 2>and a porno film and a casino and have a

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<v Speaker 2>dozen other things I can't think of. To have a

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<v Speaker 2>smartphone in the kid's hands during the school day, it's

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<v Speaker 2>it's obscenely, ridiculously beyond the pale to even consider permitting them.

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<v Speaker 1>So every kid having a smartphone in their hand probably didn't.

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<v Speaker 2>Ah, but it's worth I'm sorry, but it's worth pointing out.

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<v Speaker 2>It's often the parents that opposed the band because they're

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<v Speaker 2>so used to being able to reach out and contact

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<v Speaker 2>Junior twenty four to seven.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, Michael. Also, you parents use phones to track their kids.

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<v Speaker 4>There's apps where they can actually follow their kids.

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<v Speaker 1>What do you need to track your kid at school

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<v Speaker 1>for he's at school, they've been tag in their ear

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<v Speaker 1>No school. So I'm I'm thinking most kids did not

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<v Speaker 1>have a smartphone until two thousand and Tennis because they

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<v Speaker 1>came out and roughly what seven oh eight, and they're

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<v Speaker 1>too expensive and kids wouldn't have had him, So that

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<v Speaker 1>might even be a little earlier. But so is that

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<v Speaker 1>too early for you? View it too had that experience

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<v Speaker 1>with your kids? They're all out by then or not?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, anyway, just because I don't like the fact that

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<v Speaker 1>it's only in classrooms, I don't because I pull up

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<v Speaker 1>to the school, every single kid standing on the sidewalk

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<v Speaker 1>or you know, on the playground or wherever, is staring

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<v Speaker 1>at their phone. I don't want it there either. No,

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<v Speaker 1>who does? Who wants them off? Who wants the kids

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<v Speaker 1>walking around looking at smartphones.

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<v Speaker 4>After school while they're waiting for you to pick them up?

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<v Speaker 4>Who wants that?

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<v Speaker 2>Gosh, and kids can't communicate and look anybody in the

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<v Speaker 2>eye in our anxiety prone at every human interaction, I

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<v Speaker 2>wonder why.

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<v Speaker 1>But seriously, what's the argument for other than the I

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<v Speaker 1>need to be able to get hold of them?

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<v Speaker 4>Is that the only argument other.

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<v Speaker 2>Than all the other kids are doing it and Junior

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<v Speaker 2>will be very very angry at me if I don't

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<v Speaker 2>let my kid.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, they wouldn't all be doing it if it were

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<v Speaker 1>against the rules. Why are their smartphones allowed at school

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<v Speaker 1>at all? Why do you get to use it for

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<v Speaker 1>a half hour leading up to the bell ringing and

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<v Speaker 1>in between classes and through the whole lunch hour and

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<v Speaker 1>on all school trips where they all ride together and

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<v Speaker 1>stare at their phones instead of talking and joking like we.

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<v Speaker 4>All used to do.

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<v Speaker 1>Why. I don't know.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a horrible development. It's like a dread disease has

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<v Speaker 2>afflicted humanity. But the dread disease was the genius of

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<v Speaker 2>Steve Jobs in Silicon Valley.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, and as always say, those of us who are

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<v Speaker 1>older will all be dead soon and there will be

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<v Speaker 1>nobody to even ask why wouldn't we Hasn't it always

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<v Speaker 1>been this way?

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<v Speaker 4>Didn't the cavemen walk around staring at the smartphones?

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<v Speaker 2>Well? And then, like doctor Fauci, took a dread disease

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<v Speaker 2>and really amped it up, really gave it that gain

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<v Speaker 2>of function. The Mark Zuckerberg's of the world took that wonderful,

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<v Speaker 2>awful invention and made it even worse, put the spike

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<v Speaker 2>proteins of social media on it. And here we are.

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<v Speaker 2>Wasn't the atom baumb folks, It was the Internet ended humanity.

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<v Speaker 1>Armstrong and Getty