We are current parents of the Los Alamitos School District and we are deeply concerned about the detrimental impact of excessive social media use and cell phone access during school hours on our children’s mental health and academic well-being. My counterpart, Dr. Lori Livingston, a local pediatrician, has witnessed a disturbing surge in mental health diagnoses among young patients, many of which can be directly linked to excessive social media consumption. Research overwhelmingly supports the correlation between increased time spent on social media and deteriorating mental health in adolescents. Academically speaking, cell phones are a significant distraction in the classroom, hindering
students’ ability to focus on their studies and engage in essential face-to-face interactions. Recognizing the growing national movement to limit cell phone use in schools, we believe it is imperative to protect our children from the harmful effects of constant digital connection. Similar to other safety measures to protect our children in other areas of life, such as bike helmets and drivers’ education, we must take proactive steps to safeguard their mental health and academic success. While we understand the importance of parent-child communication, we firmly believe it is time for our district to come up with creative solutions to restrict cell phone access during school hours, without compromising safety. If you are also a concerned parent or community member, join our list of supporters by signing your name below and consider writing an email to the Los Alamitos school board or joining us to make a statement at the next school board meeting on September 10th at 6pm.

-Los Alamitos School District Parents Dr. Lori Livingston and Tonya Coster