Phones in Schools, a Monster in Church Hill
Cheers RVA!
Today will be partly cloudy with a high of 82. It’s still expected to get hot this weekend and even hotter next week, so enjoy the cool breeze.
the juice:
The Hanover County School Board considered banning cell phones for all grade levels Tuesday evening, but the vote was delayed after multiple changes were made to the policy. The vote will be held during the board’s July meeting, per channel 6.
I could write pages about my thoughts on phones in schools, but I’m not a parent nor a resident of Hanover, so I’ll defer to an “expert” in the field.
Social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt has been vocal about the downsides of smart phone and social media for the past decade. He offers data including the increase in self-harm rates for boys and girls age 10-14 and sees phones as a big part of the problem. But he does offer solutions:
Three are about phones:
Get them out of schools, from arrival till dismissal.
Don’t let kids have a smartphone till age 14.
And keep everyone off social media till age 16.
But he also emphasizes the need to give kids back independence and free play. His argument is simple:
It would be a mistake to overlook this fourth norm. If parents don’t replace screen time with real-world experiences involving friends and independent activity, then banning devices will feel like deprivation, not the opening up of a world of opportunities.
I don’t know what’s best, nor most practical: a statewide ban, a county ban, individual school policy, letting teachers decide, etc. The General Assembly did consider a bill this past legislative session proposing a ban but the bill died.
Here is a map of states that have passed bans:
the pulp:
A pedestrian was killed Sunday evening on an I-95 exit ramp near 295, from channel 8. Apparently the motorcyclist pulled his vehicle over to the left and then walked into a lane of travel.
As expected Richmond City Council voted to increase their pay from 12 on your side.
Arrest made after two brush fires were started on either side of Iron Bridge road in Chesterfield County, from channel 8. The fires burned 2-3 acres and took and hour and a half to get under control.
One CheersRVA reader who works as a Wildland Firefighter noted:
“While one might think forest fires in urban areas are less common since there is more development and people around, the opposite is actually true: more people around means more mischief (human activity) resulting in more fires in such areas.”
Smokey is right!
the haps:
A reddit user posted this photo of the ‘Drive By Truckers’ at Lewis Ginter Monday night.
The Groovin’ in the Garden concert series is returning after nearly a decade for it’s 40th anniversary. Ben Folds performed last night, but it looks like the next performance is not until August 22.
the dive:
RVA Mag has a short bit about becoming a foster parent in Richmond with an interview with Alexa Reitz at United Methodist Family Services:
There are over 5,000 youth in foster care in Virginia,” Alexa begins.. “Everyday we get multiple referrals for children and teens needing a home. Due to the lack of foster families, children are often staying in hotels and, even worse, social service offices because there are no homes available.”
Reitz would like to dispel the myth that fostering a child is insanely complicated, and their organization holds weekly informative sessions. She also notes:
Foster families come from all walks of life – teachers, nurses, social workers, bookkeepers, chefs, and more. They are individuals who have realized they have room in their homes, their schedules, and their hearts for a child in need.
the vibe:
Again from reddit, spotted in Churchill:
Have a monstrous day RVA!
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