FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS HENRY SANTANA AT-LARGE CITY COUNCILOR AND THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. TODAY IS AUGUST 12, 2025.
THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED AND IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DOT GOV SLASH CITY BASH COUNCIL DUTCH TV AND BROADCASTED ON FINNISH CHANNEL
EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHAT ON 964 RAIN RAIN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT 60 EDUCATION BOSTON DUGOUT OUT EVENT WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO
ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON MICHELLE
GOLDBERG MICHELLE COURT A DARK GOLDBERG BOSTON DARK FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET
NUMBER 0905. A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE IMPACTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS BEN WEBER AND RECAP
BEN AND SHARON DURKIN AND IT WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL 16, 2025. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF REVIVAL COUNCILOR ED FLYNN,
COUNCILOR ERIN MURPHY, COUNCILOR SHARON DURKIN COUNCILOR AND WE GET THE PATTERN COUNCILOR JOHN FITZGERALD AND COUNCILOR BEN
WEBER TO ADDRESS ALL. SO YEAH SO I WE'RE GOING TO START NOW WITH I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OPENING STATEMENTS BRIEF OPENING STATEMENTS. WE HAVE MULTIPLE PANELS AND A
LOT OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY. SO IF MY COLLEAGUES CAN JUST BE RESPECTFUL OF TRYING TO KEEP THAT BRIEF AND WE'LL GO THROUGH EVERYONE STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSOR. COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR JUST A LITTLE BIT OF OF YOU KNOW, SETTING THE SCENE HERE. THIS STARTED FOR ME WITH A TOUR OF ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL I TOOK WITH SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER AND PRINCIPAL MURPHY. AS A PARENT OF TWO TEENAGE
KIDS. I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE TO REACH KIDS WHILE THEY'RE IMMERSED IN THEIR PHONES. I'VE ALSO SEEN HOW KIDS CAN BE IMPACTED BY SPENDING ALL OF THEIR TIME AND ENERGY EITHER
TEXTING WITH FRIENDS OR SCROLLING THROUGH VIDEOS. AND WHAT WE SAW AT THE ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL WAS A SCHOOL WIDE CELL PHONE BAN AND HOW THAT
IMPACTED THE KIDS AND ACTUALLY SEEING KIDS INTERACT IN THE HALLWAYS. THE EVIDENCE DEMONSTRATES THAT STUDENTS ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN SCHOOL. HIGH LEVELS OF PHONE AND SOCIAL
MEDIA USAGE IN ADOLESCENCE ARE LINKED TO INCREASED ANXIETY ESPECIALLY WHEN USAGE EXCEEDS 2 HOURS A DAY. THIS PATTERN IS CONSISTENTLY OBSERVED ACROSS MULTIPLE COUNTRIES WITH CORRELATIONS TO POOR SLEEP, LESS PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY AND LOWER ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. MEANWHILE, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT REMOVING CELL PHONES FROM SCHOOLS IMPROVES THEIR PERFORMANCE. STUDENTS PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS THEIR MENTAL WELL-BEING.
FOR THOSE REASONS, ON JULY 31ST, 2025, THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATE PASSED SENATE BILL 2561 DRAFTED BY SENATOR JASON LEWIS.
THE BILL CALLED AN ACT TO PROMOTE STUDENT LEARNING AND MENTAL HEALTH WOULD IF PASSED REQUIRE ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ADOPT DRAFT CELL PHONE FREE SCHOOL POLICIES BY
THE FALL OF 2026. REASONABLE EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE WILL BE MADE FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED THEIR PERSONAL DEVICES FOR TREATING MEDICAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS DIABETIC CHILDREN WHO USE THEIR PHONES TO MONITOR THEIR GLUCOSE LEVELS OFF CAMPUS
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLANS OR TO ACCOMMODATE A DISABILITY IF THE DEVICE IS BEING USED FOR LEGIT EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, IT IS ALSO PERMISSIBLE IN THE
LITERATURE AND FROM STUDENTS AT A MOCK HEARING WE HELD IN THIS CHAMBER. SOME CRITICS OF THESE POLICIES INSIST THAT KIDS NEED TO HAVE THEIR CELL PHONES TO BE SAFE. THE RESEARCH, HOWEVER, SHOWS
THAT HAVING A PHONE IN AN EMERGENCY CAN ACTUALLY MAKE STUDENTS LESS SAFE BECAUSE THEY MAY MISS VITAL INSTRUCTIONS AND MAY RELY ON MISINFORMATION THEY RECEIVE FROM THEIR PHONES. MOREOVER, PURSUANT TO THE
SENATE BILL, DISTRICTS MUST ENSURE THAT STUDENTS AND CAREGIVERS HAVE AT LEAST ONE METHOD OF COMMUNICATION DURING SCHOOL HOURS AND THAT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES CAN COMMUNICATE DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. IF THE BILL BECOMES LAW,
DISTRICTS LIKE BOSTON WILL HAVE TO DEVELOP RULES TO IMPLEMENT A BILL TO BUILD A CELL PHONE BAN IN OUR SCHOOLS. SCHOOLS LIKE ENGLISH II HAVE ALREADY SHOWN US THE WAY ON HOW TO EFFECTIVELY DO THAT AND THE
BENEFITS OF REMOVING SCHOOLS AND SOCIAL MEDIA FROM OUR CLASSROOMS. BUT A SET OF RULES CAN ONLY BE AS EFFECTIVE AS THE AS THE BY AND WE GET FROM STUDENTS, PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS ISSUE FROM OUR PANELISTS AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM OUR STUDENTS ABOUT HOW CELL PHONES IMPACT THEM AND HOW WE CAN HELP THEM THRIVE WHILE THEY'RE IN SCHOOL. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THEY COULD COUNCIL HOWEVER. COUNCILOR PIPPIN, DO YOU HAVE A FOURTH? THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE SO MANY YOUNG FACES IN THIS CHAMBER. THIS CONVERSATION IS SO IMPORTANT TO TO ME BECAUSE IN
REALITY I WANT TO PUT THE DATA ON THE PARTY TO THE SIDE BUT IT'S BECAUSE I MYSELF AM A SLAVE TO MY PHONE AND I SOMETIMES I'M IN THESE COUNCIL MEETINGS OR IN A BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE AND I FIND
MYSELF DISTRACTED BY SOCIAL MEDIA, BY EMAILS, BY TEXT MESSAGES THAT ARE COMING THROUGH ENDLESSLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE AND WHAT REALLY RECENTLY SOMETHING TOUCHED
ME WAS THAT I WENT ON A PILGRIMAGE WITH ABOUT 40 YOUTH. I WENT TO ITALY WITH MY CHURCH AND ONE OF THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF THAT TRIP WAS THAT THE YOUTH
HAD TO LEAVE THEIR PHONE BEHINDS AND IT WAS TOO THAT THEY CAN FULLY IMMERSE INTO THE TRIP. AND WHAT I NOTICED IS THAT THE YOUTH THAT I HAD SEEN DAY AFTER
DAY BE SO DISTRACTED WITH THEIR PHONES WERE NOW SPEAKING TO ONE ANOTHER. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR LIVES. THEY WERE THERE WERE SINGING, WE WERE DANCING WE WERE WE WERE ON THE BUS AND EVERYONE WAS JUST TALKING THE WHOLE TIME.
SO I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE WHOLE OTHER SIDE OF IT TO THE POINT WHERE I ENDED UP GIVING UP MY PHONE FOR THREE DAYS AND I SAW A DIFFERENT I FELT DIFFERENT
AND WHEN IT SAYS THAT SOCIAL MEDIA GIVES ANXIETY AND ADHD OR JUST A DISTRACTION, THIS ISN'T JUST TRUE FOR YOUTH. I FEEL THE SAME WAY AS WELL. I'M 28 YEARS OLD.
YOU KNOW I HAD I HAD IPHONE IN MY IN HIGH SCHOOL. I HAD SOCIAL MEDIA IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO I KNEW I KNOW WHAT THAT TYPE OF DISTRACTION COULD DO TO JUST THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND
EVEN JUST YOU AS A HUMAN BEING. I FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE WHEN I'M NOT USING MY PHONE SO I JUST I WANTED TO GET THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY WHICH IS WHY I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE ALL HERE TO HEAR WHAT'S YOUR
PERSPECTIVE? WHAT IS IT THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO EXPERIENCE IN SCHOOLS AND HOW WE CAN COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT IS BENEFICIAL TO ALL OF US NOT JUST FOR A FUTURE BUT JUST FOR OUR WELLBEING EVERY DAY. SO THANK YOU TO ALL MY
CO-SPONSORS. THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR FOR MAKING THIS HEARING POSSIBLE. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION TODAY. AWESOME. THANK YOU. CAN'T STOP AND CONSIDER TALKING. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND JUST TO SAY TO COUNCILOR PIPPEN I WISH I HAD GIVEN UP MY PHONE IN THE LAST THREE DAYS WHO WOULD HAVE REALLY HELPED ME AND MY MENTAL HEALTH. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE STUDENTS AND ALL THE FOLKS THAT
ARE HERE. I ESPECIALLY WANT A SHOUT OUT SO CIUDAD LATINA THEY DO GREAT WORK IN DISTRICT EIGHT AND REALLY HONORED TO SEE YOUTH HERE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM
THE SENATE SIDE THAT THERE IS A VERSION OF A BILL THAT HAS PASSED AND SO THE HOUSE IS YET TO SO THIS REALLY THIS HEARING COULD NOT BE AT AN AT A MORE IMPORTANT MOMENT.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE WORKING ON THIS ISSUE BUT ESPECIALLY COUNCILOR WEBER AND COUNCIL OF JAPAN FOR LETTING
ME BE A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS AND AGAIN ALSO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE FOR ALL THAT THEY DID TO PUT TOGETHER THIS REPORT WITH SOCIEDAD LATINA AND A LOT OF OTHER YOUTH GROUPS SO
EXCITED BY THE CONVERSATION AND I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR WEBER AND COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR PUTTING TOGETHER A HEARING WITH TRANSLATION AND I KNOW THAT A
LOT OF TIMES IT TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY TO PUT TOGETHER A GREAT HEARING BUT TO HAVE IN THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST OUR SEATS FILLED AND PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THIS ISSUE I THINK IT SHOWS A LOT OF ENERGY AND THE IMPACT
THAT THIS HEARING COULD HAVE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKIN ON I'LL GO AND ORDER ARRIVAL STARTING WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN. AND THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US
TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR THE PANEL THAT WILL PRESENT AND FOR THE TESTIMONY FROM THE PUBLIC FROM BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AS WELL. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
EXCEPTIONAL TEAM FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL CAMPBELL'S OFFICE THAT IS ALSO HERE. ANDREA WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL CITY COUNCILOR AND DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB AS THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL FOR THE COMMONWEALTH. THE THIS DEBATE AROUND PHONES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS IMPORTANT AND I'M HERE TO LISTEN AND LEARN.
BUT ONE ONE FACTOR I DO WANT TO ADD TO THE TOPIC IS THE THE BULLYING THAT WE OFTEN SEE IN SCHOOLS AGAINST AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. I THINK WE HAVE TO BE I THINK
WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT ANY STUDENT IS NOT SUBJECTED TO ANY TYPE OF BULLYING OR INTIMIDATION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. MAYBE ONE WAY FOR THAT TO
PREVENT THAT IS HAVING A STRICT BAN ON ON ON PHONES IN SCHOOLS BUT ALSO ENSURING THAT PERSONS WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO A PHONE IN
CASE THEY THEY NEED IT FOR VARIOUS REASONS. BUT AGAIN HE HAD A HE HAD A MORE AND MORE ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL NOW I THINK. MR JUNCKER THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN AND
COUNCILOR MURPHY THANK YOU CHAIR FOR GATHERING US THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO SYRIA LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE STUDENTS AND IF YOU WERE
HERE LAST FRIDAY IN THE CHAMBER COUNCILOR MEJIA IN CHIP FROM GREATEST MINDS HAD A MOCK TRIAL WITH MANY STUDENTS AND I CAME IN AND I GAVE SOME FEEDBACK
BECAUSE THEY WHEN I CAME IN THEY WERE TALKING THIS ABOUT THIS EXACT THING SHOULD CELL PHONES BE BANNED SO THIS SIDE WAS IN FAVOR. THAT SIDE WAS AGAINST IT AND THEY WERE TRYING TO COME UP
WITH SOME REALLY, YOU KNOW, GOOD REASONS ON BOTH SIDES. SO IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM OUR STUDENTS WHO THIS WOULD IMPACT. BUT I DO JUST WANT TO BRING UP HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS.
I KNOW THAT THE HEARING ORDER IS TALKING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ONLY TALKING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THERE IS A LOT OF DISCUSSION
AND DATA AND STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE ON THIS TOPIC AND YOU KNOW THE IMPACT IT HAS ON EVERYONE NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, YOUNG GIRLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOL YOU KNOW, IT'S COLLEGE KIDS,
ADULTS, PARENTS, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE IS SOCIAL MEDIA HAS THERE IS A POSITIVE SIDE TO IT BUT THERE'S ALSO A VERY DANGEROUS NEGATIVE SIDE TO SOCIAL MEDIA.
BUT IF WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT PHONE USE I MEAN OUR SMARTPHONES, OUR COMPUTERS AND I DO THINK IT HAS TO ALSO COME UP THAT IF WE'RE ASKING OUR STUDENTS TO NOT BE DISTRACTED
AND PUT AWAY OUR PHONES, WE HAVE TO ALSO WE DON'T WALK THAT TALK. I WAS A TEACHER IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR OVER 20 YEARS. YOU KNOW, MY KIDS ARE IN ADULTS
NOW BUT WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER IN SCHOOL THERE WAS NO SMARTPHONES. BUT BY THE TIME HIGH SCHOOL CAME AROUND MY TWO YOUNGEST DEFINITELY THERE WAS PHONES IN SCHOOLS BUT IF YOU COME TO ANY
COUNCIL MEETING I MEAN ALL 13 OF US MAY BE ON OUR CELL PHONE AT THE SAME TIME. SO IF YOU LOOK AROUND AND YOU SAW EVERYONE HERE IN THIS CHAMBER MANY TIMES 1211 OF YOU
ARE ON THEIR CELL PHONES WHILE YOU KNOW COLLEAGUES ARE TALKING OR THE IMPORTANT THINGS ARE GOING ON. AND I REFERENCED WHEN I SPOKE LAST FRIDAY TO A GROUP, THE GROUP OF KIDS.
SO WE HAD A MEETING COUNSELOR SANTANA, YOU HAD A WORKING SESSION AND THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT WAS HERE YOU KNOW, SUPERINTEND AND SKIPPER AND HER LEADERSHIP TEAM AND ALL OF THEM
HAD THEIR LAPTOPS OPEN AND THEY WERE DOING IMPORTANT THINGS. I KNOW BUT THERE ARE SO MANY DEVICES THAT WE HAVE NOW IF IT'S OUR APPLE WATCHES, OUR IPADS, OUR COMPUTERS.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE DIGITAL DEVICES IN WAYS THAT WE CAN GET DISTRACTED. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR
STUDENTS FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING THE BEST OUT OF THEIR EDUCATION AND THAT WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN AND SUPPORT AND SEE WHAT WHAT'S THE BEST WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GO FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING TOGETHER SOME GOOD PANELS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION ON SOMETHING GOOD COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU. CHAIR MOST IMPORTANTLY AT LEAST I FIND WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE A YOUNG PERSON SCHOOL AND BEEPS AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE FOLKS AT SOCIAL AT LATINA AND
IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE TODAY YOU'RE BUILDING THE FOUNDATION OF WHO YOU'RE GOING TO BECOME AND WHAT YOU'RE WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING AT THAT AGE HAS AN
IMPACT ON WHO YOU BECOME AS AN ADULT, THE JOB YOU GET AND HOW YOU SORT OF FIT INTO SOCIETY. IF YOU WERE DISTRACTED IN THAT THAT ONLY CARRIES OVER AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT
I AM NOW THE PARENT OF THREE YOUNG CHILDREN EIGHT, SIX AND FOUR YEARS OLD AND I FIND MYSELF ON THE PHONE BECAUSE OF THIS JOB. RIGHT. AND MANY JOBS REQUIRE THIS WHERE PEOPLE ARE CALLING PEOPLE ARE SENDING YOU NOTES, WATCH
THIS VIDEO, THIS THAT AND THE OTHER THING AND IT'S A 24 HOUR JOB AND SO YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AS MUCH AS TIME YOU CAN STILL FIND YOURSELF CONNECTED TO THE PHONE EVEN WHEN YOU'RE
TRYING TO DO A JOB AS IMPORTANT AS PARENTING. SO FOR THE FOLKS THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY THAT ARE GOING TO TESTIFY AND LISTEN IN, THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WANT TO BE ROLE MODELS YOU'RE ALREADY HERE TODAY, RIGHT?
YOU'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE YOU'RE LEADERS AND IF YOU WANT TO BE LEADERS IN THE FUTURE, THEN YOU HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH. AND SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT IN IN THESE FOUNDATIONAL YEARS
THAT YOU PUT THE PHONE DOWN BECAUSE THAT WILL ONLY HELP. I DIDN'T HAVE A PHONE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I STILL FIND IT DIFFICULT AT TIMES TO MAKE SURE NO, I DON'T WANT ANYONE WALKING AWAY HERE THINKING I'M A BAD PARENT, OKAY?
I LOVE MY KIDS AND I SPEND LOTS OF TIME WITH THEM EVERY SECOND I CAN BUT SOMETIMES WHEN DUTY CALLS AND THEY COME UP TO YOU AND SAY HEY DAD, GET OFF THE PHONE, IT'S HEARTBREAKING. AND I HAVE THAT MOMENT WHERE I
GO I WISH I NEVER HAD THIS THING SO I REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE SCHOOL AND THE EDUCATION THIS IS THIS IS A LIFESTYLE THAT YOU HAVE TO START PUTTING THE WORK IN NOW
IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT HABITS IN PLACE. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JIM. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FITZGERALD I'M GOING NOW WHEN I ENTER TO
RIGHT BEFORE I INTRODUCE OUR FIRST PANEL, WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST PANEL AND I'M ALSO GOING TO TAKE A FEW PEOPLE OUT OF ORDER FOR A PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I DO WANT TO ECHO MY FIRST THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE.
THANK ALL THE STUDENTS WHO ARE HERE. I REALLY LOVE THAT OUR CHAMBER IS FILLED WITH YOUNG PEOPLE ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNOW THAT TODAY AND EVERY
DAY CITY HALL IS YOUR HOME AND THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE. AND YOU KNOW I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO DINA. YOU KNOW, IN MY HOME HOMETOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD OF MISSION HILL. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR AG'S OFFICE AND FOR YOU ALL BEING HERE AND ALL THE WORK
THAT YOU'RE DOING ON THIS ISSUE ,YOU KNOW, AS MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN IN AN AREA RIGHT NOW WHERE SOCIAL MEDIA IS ALMOST TAKING OVER SO MANY OF OUR LIVES AND
IS IMPACTING ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH AND THAT'S SOMEONE WHOSE PRIORITIES ARE OUR YOUTH AND OUR IN COMMUNICATION WITH OUR YOUTH ON A DAILY BASIS. I SEE THE IMPACT THAT SOCIAL MEDIA MAY HAVE ON YOUR MENTAL
HEALTH ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU READ, YOU KNOW HOW YOU WANT PEOPLE TO PERCEIVE YOU, HOW YOU WANT TO BE PERCEIVED AND IT'S IT'S EXHAUSTING. RIGHT? AND YOU KNOW, I FIND MYSELF,
YOU KNOW, SCROLLING ALSO ON TIKTOK BEFORE GOING TO BED AND AND YOU KNOW, WATCHING FUNNY VIDEOS AND STUFF BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO IT. THERE'S A LOT MORE IMPACTS AND I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE EXPERTS WHICH ARE OUR YOUTH HERE TODAY. SO WITH THAT LET'S GET STARTED WITH OUR YOUTH PANEL. SO AS I INTRODUCE YOU ALL
OF YOU CAN GUYS COME DOWN AND SAY WE HAVE FROM OUR YOUTH PANEL WHY ONE THEN TROTMAN FROM THE ENGLISH HE'S AN ENGLISH
HIGH GRADUATE AND HE'S ALSO A YOUTH WITH SOCIAL ATHENA LAURA LAUREN SOTO JUNIOR AT FENWAY HIGH SCHOOL WITH A SOCIAL LATINA LEIGHTON MUHAMMAD IS A
RISING JUNIOR AT BOSTON IN SCHOOL JAYDEN SANTOS, WHO'S A RISING JUNIOR AT BOSTON ARTS ACADEMY. SO REALLY LOVE THAT WE HAVE
YOUTH HERE TODAY WITH US TALKING ON THIS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. I'M GOING TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU IF YOU ALL CAN JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL FOR ANY OPENING STATEMENTS AND REMARKS ONE OF THESE BUT
IT'S ONE IN A ATWAL MENTEE WHEN RASPBERRY E RISING TO MENTOR MORALE WHETHER IT'S SPOILER ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL ASIAN AND MEANT TO REPRESENT AND ASSOCIATE THE LATINA JASMINE
ORGANIZATIONS AND FOREIGNERS THEY'LL GROW IS ARROYO WHO WHEN DON'T THE FORMAL PARTIES OF PERSONAL IS SO EXCELLENT AND THE OTHER TWO I'VE GOT BARAK AND MONICA ALONE AS RECOMMENDERS ON SOVEREIGN
EDUCATION AS A LATINO LAWYER, AS A SCHOLAR PUBLIC ARE ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE MOST NOSOTROS COMO AWARENESS APPROACH WHICH I DON'T I'M A HOMEOWNER IRA GOOD MORNING.
YES THERE'S A BUSY ONE. WE HAVE TO USE A LOT OF AREAS
SO THINK EFFECTIVE THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL MY NAME IS WANDA I CURRENTLY LIVE IN ROXBURY AND I RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM ENGLISH HIGH
SCHOOL. IN ADDITION I'M REPRESENTING SOCIEDAD LATINA WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION WITH IT'S A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH
AND THEIR I'M PART OF THEIR STAFF AND I AM ALSO AN ALUMNUS TODAY I AM HERE TO COMMUNICATE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING EDUCATION SURROUNDING TECHNOLOGY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN
BOSTON AND HOW WE AS YOUNG PEOPLE CAN TAKE THE BEST ADVANTAGE OF IT AND WORKFLOWS MAESTROS INNOVATORS AS WELL AS A PERSONAL DECISION I LATINAS
PREDOMINATELY PRESENT AMONG LOS EFECTOS BUT WHO IS SERIOUS THEY LOSE TELEPHONE OR CELLULAR RENTAL PROGRAM ADDRESS CALLER IT IS YOU THE POINT IN THE WHERE AN ADDRESS AND THOSE MILLION REQUIRED JUST LIKE THE
FUTURES HERE WE THE STUDENT IN SOCIEDAD LATINA WE EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEMS REGARDING SOCIAL MEDIA AND CELL PHONES AND WE
WANTED TO EXPERIMENT AND SEE WHAT WE COULD DO AND WISER PROCESS BUT I ALSO ROLL YOUR WINDOW NOT IN CELLULITIS NEEDS POSITIVE WALLS FOR DONORS DOES CUATRO OUR PROCESS IN ORDER TO
DEVELOP A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT THE CELL PHONES WERE THE FOLLOWING FOR EL PRIMERO SOCIEDAD LATINA THIS ARE YOUR
OWN IN QUESTION SOLICITOR AND ALSO WEARING YELLOW SO WHEN HIS AUNT IS THE IMPLEMENTER ON PROGRAM APPEAL OR DELIVERY AND SEEN CELLULITIS WHEN ALSO WHEN IS LET'S BRING METEOROLOGICAL
CELLULAR DURANTE LA THAN MUERTO SO FIRST OF ALL SO SEE THAT LATINA IMPLEMENTED A PILOT PROGRAM WHERE DURING THE SUMMER WE ASKED THE STUDENTS TO WORK
WITHOUT HAVING THEIR CELLPHONES. SOME OF THE STUDENTS REQUESTED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR CELL PHONES DURING LUNCH PERIOD SO THEY WANT THEM COMMIT TO THE
PERSONAL TRABAJO ANGEL THIS ARE ROJO THE UNPLANNED THE IMPLEMENTATION IS TO INCLUDE YOUR REACTION WHEN I POLITICAL PILOTO SALVADOR WHEN I POLITICAL GRETA GONZALEZ
CONSEQUENCES WHOM TO GO WHEN I GOT IT I REALLY ENJOY GIVES A COMPARATIVE CARLOS BY OTHERS SO WHAT ARE THOSE PLANETS BOTTOM BETTER NO SINCE RULERS OKAY SECOND POINT WE THIS WE DEVELOP A PLAN TO BE IMPLEMENTED IT WAS
A PILOT PLAN AND SO WE HAD A NETWORK AND WHAT WE WROTE WAS THE GUIDELINES. IT WAS BILINGUAL AND IT WAS SHAPED BOTH WITH THE STUDENTS AND WITH THE PARENTS AND HOW TO
WORK WITHOUT FAILS. BUT DURING THE SUMMER TIME ASSOCIATE LATINA TO WORK ON YOUR OWN AS CLOSE WOVEN IS GONDOLAS YOUNG ISSUES ONTO THE ENJOY PROGRAM OLIVIA ARE NOT
PARIS REGARDLESS PLAN OR POLITICAL ALSO SOPHIA THAT LATINA HAD A MEETING WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND WITH THEIR PARENTS IN ORDER TO SPEAK ABOUT HOW THIS PROGRAM WAS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED DURING THE PROGRAM DURING THE SUMMER
PROGRAM TO SETTLE DOWN TO A LA CARTE THAT ALOE SPA THAT IS COMO LA UNION SO SHE ARE LATINOS TO GO BROKE OPPOSITIONISTS KILL US ALL IS LESBIAN TRANSMITTER YOU ATRAVÉS
THE ONE INQUISITOR AETERNA DARIO DE LA PANDEMIA SOBRE MENTAL EVEN STAR ALL THIRD AFTER THIS LETTER THAT WAS SENT
BOTH TO PARENTS AND TO STUDENTS WHICH WAS DONE AFTER ALSO A SURVEY THAT WAS DONE AMONG THE GROUP AFTER COVID WHERE IT WAS TRIED TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING
WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH DURING THIS PERIOD THAN BEING GENERALLY SO L IN PARTICULAR THE SOCIALIST YOU SEE WHAT ARE
CAUSAL IS THAT ONE TENIENDO ENGAGES ALSO ANALYZED WAS THE EFFECT OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND SOCIAL BULLYING THE EFFECT THAT
THIS WAS HAVING TO PONDER PUERTO SOCIO LATINA TAMBIÉN THIS NOT GO LA THAT THE CONNECTION SOCIAL AND THE LOSS OF VENICE COMO RESULTADO DE LA
PANDEMIA SI SOCIEDAD LATINA STUDY WHAT WAS THE LOSS OF HUMAN CONTACT SOCIOLOGICALLY AMONG THE STUDENTS DURING THE PANDEMIC?
I SEE THE LOSS IMPACT WAS NEGATIVE WAS THEIR OWN MENTAL ILL ALSO CELLULITIS AREA THIS SERIES ALSO THEY LOOK WE LOOK AT THE NEGATIVE IMPACT IN SOCIETY THE INCREASED INCREASE
OF USE OF CELL CELLPHONES, SOCIAL MEDIA DURING AND DURING THIS PERIOD THEY WILL MONITOR PERSONAL PROPORTIONATE STUDIES BECAUSE THEY ARE ONE OF THESE
DIGITAL ESCALADES SO BRAND EFFECT OF POSITIVE OR RENDIMENTO ACADEMICAL SI COMMUNE AMADEO CONNECTION AND ALLUSIONS TO THE AND THIS ULTIMATE INTERNAL SINCE ALVARADO'S DURANTE LA OR
ANOTHER SCHOLAR IN ADDITION TO THIS THEY WERE ALSO EXPRESSED AMONG THE SOCIAL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS SOME OF THE POSITIVE EFFECTS THAT THERE WERE AMONG THE STUDENTS BY USING SOCIAL
NETWORKS AND THEY ALSO THOUGHT BOTH IN THEIR COMMUNICATION, THEIR CONTACT AND ALSO IN THEIR ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT THE POSITIVE EFFECTS AND CONTROL
OF AMELIA'S AMATEUR AND POSITIVE US CONTRA ASPECT ALL WERE ANALYZING CELLULITIS LET'S BREAK UP OUR POWER COMMUNICATORS THE CONSUMER SCIENTIST E IS ALSO THE ERA E E
CASE WAS A VIDEO BUT DURANTE ALSO MAINTAINS YET IN GENERAL THE FAMILIES SHOWED A POSITIVE ASPECT ABOUT USING CELL PHONES DURING THE SUMMER BECAUSE THEY DID WANT TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THEIR TEENAGERS AND
BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY BE ABLE TO BE IN CONTACT WITH THEM SOCIALLY THAT LATINO THEY WILL MONITOR GUARANTEES OF A CONTROLLABLE NOT AGAIN CAPELIN
AND VITAMIN SIZE CONTROL ALSO KNOWN AS PORTELA IF NOT AND SO THEY WERE HANDS YOU STILL SEE THAT LIKELY THAT WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY GUARANTEED ALSO THAT THERE WOULD BE SOMEONE WOULD BE SENDING MESSAGES AND WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTACT THE YOUNG
STUDENT IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY THUMB BEING SAME FATTY SO KISS THE OTHER MENSTRUAL GAZE MUSCLE A LITTLE PARALLEL. SO WHEN IS NOT IN THERE SO CELLULAR IS DURANTE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE.
IT WAS ALSO STRESSED THAT IT WAS ABLE TO BE PROVEN THAT IT WAS SAFER FOR STUDENTS NOT TO HAVE THEIR CELL PHONES DURING THE TIME OF EXTREME EMERGENCIES
. THAT MEANS THEY SOLICITED FAMILIES. I KEPT ON EVERY CAR ETC. MONICA AND COUNCILOR SIEGEL'S ELEANOR GENTRY OR OR PAULA MANANA PORTABLE YARRALUMLA POLITICA. IT WAS ALSO ASKED FROM THE
FAMILIES TO PLAN WITH THEIR CHILDREN THE NIGHT BEFORE AND THE NIGHT AFTER HOW THEY WERE GOING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR CHILDREN THAN BEING BUT MEDIA DON'T KILL US ALL.
WHEN IS DO WE ANSWER WHOSE TELEPHONE DURANTE LA WENZEL GO MOST MEANS YOU ARE NOT I'M BEING IS TO PHONE I SORT OF HINGE I SAW HER AND SHE HAD A LITTLE CHAUVINIST ALSO IT WAS ALLOWED TO TO THIS DO THE STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE
THEIR PHONES DURING THE LUNCH HOUR AS THIS WAS A SUGGESTION THAT CAME FROM THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES THE MUSIC BUT I MEAN DOUGLAS-HOME WENT TO VIENNA
SUSAN TELEPHONE WAS AYLA'S ESCORTS UNIT SEEM FREQUENT NOISE TO BE IT ENOUGH WHERE NIECES WEIRD UNCLES AND ALSO STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR PHONES DURING FIELD TRIPS OR OUTSIDE AS LONG AS THEY WEREN'T HAVING THEIR PHONES
OUTSIDE OR USED TO BE ACTIVE PERSON ON MAINTAIN QUANDO FREE TO THE UNTIL THE ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL IMPLEMENTERS THE LEANDER FOR MINISTERS UNTIL PRINCIPAL
WELL FOR ME PERSONALLY WELL I WAS A STUDENT AT ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL WHEN WE FIRST IMPLEMENTED THIS PROGRAM. IT WAS VERY STRESSFUL AT FIRST BEDROOM I STARTED COMPREHENDING
GETTING CONVERSATION AS IN PERSONA AND BUSINESS STARTED MIDDLE LEVEL WHAT IS IT? I'LL GO PROPERTY WILL IT GET I'LL COME ON MY PUZZLE WHETHER YOU GO TO ADDRESS OR WITNESS
OTHER SARTORIAL CONVERSATION AS FRUITY US BUT ALSO FOR TOMORROW BUT AFTERWARDS I WAS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT BEING ABLE TO HAVE IN PERSON CONVERSATIONS INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM OVER THE
PHONE WAS VERY WORTH WAS LEADING TO VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS AND IT WAS IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS WORKING VERY WELL AND HAVING ALL THESE AND
CONCLUSION IS GONZALEZ IS NECESSARY TO MAHJONG IMMEDIATELY BUT I CAN ALSO BE WRONG WAS BENEFICIAL. GALER I ALSO WENT AND SAT IN ON FUTURE OPERA WHICH WE SHALL
CRASH'S CONCLUSION WHAT I WOULD SAY IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO TO TAKE THESE ACTIONS AND BECAUSE THIS WILL LEAD TO VERY IMPORTANT BENEFITS THAT WILL HELP ALL OF US I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION OUR RABBI SOMOS LAURA LAURA SOTO NOW WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM LAURA.
LET US SORT WHEN WAS THE US AT THOSE MEAN NUMBER LAURA LAURA SOLD TO SALUD WHO WHEN EATING SALSA I LATINA PARTICIPANT WILL PROGRAM A HOME AND IS COMMUNITY ORGANIZER HELLO IT IS GOOD
MORNING TO ALL MY NAME IS LAURA LAURA SOTO YOUTH LEADER AND SOCIEDAD LATINA AND I AM PART OF THIS PROGRAM YOUTH COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS IT'S LIKE YOU WERE
GETTING ME AND ALSO THE POLITICOS. I ALSO DELIVER A LOT MORE AS A SKILL AS A BASE. I MUST AT ANY GIVEN OPPORTUNITY ARE THE DOHA RENTED AREAS WHO GOT THE ALL THE TEQUILA HOLINESS AND FOR GIRLS AND A
LOSER RESPONSIBILITY INSTEAD LA LA PREVENZIONE DE LA DOLCE VITA COSME LESOTHO ANY OTHER LITTLE COMMUNITY WE CANNOT INCLUDE US. I CANNOT ASK WHAT INTELLIGENT HEALTH OFFICIAL I AM HERE
BECAUSE I HAVE A VERY DEEP KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE POLICIES OF THE USE OF CELL PHONES IN THE SCHOOLS OF PEACE. ALSO I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF WORKING AT DIFFERENT
WORKSHOPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN FOCUSING THE RESPONSIBLE USE OF THE CELL PHONE HOW TO PREVENT CYBER BULLYING, DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AND HOW TO IDENTIFY FALSE
NEWS INCLUDING THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN GENERATED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BASED ON THE DRONE WAS LIVE VIDEO AND SO THAT OUR HANDLING IS SUSTAINED MASS AND SOCIAL LATINA PROBLEMS CAN
SIMPLY MAINTAIN MEDIA AS MY STREET DOES IN TOTAL AS WELL AS I BOSTON AND SALSA ARE LATINA CRIMINALS FILM IN THE GHETTOS TELLING US MORE WE LISTENING IS STILL WASTING KILOS AS L'INIZIO AS A LATINA SCHOLAR BUT I
GUARANTEE SAID AMBIENT THE MASALA LOUDLY AND POCO IS WITH OBRADOR AND THIS BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE AND WORKING WITH A DIFFERENT THEME SINCE YOU SEE THAT LATINA WE PROPOSED THAT
MEASURES ARE IMPLEMENTED THAT ARE MORE RESTRICTED IN ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN BOSTON IN SOCIEDAD LATINA WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT CELL PHONES SHOULD BE RESTRICTED FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE
SCHOOL DAY TO GUARANTEE A HEALTHIER, MORE FOCUSED AND SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR OLDER STUDENTS. THE MAY INDEPENDIENTE LATINA
THUMBING OUTLOOK IS TO THE YOUNG THE INDIAN LOOK YES BECAUSE I'M GOING TO SUPPORT A LOCALIZED POLITICAL GAIN FROM IMPORTANT REGION DISTINCTION IS MY STREET DOES I LOSE ELDERLY
FOR NO MORAL SIN EMBARGO GOING TO GO GET THAT'S HAS PUT IN BENEFICIAL MOST COMMERCIALLY AND THIS I LIVE IN BOCA THEY ALSO DIDN'T GO IN THAT CASE THAT'S POLITICS NO SON IF ANYTHING OF POINT WAS CONTRIBUTED AND MEJORAR LA
SCALA GIRLS AND WE CELEBRATED THAT THERE ISN'T A CITY THAT IS IN A FUTURO REGARDLESS OF SOCIO LATINA. I'M HERE SPEAKING AS A STUDENT AS WELL. I UNDERSTAND THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THE POLICIES
THAT WILL BE MORE STRICT WHEN IT COMES TO THE USE OF CELL PHONES. NEVERTHELESS I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THOSE MEASURES CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO THE STUDENTS. AT THE SAME TIME WE NEED TO
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT THOSE POLICIES ARE NOT WRITTEN ON STONE WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVE THOSE, ADAPT THEM TO TO
OUR TRUE NEEDS IN THE FUTURE NECESSARY AND TO THEN PARTICIPATE IN IMPLEMENTATION DE LA POLITICS KNOWS THAT AS WELL AS THEIR OWN STATUS QUO. CHARLES CARLOS BEEN IN CONSEQUENCE HAS HOSTED US FOR
EMPOWERING FRANKIE DE LA POLITICA ORQUESTA ON HIS ROLE AS YOU KNOW ASKING A CONTACT FAMILIARIZE. PART OF OUR RECORD I THINK IS LIKE WHAT RECORDING RECORDINGS WHICH I LIKE YOU MAY SAY WHAT I
MUST HAVE WHAT IS THE GRASS? YES STUDENTS SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICIES. OUR VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD WHEN IT COMES TO THE DISCIPLINE
THAT'S FAIR FOR NOT COMPLYING WITH THE POLICIES WHEN IT COMES TO CONTACTING THE FAMILY MEMBERS PLEASE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHO THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE THE MOST AFFECTED
BY THIS. THANK YOU BECAUSE THIS IS A SONG.
OKAY. HELLO, MY NAME'S DON. I'M FROM BUZEK AND I GO TO BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL SOME OF THE TOPICS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
TODAY ARE SAFETY. SO MANY TIMES DURING SCHOOL WHEN AN INCIDENT HAPPENS LET'S SAY SOMEBODY IS AROUND THE BUILDING OR SOMEBODY BREAKS
INTO THE BUILDING, STUDENTS DON'T FIND OUT UNTIL LATER ON AND ESPECIALLY PARENTS DON'T FIND OUT UNTIL AFTER THE FACT MANY TIMES AND SPEAKING TO
STUDENTS I FIND THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE ISSUES THROUGH THEIR CELL PHONES AND THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA IF
STUDENTS DON'T HAVE THEIR PHONES IN THE CITY AND NEED AN EMERGENCY CONTACT SYSTEM IF STUDENTS DON'T HAVE ACCESS, BOTH PARENTS AND STUDENTS
DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING CURRENTLY AT THEIR SCHOOL. I'M SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE USED AS A POSITIVE TOOL ALSO.
MANY PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO FIND FRIENDS COMMUNITY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. ALSO MANY STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO
MANY STUDENTS FROM VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES ARE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS THROUGH THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA. I'M ALSO I FIND THAT SCHOOLS
THAT ALREADY HAVE YOU ON YOUR POUCHES HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON YOU AND YOUR POUCHES ARE ALREADY BROKEN OR UNUSABLE
AND I THINK THAT IN THE LONG RUN THE LONG LASTING SPENDING OF YOUR POUCHES WILL TAKE AWAY FROM OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT
STUDENTS CAN GET FOR ALSO MANY STUDENTS THAT HAVE OTHER COMMITMENTS AFTER SCHOOL AT IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER FOR
THEM TO GO WHERE THEY HAVE TO GO. STUDENTS USE THEIR PHONES NOT JUST FOR SOCIAL MEDIA BUT ALSO FOR TRANSPORTATION YES TRAINS
IN BOSTON TELL TELL STUDENTS WHEN IT'S TO ARRIVE BUT FOR BUSSES, CARS, OTHER VEHICLES THEY DON'T KNOW UNLESS THEY
HAVE THEIR PHONE ON. ALSO SOON IS TO HAVE AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES LIKE SPORTS GAMES, STUFF LIKE THAT. IT'S GOING TO BE A HASSLE AND A
WASTE OF TIME IF THEY HAVE TO GO FROM THEIR CLASS TO THEIR LOCKER TO THE LOCKER ROOM ALL THE WAY AND THEN ALSO HAVING TO UNLOCK THEIR PHONE FROM THE
UNDER POUCHES. ALSO IF WE ARE GOING TO TAKE AWAY THEIR PHONES DURING SCHOOL HOURS IT SHOULD BE REACHABLE IN
MY SCHOOL AT LEAST I DON'T HAVE YONDER POUCHES YET BUT WE DO HAVE LIKE LIKE POCKET POUCHES
ON DOORS WHERE STUDENTS GET EXTRA CREDIT SO IT'S BETTER TO SEE AS LIKE SOMETHING YOU SHOULD DO TO KEEP FUNDS AWAY RATHER THAN A PUNISHMENT.
AT LEAST ADULTS SHOULD BE LEADING BY EXAMPLE. I KNOW THAT MANY TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND ALSO SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS HAVE USED YOUR PHONE DURING SCHOOL HOURS
. I THINK THAT IF THEY'RE ALLOWED TO USE IT SO SHOULD WE. ARE WE NO ADULTS? NEITHER FUNDS FOR IMPORTANT THINGS BUT SO DO WE. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, MANNY. THANK YOU DANA, FOR JOINING US AND CITY HALL FOR HAVING US FOR THIS IMPORTANT DAY. I'M HERE WITH THE BOSTON ADVISORY COUNCIL ALSO KNOWN AS VISA THIS STUDENT LED
COUNCIL MISSION IS TO UPLIFT STUDENT VOICE AND TO ADVOCATE FOR STUDENTS IN ALL SCHOOLS AND BE PEERS AND WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DO SO TO CONNECT BACK TO WHAT BOSTON'S MISSION IS TO
PREPARE STUDENTS FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION AND THE FUTURE. TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE TO GROW AND THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE. I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO ADOPT WITH THAT AND
LEARN HOW TO GROW WITH THE ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY AND ELIMINATE THEM COMPLETELY BECAUSE IN SECONDARY EDUCATION THERE WILL NOT BE TAKING AWAY OUR PHONES AND WE WILL LEARN HOW TO USE THEM AND ADAPT INTO
OUR CURRICULUM AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO BUILD WITH THAT AND TO LEARN HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY IN A PROPER WAY FOR THE FUTURE WHERE IT IS INEVITABLE TO USE IT AT ALL TIMES.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR TEACHERS TO BUILD A GOOD ENVIRONMENT AND BUILD WITH STUDENTS ELIMINATING CELL PHONES AND TAKING THEM AWAY
FROM STUDENTS THE WHOLE SCHOOL. THE SCHOOL DAY WILL CAUSE AN UNHEALTHY ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS FEEL OPPRESSED AND FEEL LIKE ARE SEEKING A THEY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THEIR OWN LIVES AND I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS TO BUILD RESPONSIBLY AND BUILD THEIR OWN SELF LIKE ABILITY TO CONTROL THEMSELVES FOR THE FUTURE AND SO THEY CAN BECOME PROPER
ADULTS AND BE EDUCATED AND LEARN HOW TO USE THEIR BODIES RESPONSIBLY. THANK YOU SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THOSE POWERFUL, POWERFUL
TESTIMONY I GOT FOR BEING HERE . I'M DEFINITELY FEELING I FEEL EDUCATED AND I FEEL MOTIVATED BY BY YOUR WORDS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO FIRST.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNSELOR LARGE JULIA MEJIA AND CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT. WILL SHE RECEIVE LOUIJEUNE? WE'RE GOING TO GO NOW TO COUNCILOR TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR
QUESTIONS. YEAH, WE HAVE THREE PANELS TODAY BECAUSE DIFFERENT PANELISTS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE PUBLIC WHO ARE GOING TO BE TESTIFYING HAVE HARD STOPS FOR
THIS PANEL FOR THE PANEL NUMBER ONE, WE'RE GOING TO ASK COUNSELORS TO JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR FOR OUR YOUTH AND THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD. SO STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN I'LL GO AND
ORDER A REVIVAL COUNCILOR WHENEVER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GREAT GREAT JOB THAT YOU NEED ME TO TELL YOU THAT.
BUT YOUR TESTIMONY IS IS WAS WONDERFULLY PRESENTED. I I KNOW WE HAVE PANELS OF ADULTS WHO DON'T DO THIS WELL SO I JUST YOU KNOW, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR CARING
ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND AND HELPING US FIGURE OUT HOW YOU KNOW THE CITY CAN DEAL WITH THIS IN A WAY THAT'S THAT'S BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS I GUESS
JUST YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA I GUESS DO YOU FIND YOURSELF YOU KNOW, LIKE I YOU KNOW I KNOW I JUST I PICK
IT UP AND YOU GET LOST IN YOUR PHONE I GUESS, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF LIKE DID DOES THAT HAPPEN TO YOU? WHAT KINDS OF APPS OR ARE YOU
LOOKING AT YOU KNOW OR IF YOU WANT TO TALK LIKE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE I THINK MY KIDS USE TIK TOK AND ALL THAT STUFF BUT UM YOU KNOW IS DO YOU FIND YOU
JUST YOU THEY CALL IT DOOMSCROLLING DO YOU DO THAT WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THAT HAS ON YOUR DAY AND ANYTHING YOU WANT
TO SAY ABOUT THAT SOMETIMES DO FIND MYSELF LOST IN MY PHONE BUT I THINK ON APPS LIKE TIK TOK OR INSTAGRAM BUT I THINK
WAYS AS STUDENTS OR JUST ADULTS CAN MANAGE THAT IT IS THROUGH LIKE TIME MANAGEMENT AND JUST HAVING ORGANIZED ACTION ON THOSE APPS YOU CAN PUT SETTINGS
TO LIKE HAVE LIKE A TIME LIMIT A TIME LIMIT ON HOW LONG YOU CAN STAY ON YOUR PHONE FOR ME AND MY TIME LIMIT IS 20 MINUTES SO I KNOW ONCE THE LITTLE ICON SHOWS UP I BACK TO,
YOU KNOW, DOING WHAT I NEED TO DO. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY I THINK YOU KNOW THANK FOR BEING HERE. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND EVERYTHING YOU KNOW, FOUR OF YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. COUNSELOR WEBER, HOST OF IPAD AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO TO THE FOUR PANELISTS HERE TODAY AND AS OF COURSE A TESTIMONIAL I'M
GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS WITH YOUR GLASSES. AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES JUST IN THOSE FOR POWER AND I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY HEALTHY FOR THIS CONVERSATION.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT FOR THAT. I'M SORRY TO YOU YOU REMIND ME YOUR NAME. YES. OH, MY NAME'S DON O'DONNELL.
LADONNA LADONNA SORRY. LADONNA, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY BECAUSE IT'S VERY TRUE THAT STUDENTS DEPEND ON THEIR PHONES FOR TRANSPORTATION AND A LOT OF THEM PLAY AFTER SCHOOL
SPORTS. I WAS I USE MY FORM FOR BOTH OF THOSE THINGS WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL SO I WANTED TO KNOW I WANTED TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF LIKE WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE LIMITATION
OF THE USE OF PHONES DURING THE SCHOOL HOURS ENSURING THAT STUDENTS GET THEIR PHONES RIGHT BEFORE DISMISSAL SO THAT THERE IS AN INTERRUPTION FOR TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS FOR AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES BECAUSE
WHAT I'M WHAT I ENVISION IS THAT ISN'T A FULL BAN RIGHT? IT IS YOU DO GO TO SCHOOL YOUR PHONE BUT THERE IS SOME SORT OF THERE'S A LIMITATIONS TO THE USE OF IT.
AND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, IT IS IT'S GOOD TO BUILD FRIENDS BUT LIMITING THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN SCHOOL YOU COULD USE IT AFTER SCHOOL. SO I WANTED TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF LIKE OR ANY ONE
OF THE FOUR PANELS OF WHAT'S THE RIGHT BALANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN STILL MANAGE YOUR DAY TO DAY ARRANGEMENTS AND YOU'RE OUT OF SCHOOL STUFF BUT AT THE SAME
TIME NOT BE DISTRACTED DOING THAT DURING THE SCHOOL HOURS IF ANY.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION I THINK THAT TO HAVE LIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN THIS MAYBE A STUDENT SHOULD HAVE THEIR PHONES MAYBE DURING JUST PASSING PERIODS OR DURING
BREAKS BUT WHEN IT COMES TIME TO YOU KNOW YOU KNOW GET THAT WORK DONE, THEY SHOULD JUST PUT THEIR PHONE ASIDE.
BUT I AGREE WITH YOU'RE SAYING YEAH YEAH THAT'S WHAT I ENVISIONING OF LIKE FOR SOME OF THE SCHOOL I KNOW THAT YOU'RE YOU SAID YOUR SCHOOL DOESN'T HAVE THE POUCHES YET BUT LIKE IS THERE IS IT A CASE
WHERE WHEN YOU GET TO A CERTAIN CLASS OR HOW DO WE CHANGE CLASSROOMS RIGHT THERE PERIODS DO YOU GIVE YOUR YOU GIVE UP YOUR PHONE EVERY SINGLE TIME OR ANY OF YOU WHEN YOU GO TO A
DIFFERENT CLASSROOM IS THAT WE ENVISION WITH SO DO YOU MEAN LIKE ONCE I GET TO A CLASS
RIGHT RIGHT SO LIKE LET'S SAY I'M IN THE HALLWAY RIGHT ONE FROM CLASS CLASS THE CLASS B I HAVE MY PHONE ON ME I GIVE MY PHONE BACK TO THE TEACHER THAT DOES CLASS B AND YOU GET IT BACK AT THE END OF CLASS B AND
THEN YOU GIVE TO TO THE TEACHER THAT THIS CLASS C I THINK THAT IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY YEAH OKAY NOW THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I THAT THAT THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT
YOU JUST DOES ARE SO IT'S LIKE IT'S LIKE A GRACE PERIOD OF WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR PHONE AND WHEN YOU DON'T THIS IS THIS IS MY MIND TRYING TO FORMULATE I OR SOLUTIONS OF HOW WE CAN POTENTIALLY DO THIS IN A WAY THAT IT'S NOT SUPER A SUPER
BAND IT'S NOT JUST MORE LIKE ALL RIGHT, I'M IN THE CLASSROOM, HERE'S THE PHONE WHEN I'M DONE GIVE IT BACK IT TYPE OF THING. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT THAT IS
ALL I HAVE FOR THIS PANEL BUT I'M JUST VERY THANKFUL FOR THE FACT THAT WE GOT THE OH I SEE. I HAVE THEM. YEAH. AND I NICOLE THEY HELPED THEM
OUT IN NICHOLAS'S IMPLEMENTATION OF VOUCHERS. I LOST PART OF MY MEDICALS. YES. YOUR TOTAL FINALE LIKE KNOW I SAID IT IT I'M WITH THAT YOU SO
WHAT GARY ON WHAT A HAND THERE GO OR CONTROL TO WRAP THE WHOLE THING YOU REMIND A PARTICIPANT THEY ARE LATINO ELECTROLYTE AND AGAIN YOU GOT RAPIDLY AROUND PAGO TO THE ALSO PUERTO A
SUPPLEMENTAL THEY ARE POLITICAL AND WANT TO KNOW POLITICAL THEIR THYROID GLAND AT 11 A MOMENT IF WHAT ARE THEY THEY NEED TO INITIATE THE OTHER FINALS BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO
SHOW ME MICHAEL CHOSE ME PROFESSOR IT IS I AM A LANDLORD OVERALL RATED AND WE MAY LOSE YANKEE UM CAMBIO ITEM IN YOU THOUGH I GRANT THEM AT
LAUNCH OR THEN GRUPO CONNECT THAT MUST MASTER TREATMENT THEY MIGHT REAL BUT AGAIN NO NO NOT ALL OF THEM DEMO FOR HIM BLOCKING ONE TAKE TALK AND HE
SAID DON'T TAKE DIAGNOSTIC GAIN AND WHAT THEY COULD BE TO LOOK AT THE AND WHEN I GO TO DO MY REAL TIME IN ONE TO COMPLETE THE MOMENT BEFORE WE IMPLEMENTED THE POUCHES THE
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR THE SCHOOL YEAR LESS YEAR AND IT'S TRUE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN YOU OPEN THE POUND THE POUCH IT'S ALMOST LIKE A MYSTERY. PEOPLE ARE OUT OF CONTROL.
THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE TO GO TO I ,I HAVE THE SOCIEDAD LATIN ACTIVITIES SO I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT QUICK WHERE I NEED TO GO TO
AND IT WAS A BIT TEDIOUS WHEN THEY IMPLEMENTED THE POLICY WELL NOT POLICY THE THE RULE BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT IMPLEMENTING THE POUCHES THAT'S
FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE END TO THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY IT HELPED A LOT. IT WAS REFLECTED ON MY GRADES. THE TEACHERS ACTUALLY TOLD ME THAT THEY SAW A BIG CHANGE
IN IT HELPED DURING LUNCH TIME TOO BECAUSE OR WHEN WE HAD GROUP ACTIVITIES BECAUSE AT THE TIME WE ACTUALLY NEEDED TO HAVE REAL CONNECTIONS THROUGH CONNECTIONS WE WERE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED
ON TIK-TOK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT REAL THINGS CONTINUE TO PERFORM THEM MEAN JOE WAS ON I
MEAN THEY SO NOW I GET THEM TO THE A LOT OF YOU GOT THEM TO DO SOMETHING VERY CELLULAR E WHICH I WAS I DON'T THINK MALEVOLENT THAT THEY JOIN ME MUCH BETTER SORT OF BATTLE AND CHAOS OKAY LOOK THERE WAS ONLY ONE
IMPORTANT EQUALITY REGULAR MOVEMENT IN PHYSIOLOGY YOU'LL GET KIDJO THEY WANT TO BE CSO ALSO PERSONALLY I USE MY PHONE
ONLINE. I USE IT ONLINE AND SOMETIMES I'M NOT WILLING TO LET GO OF IT IN. I CAN SAY THAT THIS RULE AT SCHOOL WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. IT WAS A RULE THAT WAS
BENEFICIAL TO ME AND I WOULD LIKE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AND THE BENEFITS THAT I RECEIVED
YET OBVIOUSLY INTO PARK INTO A CONTROL ARMY, A CONTROL TELEPHONE ALSO IN THAT CARE THEY IMPLEMENT THAT ON A LOLLAPALOOZA SO COACHELLA BLUES
OUT OF EL TIEMPO MY REQUIREMENT SO I'M NOT GOING TO SO IN OUR PERSPECTIVE I COULD DO IT WRONG. I CAN SEE REALLY I WAS JUST SAYING THAT I'M JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT PERSPECTIVE
OF SEEING HOW SHE BENEFITED FROM THE POUCH SYSTEM FROM THE START OF SCHOOL AT THE END OF SCHOOL DAY AND HOW HER GRADES ENDED UP BECOMING BETTER AND EVERYTHING. SO I MENTIONED HOW EVEN RULES
LIKE THAT WOULD EVEN BENEFIT ME. SO I KNOW JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I REALLY APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOUR PERSPECTIVES HERE TODAY . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR AT PEPPERDINE I'M NOT
GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO COUNSELOR DURKIN JUST TO REMIND FOR MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE WHEN YOU ASK THE QUESTION JUST GIVE OUR TRANSLATORS A FEW SECONDS TO TRANSLATE SO THAT WE CAN
GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF OUR PANELISTS TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER. COUNSELOR DURKIN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SOMETIMES I FORGET HOW MUCH SPANISH I COMPREHEND WHEN PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING SLOWLY.
I LITERALLY THOUGHT THAT ENRIQUE WAS SPEAKING IN ENGLISH . SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THIS PANEL. I DID WANT TO DIG IN A LITTLE
BIT WITH YOU BECAUSE I YOUR APPEAL SO BLESSED ACTUALLY DOES HAVE A NOTE. WELL, IT'S AN HONOR SYSTEM IN TERMS OF NO AND THEY FEEL LIKE THAT WORKS FOR THEM.
I KNOW I TAUGHT VIOLA WITH THE HEAD OF SCHOOL JASON GALLAGHER AND HONORED ACTUALLY I THINK ALL FOUR OF THE SCHOOLS ARE IN DISTRICT EIGHT SO I'M HONORED TO REPRESENT ALL OF YOU AND
AWARE AT LEAST DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. SO I JUST WANTED TO DIG INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN THE HEAD OF SCHOOL AT BLS ACTUALLY TAKE THE PHONE
OUT OF SOMEONE'S HAND WHEN THEY'RE IN THE HALLWAY SO YOU AREN'T ALLOWED TO USE YOUR PHONE OUT IN PUBLIC. SO I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS HOW THAT WORKS FOR THE SCHOOL AND I
THINK AND I KNOW SORT OF A LITTLE REASON I'M NOT TRYING TO GET YOU IN TROUBLE AND ARE DEFINITELY NOT TRYING TO GET YOU ON THE SPOT BUT I THINK YOUR TESTIMONY SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU NEED ACCESS TO YOUR PHONES. CAN YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SORT OF WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS
TO YOUR PHONE EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE AREN'T USING IT DURING THEIR CLASSES? OKAY. IT'S OUR I KNOW THIS IS A VERY
TOUGH QUESTION. IT'S MY SPINE. SO YOU'RE SAYING LIKE WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO USE OUR PHONES? WELL, YOU KNOW, AT MY SCHOOL I
KNOW I'VE I KNOW I'VE SEEN TEACHERS GET YOU KNOW, TAKE PEOPLE'S PHONE AWAY. MY PHONE HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY. I THINK THAT THERE'S ALWAYS LIKE A TIME AND PLACE FOR EVERYTHING.
LIKE I KNOW IN SOME CLASSES TEACHERS WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO USE THEIR PHONES FOR THE RIGHT PURPOSES OR LIKE IF FOR PLAYING WHO GAME OR A GYM KIT STUDENTS
WILL USE YOUR PHONES IF THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR CHROMEBOOK. SO LIKE IT'S LIKE I THINK IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE EXCEPTIONS TO CERTAIN RULES.
GOTCHA. AND I THINK I GUESS MY FOLLOW UP IS THAT I'VE HEARD A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT YOU UNDER POUCHES. I'VE ALSO HEARD A LOT OF NEGATIVE THINGS LIKE PEOPLE
HAVE FOUND A WAY TO GAME THE SYSTEM AND GET THEM OPEN DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. OBVIOUSLY I THINK YOU SPOKE TO LIKE THE ONES THAT ARE BROKEN. I CAN'T POSSIBLY WEIGH IN ON
WHETHER THAT IS A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR ALL OF THE SCHOOLS. I THINK BUT I DO THINK IF THE LEGISLATION AT THE STATE HOUSE LEADS BEFORE WE HAVE THE
TECHNICAL SOLUTION FOR THIS FOR THIS ISSUE, THAT WOULD BE A SHAME. I'M HEARING DIRECTLY FROM STUDENTS THAT THEY LIKE THE
IDEA OF YOU KNOW, SOME STUDENTS PERF LIKE LIKE THE IDEA OF NOT HAVING THEIR PHONE DURING THE DAY BUT DON'T FEEL LIKE POTENTIALLY THE YONDER PATCHES ARE THE RIGHT SOLUTION.
I KNOW I WENT TO A SCHOOL WHERE YOU HAD TO TURN IN YOUR PHONE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AND PEOPLE FOUND OTHER WAYS TO GET AROUND IT. THEY WOULD HAVE DUPLICATE PHONES.
I WON'T I WON'T ADMIT THAT THAT WAS ME BUT YOU KNOW BUT THERE ARE YOU KNOW SO I JUST THINK THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A WAY TO GET AROUND. BUT THE THING SO I THINK I I
THINK THAT THE WAY THAT BILLS IS GOING ABOUT THE POLICY OF HAVING IT BE AN HONOR POLICY THAT MAYBE IS NOT STRICT ENOUGH FOR CERTAIN SCHOOL COMMUNITIES BUT MIGHT BE STRICT ENOUGH FOR
THEM. AND I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT THAT SOLUTION. I'M NOT ANTI YONDER POUCH AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE SHOULD BE. BUT I DO THINK IF STUDENTS ARE
FINDING WAYS AROUND THINGS I HAVE HAD TO USE THAT IF YOU GO TO LIKE SPECIFIC CONCERTS WHERE THEY DON'T WANT VIDEO I'VE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE WHERE I PERSONALLY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT
HOW TO OPEN IT DURING THE FEW HOURS I WAS AT THE CONCERT. BUT BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S AN IMPERFECT SOLUTION AND I DO THINK IF THERE WAS A BILL THAT
YOU KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE THIS IT PASSED THROUGH THE SENATE IF IT PASSED THROUGH THE HOUSE. I DO THINK OTHER SOLUTIONS WOULD EMERGE BECAUSE THE MARKET WOULD THEN BE THERE FOR THERE TO BE OTHER SOLUTIONS. BUT JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL
FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND I THINK THE GOAL OF TODAY WAS REALLY TO JUST GET YOUR PERSPECTIVES AND I DON'T THINK HONESTLY I DON'T
THINK THAT WE WILL COME TO A CONSENSUS BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S SO PERSONAL TO STUDENTS. I'M SORRY.
GO AHEAD, WERNER. WHAT I SAW AND SOURCES ARE LATINA CHROMEBOOK ON THE SIMPLEMENTE DE LA POLITICA TO
INCLUIDO BUT CAN CAN I WILL NOT COMUNIDAD MAZAL NEITHER GABE RAMONE LA POLITICAS OF U.P.S. WANT TO START THEIR QUEST TO
THE UK WHERE MOST ARE AT A POLITICAL ARGUMENT BENEFICIO A GAY BOY MOVES TO OUR ALMA GO TO THE UN THE EVP IS OVER RECORD MOST OF THE VIDEOS ARE TELEFONO LIKE Y LA LIGA.
YES. OKAY I WHICH I GET TO LISTEN TO MY ALBUM THIS BUT I THINK WE LIKE A SMORGASBORD OF LOOK AT I
MEAN I AM ATTRACTED STUNNED DIDN'T MEDICAMENTO E PILOTED EITHER ME CAME IN IN HIGH SCHOOL TO MIDDLE GROUND WHEN I
GOT IT I THINK A MULLAH BUT ONLY WAY TO SEE I COME TO THE INTERNET TO THAT NO CONTACT THOUGH I THINK THAT THEY DO THE PROMOTION I WANT FULL TIME THEY GET TO COME HOME AND THEN I GET
ON THE 30 YEARS AND THIS YEAR THE LIEUTENANT E SO GOES I CAN OKAY GIVE ME PIETRO I COULD NOT ULTRABOOK APPOINTMENT THEY NEED TO INSTALL IT UNTIL AQUILA ATSUSHI LATINA WE WANT TO
IMPLEMENT THE POLICY WITH THE STUDENTS THAT WE WANT THE STUDENTS TO WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES WE WANT THEM TO PROMOTE BEEP ONCE
THE BEEPS POLICIES ARE PROMOTED WE WERE WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE IN AGREEMENT OF THOSE BECAUSE THOSE POLICIES CAN BE USED FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE STUDENTS AND
WE WANT THE STUDENTS AND BEPS TO WORK TOGETHER TO SEE HOW THE PHONES CAN BE USED AT THE SCHOOLS. I KNOW THAT STUDENTS ARE USING THEIR CELL PHONES TO TAKE NOTES
TO USE EDUCATIONAL APPS. SOME OF THEM USE THEM TO HAVE MEDICINE REMINDERS TO TALK TO THEIR PARENTS ESPECIALLY IN HIGH SCHOOL. THIS IS WHAT WE DO BEFORE WE
GO. IT'S A PRE COLLEGE WORD BUILDING A CAREER. WE NEED TO BE DOING NETWORKING. WE HAVE ACTIVITIES. THERE'S AN IMPORTANT CODE WE'RE WAITING FOR AND WE NEED TO USE
THE PHONE IN. WE SHOULD WORK ALONE VP'S TO SEE WHEN WE CAN HAVE THE PHONES AVAILABLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH CLASS.
YES, THANK YOU COUNSELOR DURKIN COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THIS GOES TO ANY OF YOU GUYS ON THE PANEL. ONE GREAT JOB. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
EVERYONE DID AWESOME. WHAT DO YOU THINK HIGH SCHOOL WAS LIKE FOR THOSE WHO WENT BEFORE CELL PHONES WERE INVENTED AND WHAT DO YOU THINK SOME OF THE ISSUES THEY HAD TO
FACE WERE THAT YOU WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO FACE WITHOUT HAVING A CELL PHONE? THIS FOR YOU GUYS, THE PANEL
ANY OF YOU GUYS CAN SPEAK UP WHAT WHAT DO YOU THINK LIKE SAY I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL. WE DIDN'T HAVE WE DIDN'T I DIDN'T HAVE A CELL PHONE IN HIGH SCHOOL. WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS LIKE FOR ME? WHAT DO YOU HOW DO YOU THINK I WENT ABOUT SOLVING ISSUES
THROUGHOUT MY DAY? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I DID GUYS. I FIGURED IT OUT RIGHT. IT'S WHAT YOU GOT TO DO. YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE HOLDING YOUR HAND. YOU DIDN'T YOU COULDN'T LOOK UP
THE ANSWER ON THE SPOT HAD TO LEARN HOW TO USE WHAT WAS INSIDE YOUR HEAD AND FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM RATHER THAN SAYING JUST GIVE ME THE ANSWER. AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT DID THAT
HELPS YOUR BRAIN GROW. IT HELPS YOU CREATE THOSE PROBLEM SOLVING SYSTEMIC THINGS INSIDE YOUR BODY THAT IS GOING TO HELP YOU FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEMS LATER ON IN LIFE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN NICE THOUSAND PERCENT. HEY MOM, PICK ME UP. PRACTICE IS OVER, RIGHT? THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT YOU'D HAVE TO CARRY A QUARTER ON YOU TO GO TO A PAY PHONE OR YOU'D HAVE TO ASK GO
TO THE OFFICE AND USE A PHONE. YOU'D HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT. RIGHT. AND SO I THINK THERE'S A BENEFIT TO THAT THAT I THINK A LOT OF KIDS ARE MISSING AND LISTEN, YOU GUYS ARE SMART.
I'M BOSS AND LATIN BY THE WAY AS WELL. SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU GUYS ARE SMART. YOU'RE HERE, YOU'RE CONFIDENT, YOU SPEAK WELL. YOU GUYS ARE DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS BUT I DON'T WANT
YOU GUYS MISSING OUT ON THE KEY COMPONENT AND THAT'S USING THIS IN STRENGTHENING THIS MUSCLE UP HERE. OKAY. BECAUSE THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO. AND THIS PHONE I KNOW AS MUCH
AS YOU SAY IT, WE SHOULD HAVE IT AND IT'S A RIGHT AND I THINK IT'S GOOD. I AM TELLING YOU AS SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT HAS DID NOT HAVE IT AND NOW DOES THIS THING OKAY.
I'M GOING TO SAY THAT LANGUAGE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL TO DRIVE THAT POINT HOME IT IS NOT A GOOD THING AND IT IS IT IS IT IS HAVING AN EFFECT ON THE YOUTH OF AMERICA AND THERE ARE POSITIVE THINGS THAT CAN COME
OUT OF IT BUT THE BAD THINGS OUTWEIGH THAT GREATLY. TAKE THAT SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS NOW SO I ONLY ASK THAT TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE
ROBBING OF YOURSELVES IF YOU RELY ON THIS TOO MUCH. NOW I UNDERSTAND TODAY'S AGE IT MAKES US RELIANT ON IT. RIGHT? YOU'VE GOT YOUR CARDS ON HERE. YOU'VE GOT YOUR PASS ON HERE.
YOU'VE GOT THINGS WHERE YOU JUST SCAN QR CODES SO YOU'RE SAYING HOW CAN I GO THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT THIS? I CHALLENGE YOU ALL TO FIGURE IT OUT. OKAY. SEE IF YOU CAN FIND A WAY
WITHOUT USING YOUR PHONE. THAT'S A CHALLENGE THAT I POSED TO ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE. SEE IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT THE NEXT TIME A PROBLEM COMES UP AND YOU REACH FOR YOUR PHONE TO SOLVE IT. GO NOW I'M GOING TO PUT THIS
AWAY AND LET ME FIGURE OUT A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO THIS AND THEN LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU COME UP WITH BECAUSE I THINK YOU'LL FIND ONE YOU'LL LEARN SOMETHING TO YOU'LL BE PROUD OF YOURSELF
AND THREE I DON'T YOU GUYS CAN TELL ME WHAT THREE IS. I DIDN'T HAVE THREE WHEN I CAME UP WITH THIS SPEECH. OKAY, SO ONE OF THE ISSUES TO THAT WE HAVE TO REALIZE AS PARENTS, AS ADULTS LOOKING OUT
FOR THE YOUTH OF BOSTON, MANY OF THOSE ISSUES WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA THEY HAPPEN NOT DURING SCHOOL HOURS. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW OF THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED AT NIGHT
OVER THE WEEKEND AND THEN WHEN YOU SHOW UP ON MONDAY THAT B.S. HITS THE DOOR. RIGHT NOW THOSE TWO PEOPLE ARE FACE TO FACE AND THEN IT GOES DOWN AND WE LACK THE AUTHORITY
TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THAT DID NOT OCCUR ON BP'S PROPERTY. RIGHT. THE ISSUE STARTED AND SO WE SAY WELL, WE CAN'T CONTROL IT. THEY GO HOME AND THEY'RE THEIR OWN KIDS AND THEY'RE HAVING
THESE FIGHTS AT NIGHT AND OVER THE WEEKENDS AND STARTING THE TROUBLE THAT THEN SPILLS OVER INTO THE SCHOOL THAT THEN DISRUPTS THE EDUCATION THAT YOU GUYS ARE GETTING. SO THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS IT'S
NOT JUST THE DIRECT YOU USING YOUR PHONE THAT'S THE ISSUE. THERE'S THE SPILLOVER OF OTHER ISSUES COMING IN TO DISTRACT THING YOU FROM YOUR EDUCATION. RIGHT? SO I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO BE AWARE OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL
AND HOW YOU'RE AFFECTED IN WAYS YOU MAY NOT EVEN KNOW BY THIS STUFF. YOU KNOW, I THINK THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK IS HOW MANY MINUTES A DAY AND THIS IS TO
ALL FOUR OF YOU AGAIN HOW MANY MINUTES A DAY THIS SUMMER RIGHT SINCE SCHOOL WAS OUT HAVE YOU ALL SPENT OUTSIDE UNSUPERVISED AND NOT ON YOUR PHONE?
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT KEEPING TRACK SO IT'S A HARD IT'S A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER BUT IF YOU COULD EVEN A PERCENTAGE OUTSIDE UNSUPERVISED VISED MEANING YOU KNOW THE ADULTS OUT THERE YOU JUST HANGING OUT WITH YOUR
FRIENDS YOU GUYS ARE RIGHT. LET'S GO DOWN TO DOWNTOWN. LET'S HOP ON THE TRAIN WHATEVER IT MAY BE AND NOT ON YOUR PHONE . MY GUESS PROBABLY MINIMAL,
RIGHT? WE WON'T SAY ANYTHING BUT YOU COULD PROBABLY USE A LOT MORE OF IT AND I SUGGEST YOU GUYS TRY THAT AS WELL. THERE'S NOT ME YELLING AT YOU GUYS. IS THE PARENT IN ME COMING OUT? I APOLOGIZE. I'M PRACTICING FOR MY KIDS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THAT OPPORTUNITY. YOU GUYS ALL DID A FANTASTIC JOB UP HERE TODAY AND I'M PROUD OF ALL YOU GUYS AND WHAT YOU REPRESENT FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN FITZGERALD, THE SLOGAN FIGURE IT OUT RIGHT? JUST FIGURE IT OUT. RIGHT. WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY JUST BEFORE A CITY
COUNCILOR COUNCIL. WELL, I WILL NOW TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO COUNCILOR HERE JUST FOR THOSE WE ARE JOINING IN WE'RE DOING YOU KNOW, ONE QUESTION FOR THIS YOUTH PANEL AND I WILL MOVE ON WITH SOME OTHER PANELS
THAT WE HAVE. COUNCILOR MAY YOU THANK YOU CHAIR AND I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THAT I LOVE TO SEE YOUNG PEOPLE LEADING THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT YOU WITHOUT
YOU. SO TO HAVE YOU HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF YOUR PEERS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MAHI ALSO
GREATEST MINDS AND MADISON PARK STUDENTS WHO ARE HERE ON FRIDAY DOING A MOCK INTERVIEW, A MOCK HEARING REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND I KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE HERE TODAY AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO
FOLLOW THIS AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO SOCIAL AT LATINA ABBIE AN IMPORTANT DAY I'VE BEEN TO THE ANTI SAKI ISLAND ON THIS ESPANOL LIFE IN THE END THOUGH
SO BOTH THING YET THEY LOOK ALSO AT THE CARMONA HISPANICO SUPPLEMENTAL WE ALSO LOOKED TO IT QUESTION AT THE SURPLUS AND I'M NOT I'M BEING A SCHOLAR I GUESS I ALSO HAVE THIS BIG SHEET ISSUED OUT SHOUT OUT TO
SOURCES LIKE LATIN THAT IT'S VERY NICE VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE STUDENTS HERE SPEAKING IN YOUR LANGUAGE IN SPANISH. SO IT'S VERY I REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE HERE.
I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW. THANK YOU. SO THIS FOR ME IS REALLY INTERESTING. I HAVE A 15 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO IS ALWAYS ON HER PHONE AND I THINK THAT THERE WAS SOME
THINGS THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED ABOUT LIKE EMERGENCY THINGS THAT HAPPENED AT SCHOOL AND SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND THE WAY THAT I KNOW THAT SOMETHING'S HAPPENING AT HER SCHOOL IS BECAUSE SHE
SENDS ME A TEXT AND THAT HAS CAUSED A LOT OF ANXIETY WHEN I'M HERE IN THE CHAMBER AND I RECEIVE A TEXT FROM MY DAUGHTER THAT THE SCHOOL IS ON LOCKDOWN AND SO I THINK THAT THERE IS
SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT HAVING DIRECT ACCESS TO YOUR CHILD AND INFORMATION THAT IS VITAL AND I WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE PIECE OF MIND THAT I HAVE TO KNOW THAT I CAN
COMMUNICATE WITH MY DAUGHTER DIRECTLY IN CASE OF EMERGENCIES . SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE POINT THAT YOU MADE EARLIER AND AT THE SAME TIME I
KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT HAS BEEN FOR HER TO REALLY FOCUS ON HER STUDIES. I GET TEXT MESSAGES EMAILS FROM HER TEACHERS. YOU KNOW YOUR DAUGHTER HAS BEEN ON THE PHONE AND SHE SHOULD BE
FOCUSING IN CLASS AND SO THOSE SELF-REGULATION SKILLS WHILE I DO APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CONTROL, I ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S HARD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SELF-CONTROL ESPECIALLY WHEN
THERE'S A LOT OF WATCHING OR A LITTLE GOSSIP HAPPENING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW WHO'S WHO'S GOING TO YOU KNOW WHO'S GOING TO LIKE A COMMENT, WHO'S GOING TO A TROLL IS WHAT
THEY'RE CALLING IT. SOMEBODY IS ALWAYS TROLLING SOMEBODY. SO ALL OF THAT IS HAPPENING AT SCHOOL AND THAT DOES TAKE AWAY FROM LEARNING TIME. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, YOU
KNOW, I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE RIGHT BALANCE. SO IF WE WE HEARD ABOUT FLIP PHONES WHAT ABOUT RESTRICTING SOCIAL MEDIA SO THAT PEOPLE CAN
HAVE ACCESS TO VITAL INFORMATION WHEN IT'S IMPORTANT? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE HAPPY MEDIUM HERE? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? HOW CAN WE GET TO A PLACE WHERE
EVERYONE FEELS LIKE THEY HAVE ONE UNIQUE HELLO? OH SO I THINK THERE'S A DISCONNECT WITH THE ISSUE WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE AND THAT WE'RE
ELIMINATE THE ISSUE BUT REALLY IT'S JUST PUTTING A PAUSE LIKE IN SCHOOL IT'S JUST PUTTING A PAUSE ON WHEN WE CAN USE IT AND THEN IT ALL GOES BACK BECAUSE THE PHONE IS JUST IMMEDIATE
DOPAMINE TO ALREADY A VULNERABLE BRAIN. WE ARE STUDENTS AND WE'RE DEVELOPING AND THAT DOPAMINE THAT WE GET FROM A PHONE IT TRIGGERS AND WE WANT MORE OF IT. SO I THINK THE TRUE ISSUE IS
THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE WE HAVE. SO I THINK WE NEED TO RETEACH STUDENTS HOW TO BE DISCIPLINE INSTEAD OF JUST ELIMINATING THE PHONE BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T MAKE YOU MORE DISCIPLINED. THAT JUST TAKES AWAY WHAT YOU
WANT BECAUSE YOU WANT THAT SENSE OF DOPAMINE. BUT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO HAVE DISCIPLINE AND SELF-CONTROL. SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE TRULY NEED TO SOLVE AND TAKING THE
PHONE AWAY WOULDN'T HELP YOU WITH THAT. I THINK IT WOULD HELP YOU WITH THAT BUT IT WOULDN'T REALLY TEACH YOU HOW TO HAVE DISCIPLINE. IT WOULD JUST TAKE IT BUT YOU'RE NOT REALLY TRULY
LEARNING ANYTHING. MEDIA UNTIL I GET INTO THIS HAPPENING.
EUROPEAN SOCCER NO, NO DUMBBELL GARDENING ALONE AT THE ELBOW LRA ALSO SIERRA LEONE ALSO COMES UNDER THE LEVEL AND I THINK THAT THE MAIN PSYCHOLOGICAL MENTAL WELL I
THINK THAT IT'S NOT JUST THAT THE US USING THE PHONE IT ALSO AFFECTS US PSYCHOLOGY ACTUALLY EVEN IS USEFUL INTELLECTUAL OR
COLLOQUIAL AN OLD SAYING YOU KNOW SO THROW ME MORE COMMON SAY REBELS HAVE LIKE TOTALLY FORGETTING OUR CLASSES CLASSES OR A MORE IMPLEMENT DE
TECHNOLOGY TECNOLOGIA WHEN I'M ON IT OUR DISCIPLINE OUR NOTARY OUR GIRL I KNOW THAT IN THE ORDER THAT I WHEN WE PERSONALLY ALL THE LIFE ON THE LEFT IS ON
TRIAL TELEPHONE SO AND I THINK IT WOULD ALSO HELP IF THE SCHOOL WHAT PEACHES MAYBE TO HAVE A CLASS AND HOW TO BE ABLE TO SELF DISCIPLINE HOW TO USE THE TECHNICAL COACHING BECAUSE
RIGHT NOW THAT DISCIPLINE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE PHONE IS VERY PERSONALIZED THE PHONE IS US AND WE ARE THE PHONE YOU SEE THEM IN THE NUMEROUS CELL AND
THEY'RE LIKE WELL NO NORMAL THAN I CAN WORK IN THE CELL NOW CONNECTING ON MALI I SEE NO CONNECTION. I SUPERFICIALLY AND IF WE ALSO HAVE SOCIAL NETWORKS WITHIN THE SCHOOL WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE
THESE REAL SOCIAL PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS AND CONTACTS. WE'LL JUST HAVE THESE SUPERFICIAL CONTACT. I KNOW WE WILL HAVE MORE TIME.
THANK YOU. SECURITY THAT'S FOR MY HERE COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE STUDENTS WHO ARE HERE FOR YOUR ADVOCACY FOR YOUR WELL-THOUGHT
OUT OPINIONS AND FOR SHARING IDEAS NOT JUST FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR GENERATION BUT FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME. AND I WANT TO SHOUT OUT A VISITOR IN MY OFFICE TODAY FOR ANGIE WHO IS HERE IN THE
AUDIENCE AND WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE BEST PREPARED ON THAT. YOU ALL HAVE ALL THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND I THINK SOMETIMES AS MANY OF YOU
STATE SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE A DETERRENT. BUT THERE ARE YOU KNOW, THERE ARE REASONS WHY IT'S IMPORTANT LIKE ESPECIALLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE FOR YOU TO HAVE ACCESS TO
YOUR PHONES. DO ANY OF YOU HAVE AN INSTANCE WHERE HAVING YOUR PHONE YOU FELT LIKE WAS A NECESSITY FOR EITHER AN EMERGENCY OR
SOMETHING THAT WAS HAPPENING EITHER IN THE SCHOOL IN YOUR PERSONAL LIVES THAT WAS BASED
ON THAT YOU IS NO EXAMPLES OF OF THAT YEAH WELL FOR ME I
THINK IT'S ALMOST EVERY DAY THING I DO A LOT OF CLUBS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL WHERE THE GAUCHOS ON MY PHONE OR EVEN WORKING WITH BLOCKBUSTER ADVISORY COUNCIL I GET OUT
OF SCHOOL ALMOST AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE BEAT STARTS SO MAKING SURE I COULD GET THERE ON TIME CHECKING THE BUS SCHEDULE ALSO COMMUNICATING
BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE ALL THE TIME SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE AT A CERTAIN PLACE OR THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AT THIS TIME SO IT'S KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING TO DO RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL AND IF I'M
GOING TO THIS CLUB, IF THE LOCATION IS GOING TO CHANGE OR THINGS LIKE THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S ALMOST EVERY DAY FOR ME. THANK YOU. I ALSO AGREE AT MY SCHOOL WHEN
CLUBS ARE CANCELED OR SPORTS ARE CANCELED BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER OR LIKE OTHER EVENTS THEY SEE ON THE INTERCOM AND
THE INTERCOM BUT LIKE FOR LIKE OUTSIDE PROGRAMS YOU DON'T KNOW THAT AND SO YOU HAVE YOUR PHONE AND I THINK THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE OUR PHONE THEN WE WON'T KNOW.
AND THEN ALSO LIKE SOMETIMES LIKE I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING UNTIL I CHECK MY PHONE LIKE JUST TODAY I DIDN'T
KNOW THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE AT 830 AND I WAS GOING TO SHOW UP AT NINE AND I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN THAT UNLESS I LOOKED AT THE GROUP CHAT ON MY PHONE. YOU CAN'T THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT TESTIMONY AND MY INTERNS ARE HERE ARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HERE AT ACADEMY LAND SCHOOL TWO OF THEM. AND I THINK THAT THEY AGREE WITH SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE
SAYING. IT REALLY IS ABOUT DISCIPLINE, RIGHT? HOW WE TEACHING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DISCIPLINE AND WHETHER A BAND WOULD ACHIEVE DISCIPLINE
AND THAT IS NECESSARY FOR OTHER AREAS IN LIFE. SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR HAVING IT AND THANK YOU FOR DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB OF OF SHOWING THE PROS AND CONS
SHOWING US THE PROS AND CONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT COUNCILOR OWENS YOU HAVE BEFORE THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU
TO ALL THE YOUTH THAT ARE HERE TODAY AND I DON'T HAVE A STUDENT AGE CHILD YET BUT I HAVE A TWO YEAR OLD SON AND I
HAVE OLDER NEPHEWS AND NIECES AND SOMETIMES I GO BACK IN BETWEEN OF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M A WHAT WHAT WOULD I BE DOING WHEN MY SON GETS THAT AGE? WILL HE HAVE A CELL PHONE?
WILL HE NOT? BUT JUST LISTENING TO ALL THE POINT THAT EVERYONE'S MAKING HERE TODAY MAKES IT A LITTLE YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS MAKE IT EVEN
HARDER FOR ME TO DECIDE BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS KIND OF LIKE BEEN ANTI IPHONE BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THINGS ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING. YO YO YO PUSH FOR TEACHING
DISCIPLINE INSTEAD OF A STRAIGHT UP BAN YOU KNOW MAKES PERFECT SENSE. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND HELPING US THINK THIS THROUGH AND HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WITH US.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CONSTABLE EARL GREAT. SO I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU OR I THINK YOU MENTIONED YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO TEACH DISCIPLINE AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BELOW WHAT WHILE JUST WANT TO
KIND OF DIG INTO MORE OF LIKE WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND IN SCHOOL IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO TEACH YOU THAT AND THEN ALSO JUST THINKING ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS, RIGHT.
WHAT WILL MAKE YOUR FRIENDS AND YOU BUY INTO THAT INTO THAT THEORY? I THINK IT COULD EVEN BE A CLASS BUT TO BUY INTO IS LIKE I
THINK FOR ME PERSONALLY I LOVE TO LEARN ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THINGS LIKE COMING TO THINGS LIKE THIS. IT'S TAUGHT ME TO BE MORE DISCIPLINED AND BE MORE INTO MY
COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY CONNECT SOME OF THE PEOPLE BECAUSE I HAVE THAT DISCIPLINE AND I BUILT THAT THROUGH LEARNING WITH PEOPLE ABOUT HOW IT IS IMPORTANT TO STEP OUT OF YOUR PHONE. BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T GET
THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE ROLE MODELS IN THEIR LIVES. SO I THINK EVEN OUR COUNSELORS IN SCHOOLS BEING MORE INTO STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY BEING A COUNSELOR AND REPRESENT SEEING
FOR THE STUDENTS AND HAVING THAT CONNECTEDNESS FOR STUDENTS TO FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T NEED TO STEP AWAY FROM THE REAL WORLD AND BE IN THEIR OWN BUBBLE BECAUSE THEY FEEL CONNECTED WITH THEIR COMMUNITY. AWESOME.
WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND LAST YEAR THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR YOUTH PANEL FOR BEING HERE. YOU'VE GIVEN US A LOT TO THINK ABOUT AND I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SHARING YOUR
PERSONAL STORIES AND YOU KNOW, COUNT ON US. YOU KNOW ANY OF US WE ALL REPRESENT YOU ARE AND WE'RE HERE TO SERVE YOU BUT REALLY APPRECIATE OUR SORT OF PANEL
WITH YOU WITH US HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. SO I'M GOING TO DISMISS THIS PANEL. YEAH, WE CAN GIVE IT UP FOR
THEM AS WELL. DISMISS THIS PANEL. I'M GOING TO TAKE THREE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY RIGHT NOW SO IF LISA HIRSCH AND I BY AMY AND
IVELISSE GREG AND AND AN ANGEL PIMENTEL ALL RIGHT. SO YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
IF YOU CAN JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD AND YEAH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU CHAIR SANTANA FOR
HOLDING THIS HEARING AND THANK YOU COUNCILORS WEBER, PEPEN AND DURKIN FOR CALLING ATTENTION TO THIS IMPORTANT MATTER. I ALSO WANT TO THANK MAYOR WU, SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER, MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE
AND ALL THE TEACHERS AND SCHOOL PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK EVERY DAY TO IMPROVE THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE LIVES OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE TODAY. I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH ALL
OF YOU. MY NAME IS LISA HIRSCH AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN'S JUSTICE UNIT IN THE OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ANDREA CAMPBELL. AS YOU KNOW, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE PROTECTS THE
CITIZENS OF MASSACHUSETTS AGAINST A BROAD SPECTRUM OF POTENTIAL HARMS. WE TAKE A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN PROTECTING THE WELL-BEING OF YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH THE WORK OF OUR CHILDREN'S JUSTICE
UNIT IN MAY OF 2023, THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL ISSUED AN ADVISORY INDICATING THAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS QUOTE AN IMPORTANT DRIVER OF THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND ONE THAT WE
MUST URGENTLY ADDRESS. THE SURGEON GENERAL INFORMED THE PUBLIC THAT IT CANNOT BE CONCLUDED BASED ON THE EVIDENCE THAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS SAFE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. OUR OFFICE'S CONVERSATIONS WITH
MASSACHUSETTS PARENTS, TEACHERS, SUPERINTENDENTS, CHILD PSYCHOLOGISTS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, RESEARCHERS AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THEMSELVES OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS HAVE REINFORCED THE SAME
CONCERNS ABOUT THE HARMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH. OUR OFFICE HAS FILED LAWSUITS AGAINST MEDIA INSTAGRAM AND TIK TOK FOR VIOLATING CONSUMER
PROTECTION LAW BY INTENTIONALLY DESIGNING THEIR APPLICATION AND TO ADDICT YOUNG USERS SPECIFICALLY AND THEN ACTIVELY AND REPEATEDLY DECEIVING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE DANGER POSED
TO YOUNG PEOPLE BY OVERUSE OF THEIR PRODUCTS. AND THESE LAWSUITS ARE STILL PENDING NATIONALLY, 72% OF HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS SAY THAT
STUDENTS BEING DISTRACTED BY CELL PHONES IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THEIR CLASSROOM. MASSACHUSETTS SUPERINTENDENTS HAVE VOICED THE SAME CONCERNS IN A SURVEY THAT OUR OFFICE CONDUCTED IN 2024.
WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON STUDENTS, SUPERINTENDENTS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS REPORTED DISTRACTIONS CYBERBULLYING HARASSMENT FIGHTS RECORDED AND
POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACT ON STUDENT ANXIETY AND PEER RELATIONSHIPS, SHARING OF INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL IMAGES SLEEP DISRUPTS DISTURBANCES AMONGST OTHER IMPACTS. CONVERSELY, AMONGST
MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED COMPREHENSIVE CELLPHONE POLICIES, SUPERINTENDENTS REPORTED SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS FOR LEARNING AND OVERALL SCHOOL CLIMATE 70% REPORTED STUDENTS
BEING MORE ENGAGED AND ATTENTIVE AND 82% REPORTED NO DRAWBACKS TO IMPLEMENTING COMPREHENSIVE CELLPHONE RESTRICTIONS. THOSE DISTRICTS THAT HAVE
IMPLEMENTED FULL DAY BELL TO BELL POLICIES REPORTED A COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION OF THEIR SCHOOL CULTURE IN RESPONSE TO CONCERNS REPORTED TO OUR OFFICE, THE CHILDREN'S
JUSTICE UNIT DEVELOPED A CELL PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN SCHOOLS TOOLKIT WHICH WE RELEASED THIS PAST JANUARY. THE TOOLKIT CONTAINS A MODEL PHONE FREE SCHOOLS POLICY INFORMATION FOR SCHOOL
DISTRICTS AND BEST PRACTICES AND A GUIDE FOR DEVELOPING COMMUNITY NORMS REGARDING YOUTH CELL PHONE USE IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL SCHOOL HOURS DUE TO
THE GRAVITY OF THE CONCERNS OUR OFFICE HAS ALSO COSPONSORED STATE LEGISLATION IN JANUARY ALONG WITH SENATOR CYR REPRESENTATIVES PIYUSH AND LIPPER GARABEDIAN, ATTORNEY GENERAL CAMPBELL FILED THE
STUDY ACT WHICH WOULD REQUIRE ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN MASSACHUSETTS TO HAVE POLICIES PREVENTING THE USE OF PERSONAL CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY FROM THE START TO THE END
OF THE DAY ALSO KNOWN AS BELL TO BUILD A BELL TO BELL PHONE FREE SCHOOLS POLICY ENABLES STUDENTS TO BE PRESENT AND ENGAGED DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AS WELL AS DURING PASSING
PERIODS LUNCH AND NON INSTRUCTIONAL TIME IN ORDER TO PROMOTE NOT ONLY IMPROVED FOCUS IN CLASS BUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACTUAL IN-PERSON SOCIAL SKILLS AND HEALTHY PEER RELATIONSHIPS.
FURTHERMORE, A BELL TO BELL POLICY RELIEVES TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS FROM THE CONSTANT PRESSURES OF ENFORCING OR POLICING CELL PHONE USE BOTH IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN THE HALLWAYS. EXEMPTIONS TO THE POLICY WOULD
BE PROVIDED IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SUCH AS TO ACCOMMODATE A STUDENT'S DISABILITY AND STUDENT AND FAMILY. THIS IS IMPORTANT STUDENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT NOT SUSPENSION FROM SCHOOL WOULD BE USED IF A STUDENT VIOLATES THE
POLICY WHILE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE BELIEVES THAT A BELL TO BELL PHONE FREE SCHOOL'S POLICY IS CLEAR BEST PRACTICE THERE CAN AND SHOULD BE INTENTIONAL EFFORTS TO
ACTIVELY SEEK THE INPUT OF STUDENTS IN HOW THE POLICY IS IMPLEMENTED. FOR EXAMPLE, WHETHER LOCK PATCHES FOR AN OFFICE CUBBIES OR SOME OTHER SYSTEM IS USED, WHAT THE CONSEQUENCE SHOULD BE
FOR VIOLATING THE POLICY POLICY WAYS FOR STUDENTS TO REACH THEIR PARENTS OR EMPLOYERS OR AFTER SCHOOL PROVIDERS DURING THE DAY IF NEEDED FOR A LEGITIMATE PURPOSE AND OTHER IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS.
AND OUR OFFICE IS COMMITTED TO PARTNERING WITH MANY OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND TO KEEP THIS DIALOG OPEN. SO I WANT TO PARTICULARLY THANK SAC AND SOCIEDAD LATINA YOUTH FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND ALL
OF THE OTHER YOUTH HERE. THE STUDY ACT ALSO SEEKS TO PLACE SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES THEMSELVES TO EXPAND PROTECTIONS ON YOUTH SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS RECOGNIZING THAT
SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES MAKE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR OFF OF MINOR ACCOUNTS, WE BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO KEEP OUR YOUNG USERS SAFE BY
CREATING PHONE FREE SCHOOLS HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND IN BOSTON. WE AS A COMMONWEALTH TAKE SERIOUSLY THE DOCUMENTED HARMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND PRIORITIZE THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, THE
PEER RELATIONSHIPS, THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR YOUTH. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH LIZA FOR
BEING HERE AND AGAIN TO FOLLOW THE WORK THAT THE OUR A.G. DOES ON BEHALF OF OUR YOUTH ON THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO I HOPE YOU CAN COME UP AND
YOU CAN INTRODUCE HER NAME OR YOU CAN START YOUR TESTIMONY. MONA'S ONE OF THE YASMIN OPERATIONALIZE A IS REALLY THAT THIS IS A LATINA GOING TO
PROGRAM MANY HOMEOWNERS ARE GOING TO SAY THAT IS COMMUNITY THAT IS ALSO LORENZO A LOVE FOR MY SON TO DECORATE CAN ALSO HERE SO SO RESPONSIBILITY MS. BRINSON TO SAY THAT LATINA MY NAME IS ANYBODY IF I'M A YOUTH
LEADER IN SOCIEDAD LATINA IN THE YOUTH PROGRAM WHO ARE COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS TODAY I WILL TALK ABOUT ETHICAL FOR IT FOR PREPARATION AND TECHNOLOGY
AND IT'S RESPONSIBLE USE AND THE EXPERIENCE I HAVE HAD IN SOCIAL THAT LATINA LED TECHNOLOGIES THAT PRESENT THINGS I SAY MOST AND SO WE ARE A COMMUNITY GARDENERS MUST
CARRY INFORMATION OR COMBATIVE MOMENTOUS BUT I'M JUST AS MUCH AS BASIS LOW SOME OF SYMPTOMS ARE LESS CONSEQUENCES BUT IT'S OKOROCHA'S NECESSARILY SAY WE DON'T HAVE WHAT AM I SAYING I
THINK OTHERS IS THE WHEN IS BUT UP AND THEY'RE ALSO ATTACKING CONCERNS YOUR IRRESPONSIBILITY THAT TECHNOLOGY IS PRESENT IN ALMOST EVERYTHING WE DO STUDY AND COMMUNICATION LOOKING FOR INFORMATION OR SHARING OUR TIME
BUT MANY TIMES WE ARE USING IT WITHOUT THINKING OF ITS CONSEQUENCES. BECAUSE OF THIS I BELIEVE IT IS NECESSARY TO RECEIVE SOME KIND OF ETHICAL EDUCATION FROM THE MOMENT EVEN WHEN WE'RE YOUNG SO
WE ARE ABLE TO LEARN HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY CONTINUOUSLY AND RESPONSIBLY. THEN ETHICAL ARE TECHNOLOGY AS A VIGOROUS BUT THAT ALLOWS THE
MONSANTO THERE'S A SERIOUS KNOCK COMPUTER INFORMATION FASTER WITHOUT PRIVACY THAT IT BRINGS THAT IN COMMON. MR XEON AS THE DALLAS OF DEMING IS IMPORTANT TO BRING THAT UP ON A WITH THIS NOW HAD A GOOD
ASSET HERE IS NOT CONTROLLING IS OUR THIS GOING TO TURN AS CONSCIOUSNESS IS ARE YOU HAVING ETHICS IN TECHNOLOGY MEANS TO RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE IN SOCIAL MEDIA NOT SHARING FALSE
INFORMATION HOW TO TAKE CARE OF PRIVACY AND TO THINK HOW OUR DIGITAL ACTIONS AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE. IT IS OFTEN IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO LEARN HOW TO SET LIMITS
AND, NOT ALLOW SOCIAL MEDIA TO CONTROL US AND TO KNOW TO DISCONNECT WHEN NECESSARY AND MS. BUT THIS IS LATINA. I LOOK AT MY OTHER MODULE AS A
BEING THE HEAD IT IS A RATHER UNDERESTIMATE. THIS IS OUR PRINCIPAL, MY COSTAR, OUR BUT IN THE CASE SO MY PREMATURE CONSENT ARE MEMBERS ARE COMATOSE PERSON OF CHARACTER IS DETERMINED TO
PRESENT MYSELF MY COUNTRY QUANDO TEMPOS THE QUANTO TEMPO FOR SAMSUNG AS A REFERENCE THAT NOT GO INTO MY EXPERIENCE IN SOFIA THAT LATINA SOMETHING THAT REALLY HELPED ME A LOT WAS THAT WE WERE ASKED TO LEAVE
CELL PHONE DURING PART DURING OUR ACTIVITIES AT THE BEGINNING THIS WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME BUT NOW I DO FEEL THAT IT HAS ALLOWED ME TO CONCENTRATE BETTER TO BE ABLE TO WITH
OTHERS FACE TO FACE AND TO BE TRULY PRESENT. THIS ALLOWED ME TO SEE HOW MUCH TIME WE PASS USING OUR CELL PHONES WITHOUT REALIZING IT OUR
SOLAR TECHNOLOGY ARE ALMOST CONSTANT. THE BANDS UNDER THE PUBLIC ARE QUIET ONLY TEMPO AND RELEASE IT RATHER SALAS BUT OF COURSE THIS CAMERA INCREASES MY REACTION TO CATALYST AND EMOTION ROLE AND I
SAID TO MY SON IT IS BETTER. SO NOW I AM USING TECHNOLOGY MORE CONTINUOUSLY. I THINK BEFORE I PUBLISH SOMETHING I TAKE CARE OF HOW MUCH TIME I SPEND AND SOCIAL
MEDIA AND I TRY TO USE IT FOR THINGS THAT WILL MAKE ME GROW. I REALIZE THAT WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY AND MAY IN AND IN
MAKING THE WORLD A MORE HEALTHY RESPECTFUL PLACE BECAUSE AS IS AN OPERATIVE AND SO THEY ARE LATINA AND THEN THEY CAN USE THEM IN ALMOST RESPONSE TO DELTA INPUT THAT THEY PUT THEM
ON THE TARGET GET IT MUST CONSTRUIRE THANKS TO WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IT SHOWS YOU THAT THAT THING THAT I WAS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY USERS WE ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE OF THE TYPE OF DIGITAL WORLD
THAT WE WANT TO BUILD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WISH I COULD ADD SANTANA AND GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS ANGEL COMENZO I'M A RISING JUNIOR AT BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL. I'M HERE ALONGSIDE DE SAC TO SPEAK ABOUT THE GROWING PROCESS IN SCHOOLS TO BAN AND SEVERELY RESTRICT STUDENTS CELL PHONE
USE AND WHY THIS APPROACH IS SHORT SIGHTED AND HARMFUL. FIRST AND FOREMOST I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE FACT THAT MASSACHUSETTS IS LOOKING BAN CELL PHONES AND I THINK THIS IS A MISTAKE BECAUSE I THINK WE
NEED TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS HOW TO BE DIGITALLY RESPONSIBLE AND HAVE SELF-CONTROL WHICH IS ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS THAT WE CAN LEARN AT OUR YOUNG AGE. I THINK THIS BAN WILL BE REBELLIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM STUDENTS AND DAMAGE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TEACHERS
AND STUDENTS WHICH RUNS THE TRUST AMONG STAFF INSTEAD OF BANNING PHONES, SCHOOLS SHOULD BE TEACHING RESPONSIBLE USE. WE'RE LIVING IN A DIGITAL WORLD AND PART OF PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE IS HELPING US BUILD A RELEASE AND HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIP WITH TECHNOLOGY NOT PRETENDING IT DOESN'T EXIST AGAIN, MY NAME IS ANGEL STONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.
ANGEL GREAT THAT WE ALSO HAVE DIGITAL BABIES IN BABIES GUZMAN
DAY THEIR BABIES GUZMAN SAYS WE'LL DO THIS PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND THEN WELL VIA OUR SECOND PANEL BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT I'M
GOING TO SEE. I MEAN IF THEY REALLY EXCUSE MY LITTLE JUVENILE ASSOCIATE LATINA AND OVARY CROSSING IN THIS WAY A LOT OF THE LITTLE ARTIFICIAL I AM GOOD MORNING I
AM THE IDEALIST GUZMAN A YOUTH IN SOCIEDAD LATINA IN ROXBURY TODAY I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. THEY BELIEVE IN SAFETY VISION. I STARTED ON SORT OF MONOLITHIC
POWER. I SAID A ROMANTIC PERSONALITY THING I SORRY BUT I HAD BLUE TO GIVE ME SOME PLATFORM WAS INTELLIGENT AS THE COMPUTER TO TRY ORIGINAL SO THE ANTIS GOING
CRAZY WE'RE ON READ AS IMMEDIATE AS ANYWHERE ELSE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE A.I. IS TRANSFORMING EDUCATION AT IT OFFERS TOOLS THAT ARE PERSONALIZING LEARNING.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU USE AN INTELLIGENCE PLATFORM AFTER COMPLETING AN ORIGINAL TASK, STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK IMMEDIATELY THAT HAS
BEEN ADAPTED TO THEIR OWN LEVEL SEEING AN EMBARGO COMPRENDE RECOMMEND FOODS YOU UNDER THOSE CATEGORIES MOST IT IS INSEAD A PARALLEL SOCIETY IT'S NOT OUR CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY YOU SEE NOW
GET THE QUESTIONING IT'S THE CAPACITY THAT CRITICAL ISSUE NOT ALLOWING ANYONE INFORMATION ITS OWN THING BUT I KNOW SOME PRICE BARRIERS AND THEY SAY WATER POLO OR BAND OF HUMAN TRAFFICKERS YOU KNOW THAT THOSE
URBAN SEGMENT INDEPENDENT THE INDUSTRY OPERATE AS A ROYAL ACADEMIC OR YOU PERSONAL NEVERTHELESS UNDERSTANDING HOW THE ALGORITHMS WORK FUNDAMENTAL SO THAT USERS ARE NOT ONLY
CONSUMING TECHNOLOGY BUT THAT THEY WILL ALSO GO AND QUESTION IT THIS CRITICAL CAPACITY IS KEY IN A WORLD WHERE INFORMATION IS ABUNDANT BUT
IT'S NOT ALWAYS EITHER THROUGH NOR SAFE THEREFORE TO ENCOURAGE THE VERIFICATION OF DATA AND INDEPENDENT THOUGHT IS VERY
NECESSARY FOR ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT TIMING BEING EXCRUCIATING BUT AT THE HEAD LESSER LAW MEANT THAT AT THE END OF EITHER SAYING THIS
APRIL I'M AWARE POLITICS BUT I WILL TELL US OVER TO L'ESPOSIZIONE SPONTANEOUS LEPROSY ON THE RIGHT THE RENDIMENTO AUTOMATED EHR
ISOLAMENTO THEY HIT THE BORDER SO ESCALATING LOOK HERE THEY'RE VERY SENIOR TO SECOND PRINCIPLES ETHICAL CONCLUSION THAT PRIVACY THAT INCLUSION YOU'RE DOING IS THAT EMOTIONAL ALSO IT'S FOR THE MENTAL TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THE MENTAL
HEALTH OF STUDENTS AND AND TO PROMOTE POLICIES THAT WILL AVOID THE OVEREXPOSURE TO SCREENS THE PRESSURE FOR
AUTOMATE PERFORMANCE AND ALSO DIGITAL ISOLATION. BECAUSE OF THIS I BELIEVE THAT TECHNOLOGY MUST BE DESIGNED WITH ETHICAL PRINCIPLES THAT
WILL INCLUDE PRIVACY, INCLUSION AND EMOTIONAL WELFARE AND AS A SCHOLAR LOCALISM BUT AS WELL AS COURSE AS A MATTER OF BEING SINGLE ON TARGET STILL OUR SECRETARY TREVOR HASSAN MUST UNDERGO PLASMA SIRIKA REMOVES
MYSELF SO I ILLNESSES COALESCE SEPARATE WE START A STORM WHICH HAS GRAPHS IS A BAROQUE ABANDONMENT GOING BACK TO THE WHEN I SAW THE ARTICLE GUA AND WHATEVER BIOSCIENCES WOULD
RELEASE ALLAH I THOUGHT THAT I WAS A CLASSIC IN SCHOOL. THESE ARE USED IN ORDER TO DO THINGS FASTER WITHOUT CONSIDERING THAT THIS MAKES THERE WILL BE MORE WORK IN THE LONG TERM BECAUSE OF THEIR USE
IF WE ARE WE DO NEED TO REQUIRE MORE EDUCATION REGARDING A.I. IN SCHOOLS AND THAT WAY WE WOULD BE ABLE TO AVOID THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HOPE THAT YOU TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION MY WORDS AND THAT YOU REMEMBER THAT THIS IS THE POINT OF VIEW OF A STUDENT WHO SOMETIMES USES A.I. IN HER WORK AND HER HOMEWORK WHICH I GOT TO
ASK. YES. GREAT. WE WILL NOW INVITE OUR SECOND PANEL. THIS IS OUR ADMINISTRATION PANEL.
SO CAN WE INVITE DENISE RORY THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF LEADERSHIP WITH BP'S THEN CAITLIN OF THE FAMOUS CAITLIN
MURPHY, THE PRINCIPAL OF THE ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL. AWESOME.
THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND PRESENT. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU ALL FOR ANY REMARKS OPENING STATEMENTS AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HI, MY NAME IS CAITLIN MURPHY. I'M THE PRINCIPAL OF ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE TODAY AND SHARE THE WORK THAT THE ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY HAS ENGAGED IN REGARDING STUDENTS CELL PHONE USE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
AS AN EDUCATOR AND A PARENT I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND BOTH THE CHALLENGES AND BENEFITS OF THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF CELL PHONE USAGE OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES WHILE THESE MINI
COMPUTERS IN OUR POCKETS HAVE CERTAINLY INCREASED THE SPEED WITH WHICH WE HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND TO ONE ANOTHER WHEN LEFT UNCHECKED THIS INCREASED ACCESS HAS
SIGNIFICANTLY DISRUPTED TEACHING AND LEARNING IN A SCHOOL SETTING NOT TO MENTION THE DINING ROOM TABLE OR CAR RIDE TO PRACTICE DURING WHICH
ONE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DAY ARE SOMETIMES MET WITH VAGUE MUMBLES FROM THE BACKSEAT WHILE THE OCCUPANTS ARE FULLY CONSUMED BY WHATEVER SCREEN THEY HAVE IN THEIR HAND.
OVER THE 17 YEARS I HAVE WORKED AT ENGLISH WE HAVE HAD A VARIETY OF POLICIES TO RESPOND TO THE INCREASING PROLIFERATION OF CELL PHONES AMONG OUR STUDENT BODY THE CURRENT
OFFICIAL POLICY OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS ESTABLISHED BY THE BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE IN COLLABORATION WITH BCAC IS THAT STUDENTS CELL PHONES MUST BE TURNED OFF AND PUT AWAY FOR THE DURATION OF THE SCHOOL DAY
IF STUDENTS DO NOT FOLLOW THE POLICY, SCHOOLS ARE PERMITTED TO HOLD THEIR PHONES AND ASK A PARENT OR GUARDIAN TO PICK UP THE DEVICE. IMPORTANTLY, THE DISTRICT'S
POLICY HAS INTENDED TO BE A FLOOR NOT A CEILING WHEN IT COMES TO RESTRICTIONS ON TECHNOLOGY WITH THE POTENTIAL TO DISRUPT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. I AM GRATEFUL THAT THE DISTRICT
HAS GIVEN SCHOOLS THE NECESSARY FLEXIBILITY TO OPERATIONALIZE THE POLICY IN WAYS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES NEEDS. IN THE EARLY YEARS OF OUR PHONE
POLICY WE INITIALLY FOCUSED ON CLASSROOM BASED PROCEDURES TEACHERS HAD PHONE BOXES OR USING OVER THE DOOR SHOE HOLDERS AS CELL PHONE LOCKERS.
WE FOUND THAT OUR TEACHING STAFF WAS SPENDING A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF TIME DURING CLASS RESPONDING TO STUDENTS WHO HAD CELL PHONES OUT AND WERE DISTRACTED FROM
THE LESSON AT HAND. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN A SUPPORT STAFF WOULD COME TO THE ROOM TO ENGAGE WITH THE STUDENT WHO WAS NOT FOLLOWING THE POLICY, MANY STUDENTS WOULD BECOME DISREGULATED AND ADDITIONAL
CLASS TIME WAS LOST SOMETIMES MULTIPLE STAFF WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH A SINGLE STUDENT TO GET THEM TO COMPLY WITH THE CELL PHONE POLICY. STUDENTS WOULD DESCRIBE THEIR
CELL PHONES AS A SORT OF EXTENSION OF AND ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION WE HAD STUDENTS ELOPE FROM THE BUILDING RATHER THAN TURN THEIR CELL PHONE IN.
IN 2018 WE BEGAN A PARTNERSHIP WITH YONDER A COMPANY THAT CREATES A LOCKING PHONE POUCH WHICH ALLOWS STUDENTS TO MAINTAIN POSSESSION OF THEIR PHONES BUT PREVENTS THEM FROM ACCESSING IT. WE STARTED OUT WITH A CLASSROOM
BASED POLICY IN WHICH ALL TEACHERS HAD A SET OF POUCHES THAT STUDENTS WERE TO PUT THEIR PHONES IN AT THE START OF CLASS . WHILE THIS WAS AN IMPROVEMENT ON OUR PREVIOUS EFFORTS
TEACHERS REPORTED THAT THEY WERE SPENDING AS MUCH AS 10 MINUTES EITHER AT THE START OR END OF CLASS DEALING WITH LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE PHONES OR ENGAGING WITH STUDENTS WHO WERE NOT FOLLOWING
THE POLICY IN THOSE 10 MINUTES ACROSS THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDS UP BEING 30 HOURS OF LAST INSTRUCTIONAL CLIMB PER CLASS AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE TIME LOST FOR STUDENTS WHO DID
NOT FOLLOW THE POLICY AND ACCESS THEIR PHONE ACROSS MULTIPLE PERIODS IN ADDITION TO THE LAST INSTRUCTIONAL TIME WE WERE FINDING THAT SMARTPHONE
USAGE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY WAS BOTH LEADING TO AND INTENSIFYING PEER CONFLICTS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY OFTEN AT SPEEDS THAT OUR SUPPORT
STAFF COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH. STUDENTS WERE VIDEOTAPING ONE ANOTHER SENDING HURTFUL AND INAPPROPRIATE MESSAGES AND ENGAGING IN CONFLICTS WITH STUDENTS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL AND
WITHIN OTHER SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. OUR SUPPORT STAFF ADEPT AT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS WOULD BE MIDWAY THROUGH A MEDIATION SESSION SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND
REBUILDING AND REPAIRING A RELATIONSHIP ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT WHILE THEY WERE IN THE ROOM WITH THOSE STUDENTS, OTHER STUDENTS WERE FANNING THE FLAMES ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND
SENDING TEXT MESSAGES PROLONGING AND DEEPENING CONFLICTS. WE WERE ACTIVELY TRYING TO RESOLVE. WE KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION.
TWO YEARS AGO WE INSTITUTED A NEW POLICY ONE THAT HAS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY WE CONTINUED TO PARTNER WITH YONDER BUT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS WE HAVE BEEN WHAT IS CALLED AN ALL DAY
YONDER SCHOOL ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ISSUED A YONDER POUCH AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WHEN THEY COME IN THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR THEY PUT THEIR PHONE ON AIRPLANE MODE OR TURN IT OFF
AND PUT THEIR PHONE EARPODS AND APPLE WATCHES INTO THEIR POUCH WHICH THEY KEEP WITH THEM FOR THE SCHOOL DAY WHEN. THEY LEAVE THE BUILDING FOR THE DAY THEY UNLOCK THEIR POUCHES
AND TAKE THEM HOME IF AT ANY POINT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY CAREGIVERS NEED TO REACH THEIR STUDENTS THEY CALL OUR MAIN OFFICE AND WE CONNECT THE STUDENT WITH THEIR CAREGIVER EITHER THROUGH THE MAIN OFFICE
OR THROUGH ANY OF THE STAFF ON EACH FLOOR OF THE BUILDING. IF A STUDENT NEEDS OR WANTS TO CALL HOME THEY CAN DO SO IN THE OFFICE OR ON ANY OF THE STAFF
PHONES ON THE FLOORS, STUDENTS WHO BREAK OR LOSE THEIR POUCHES ARE ABLE TO PURCHASE A NEW POUCH IN OFFICE OR THEY PUT THEIR PHONES IN A MANILA ENVELOPE AT THE FRONT DOOR.
THESE ARE THEN ALPHABETIZED AND THOSE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BROKEN OR LOST THEIR POUCHES OR WHO ARE FOUND WITH THEIR PHONES DURING THE DAY STAND IN LINE AT THE END OF THE DAY TO PICK UP
THEIR PHONES. WHILE THIS PROCESS GENERALLY TAKES ABOUT 5 MINUTES, IT IS FIVE ADDITIONAL MINUTES WITHOUT THEIR PHONES AND HAS SERVED AS AN INCENTIVE TO MANY STUDENTS
NOT TO BREAK OR LOSE THEIR YONDER POUCH AS THIS POLICY IS UNIFORMLY ENFORCED AT THE FRONT DOOR BY A TEAM COMPRISED OF ADMINISTRATORS, DEANS OF SCHOOL CULTURES, SOCIAL
WORKERS AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS. THE VAST MAJORITY OF STUDENTS HAVE FOLLOWED THE POLICY WHEN NO ONE HAS THEIR PHONE STUDENT INTEREST IN DECREASES
SIGNIFICANTLY. CERTAINLY STUDENTS HAVE TRIED TO FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO CIRCUMVENT THIS POLICY BUT WE VIEW THIS AS A MARATHON NOT A
SPRINT AND SLOWLY WE FIGURE OUT THOSE HOLES AND WE PLUG THEM. NOW WHEN A STUDENT IS DISCOVERED WITH A PHONE THEY GENERALLY SHRUG AND HAND OVER
THEIR PHONE AND PICK IT UP. AT THE END OF THE DAY NO PHONES HAS BECOME THE NEW NORMAL. WE HAVE AMAZED AT HOW MUCH THIS POLICY HAS CHANGED THE DAY TO
DAY EXPERIENCE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AT ENGLISH THE FIRST FEW DAYS WE COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW LOUD THE CAFETERIA SEEMED INSTEAD OF SITTING NEXT TO ONE ANOTHER SCROLLING STUDENTS WERE
TALKING TO EACH OTHER. A NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN THOSE EARLY DAYS APPROACHED STAFF TO SAY WHILE THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE POLICY BECAUSE OF COURSE THEY WOULD RATHER HAVE THEIR PHONES
THEY WERE ACTUALLY GRATEFUL FOR IT BECAUSE IT WAS STRETCHING THEM TO BE SOCIAL AND ENGAGE IN NEW WAYS. OUR TEACHING STAFF WE HAVE TURNED BACK TIME TO THE DAYS
BEFORE SMARTPHONES WHERE THERE WERE FAR FEWER DISTRACTIONS FOR STUDENTS. THIS IS IN BETTER ENGAGEMENT AND ALLOWING STAFF TO FOCUS ON LESSON AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT.
AS ONE OF OUR TEACHERS SHARED IN MY CLASS WHERE STUDENTS ARE WORKING ON HANDS ON PROJECTS AND COLLABORATING CLOSELY NOT HAVING PHONES IN THE MIX MEANS WE CAN DIVE RIGHT INTO THE WORK
WITHOUT CONSTANT REDIRECTION. STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO ASK EACH OTHER FOR HELP STAY IN PROBLEM SOLVING MODE LONGER AND REMAIN PRESENT DURING BOTH INSTRUCTION AND LAB TIME.
IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE RUNNING MY CLASSES THIS LEVEL OF CONSISTENT ATTENTION IN ADDITION TO HELPING CREATE CLASSROOM CONDITIONS FOR CRITICAL THINKING AND DEEP LEARNING POLICY ALLOWS US TO
CREATE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. WHILE WE CANNOT CONTROL THE MESSAGES, VIDEOS OR SNAPCHAT MESSAGES THAT OUR STUDENTS SEND
ONE ANOTHER IN THE HOURS BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL, WE CAN CONTROL THEIR ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION PRACTICES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
WHILE IT IS ONLY A QUARTER OF THEIR DAY, THOSE 6 HOURS THAT STUDENTS ARE WITH US UNDER THIS POLICY MAY BE THE ONLY 6 HOURS OF THE DAY THAT ARE FREE
FROM THE INFLUENCE OF THESE MESSAGES AND MEDIA. WHILE THIS POLICY REQUIRES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STAFF ATTENTION IN THE MORNINGS OUR SUPPORT STAFF REPORT IT IS WELL
WORTH IT FOR THE REDUCTION IN STUDENT ISSUES DURING THE DAY AND FOR THE HEALTHIER SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT THAT WE ARE OBSERVING AMONGST OUR STUDENTS AS THEY HAVE GROWN IN THEIR
FACE TO FACE COMMUNICATION. OUR STUDENTS AMAZE ME EVERY DAY THEY ARE INSIGHTFUL AND ENGAGING, BRILLIANT AND CREATIVE AND THEY HAVE SO MUCH
TO OFFER OUR CITY AND OUR WORLD. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS EDUCATORS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THOSE TALENTED AND BRILLIANT STUDENTS
CAN DEVELOP TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL LIKE TEENAGERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD THEY HAVE GROWN UP SWIMMING IN A SEA OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND A WORLD
OF INSTANT ACCESS AND GRATIFICATION. THEY LIKE FRANKLY MOST ADULTS I KNOW LOVE THEIR PHONES AND WOULD PREFER TO BE ON THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BUT IT IS OUR
RESPONSIBLE TO PROVIDE THEM NOT WITH WHAT THEY LIKE BUT WITH WHAT KNOW THEY NEED. WE ARE NOT PERFECT AND THIS IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS BUT
OUR WORK OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN A MAJOR STEP TOWARDS CREATING CONDITIONS THAT PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW AND DEVELOP AND HAVE 6 HOURS TO
QUIET THEIR MINDS, MEET A NEW FRIEND AND THINK MORE DEEPLY. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S HEARING. I LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU PRINCIPAL MURPHY, FOR YOUR FOR YOUR INSIGHT AND FOR THAT TIMELINE. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS DENISE RORY. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF YOUTH LEADERSHIP FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHICH INCLUDES THE BOSSES TO AN ADVISORY COUNCIL.
AND SO LAST NOVEMBER WHEN WE BEGAN IT, WE BEGAN OUR SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM THE CONVERSATION OF YONDER APPROACHES WAS ONE
THAT CONTINUED TO COME UP AMONGST OUR STUDENT ADVOCATES. IT WAS AN ISSUE THAT STUDENTS WANTED TO ADDRESS. NOT ONLY DID THEY WANT TO ADDRESS THE, YOU KNOW,
ABOLISHMENT OF USING YONDER POUCHES I THINK ON A DEEPER LEVEL THEY HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT CONSISTENCY AND CONFUSING POLICIES.
SO ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE A POLICY IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT POLICY BECAUSE OF THE AUTONOMY THAT SCHOOLS HAVE IS IMPLEMENTED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AS WE HAVE HEARD FROM OUR
STUDENT PANELISTS YOU HAVE EVERYTHING FROM YONDER POUCHES TO PHONES BEING ABLE TO BE OUT IN CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTS IN SCHOOLS AND SO OUR STUDENTS HAD
KIND OF A FEW MAIN ISSUES THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE ADDRESSED AND SO THEY WENT WITH A PETITION THAT GOT OVER 1200 SIGNATURES FROM BOSTON PUBLIC
SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEY WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR A CONSISTENT POLICY. AGAIN, WE KNOW THAT NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL BUT TO HAVE IT BE SO DRAMATIC THAT SOME STUDENTS
ARE ENTERING SCHOOL WALKING THROUGH METAL DETECTORS OR BEING WANDED DOWN AND THEN HAVING THEIR PHONES TAKEN AWAY AND PUT IN A POUCH FELT VERY MUCH LIKE IN LIKE A PRISON AND
LIKE AN INSTITUTION THAT STUDENTS DID NOT WANT TO BE A PART OF. AND SO HAVING SOME CONSISTENCY AROUND CELL PHONE POLICY WAS
IMPORTANT TO THEM. THE STUDENTS DID ALSO FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE DISRUPT DISRUPTIVE IN A WAY THAT STUDENTS SO FOCUSED ON FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET AROUND THE POLICY THAT
WHETHER IT WAS HAVING DUPLICATE PHONES BREAKING YONDER POUCHES THAT THEY FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO LEAD TO EVEN MORE OF A DISTRACTION EVEN MORE DISTRESS IN THE SCHOOL.
THERE WERE ALSO ISSUES AROUND PRIVACY AND SAFETY WHICH MANY STUDENTS HAVE BROUGHT UP ON TODAY AS WELL THEIR PERSONAL DEVICES BEING LOCKED IN A WAY
OR TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM FELT INTRUSIVE AND SCHOOLS ALSO HAVE THEY FELT HAD A VERY SERIOUS LACK OF COMMUNICATION WHERE THINGS ARE GOING ON IN THE BUILDING. STUDENTS DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
PARENTS DON'T KNOW ABOUT AND SO REALLY ARE CALLING FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATION PLAN WHEN IT COMES TO EMERGENCIES AND WHEN IT COMES TO SITUATIONS IN SCHOOL VERSUS LEARNING ABOUT IT.
SECOND HAND THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO A CONCERN AROUND THE THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF A YONDER POUCH OR A SYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO
BE PUT IN PLACE WHETHER IT BE THAT INITIAL INVESTMENT IN BUYING YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE AROUND 13,000 YONDER POUCHES FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS WE HAVE IN BOSTON TO
STUDENTS ALSO FEELING LIKE DAD I HAVEN'T GONE ON A FIELD TRIP THIS YEAR BUT WE HAVE MONEY FOR YONDER POUCHES AND SO I THINK THERE IS THE NEED FOR
THAT A BALANCE WHERE STUDENTS FEEL LIKE THEIR EDUCATION IS BEING FUNDED IN A PROPER WAY. AND AND THEN LASTLY, YOU KNOW,
NOT ONLY IS THIS ABOUT CELL PHONES IN PARTICULAR, THIS IS ALSO ABOUT TECHNOLOGY IN GENERAL. AND SO IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE STUDY CALLS FOR THE REMOVAL OF ALL THOSE DEVICES SO
STUDENTS CANNOT BRING THEIR OWN MACBOOK TO SCHOOL TO USE IN CLASS WHICH YOU GO TO ANY COLLEGE CAMPUS THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SEEING.
STUDENTS CANNOT USE THEIR SMART WATCHES OR OTHER ASPECTS OF TECHNOLOGY AND SO THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INVESTMENT TO ENSURE THAT IF STUDENTS ARE
USING SCHOOL ISSUED TECHNOLOGY THAT IT IS FIRST OF ALL UP TO DATE THAT IT IS SECOND OF ALL GOING WITH THE TIMES OF TECHNOLOGY. I MEAN SOME OF OUR STUDENTS ARE
STILL USING CHROMEBOOKS THAT ARE VERY OLD AND OUTDATED AND SO TECHNOLOGY IS MOVING FORWARD IN OUR STUDENTS WILL BE LEFT BEHIND EVEN MORE SO IF THEIR
ACCESS TO TO TECHNOLOGY IS NOT CURRENT WITH THE TIMES. OUR STUDENTS ALSO HAD A TOWN HALL WHICH WAS A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE WHERE THERE WAS A
STUDENT MODERATOR THREE SCHOOL LEADERS, SOME SCHOOLS THAT HAVE YOU UNDER SOME SCHOOLS THAT DON'T AND TEACHERS AND I THINK THIS WAS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL WAY
FOR OUR STUDENTS TO HEAR THE TEACHERS IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES ON THE FRONT LINE DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND SO I KNOW THAT THESE THIS ISSUE IS NEAR AND DEAR TO THEM
AS WELL. BUT IT WAS JUST A BEAUTIFUL COMBINATION OF BEING ABLE TO HEAR WHERE THE YOUNG PEOPLE WERE COMING FROM, WHERE ADMINISTRATORS WERE COMING FROM AND WHERE TEACHERS WERE COMING FROM.
AND I DO FEEL LIKE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE LEFT THAT CONVERSATION WITH MORE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. AND SO I'LL JUST I'LL JUST SAY
THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS DIFFICULT AS IT IS TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, I THINK WE'RE KIND OF BEING PUSHED IN A DIRECTION WHERE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WHAT THE PLAN IS, WHETHER IS THIS BEING OR
ARE WE INVESTING IN YONDER POUCHES AND WHAT IS THE KIND OF ACROSS THE BOARD MESSAGE THAT THE ADULTS ARE SENDING TO OUR STUDENTS?
SO THANK YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
PRINCIPAL MURPHY AND DIRECTOR AVERY FOR BEING HERE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR ANY QUESTIONS STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS. COUNSELOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR. THANK THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU, PRINCIPAL MURPHY FOR AN EYE OPENING TOUR OF ENGLISH. I AND JUST SEEING KIDS TALKING
TO EACH OTHER IN THE HALLWAYS I THOUGHT YOU KNOW I HAVE WITH A 13 YEAR OLD AND AN 18 YEAR OLD AT HOME, YOU KNOW, I WASN'T REALLY EXPECTING TO SEE BUT YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT IT WAS WORTHWHILE TO FOR US TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK DISTRICT WIDE. SO IN TERMS OF SO YONDER POUCHES, DO YOU HAVE LIKE A
COST OF WHAT THAT WHAT YOU KNOW HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET YOU KNOW HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE IN ENGLISH I SURE I DON'T OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD I CAN
PROVIDE THAT FOR THE COUNCIL AFTER WE HAVE 750 STUDENTS WE BUY A LITTLE BIT OF OVERAGE FOR THOSE INITIAL ROUNDS OF BREAKAGE.
IT HAS NOT BEEN PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE OR SOMETHING THAT HAS PREVENTED US FROM PROVIDING OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO STUDENTS SO THERE HAS NOT BEEN
IN THE LAST FEW BUDGET CYCLES WHEN WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED WITH THE UNDER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. THERE HAVE NOT BEEN DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO CHOOSE YONDER OVER SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN
SOMETHING THAT HAS JUST BEEN PART OF OUR SCHOOL BUDGET AND HAS ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE TO DO ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS DO YOU THINK OTHER SCHOOLS CAN
WOULD THAT WORK FOR OTHER SCHOOLS THAT TO PAY OUT OF THEIR OWN BUDGET OR HOW WOULD THAT I YEAH I CAN'T SPEAK TO OTHER EACH SCHOOL DOES THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL BUDGET THERE WAS
AN INITIAL INVESTMENT BY THE DISTRICT FOR SCHOOLS THAT WERE INITIALLY STARTING UP WITH YONDER WHERE THE DISTRICT PROVIDED SOME SORT OF STARTER FUNDS FOR EVERYONE WHO WAS INTERESTED IN IT.
CERTAINLY ALL SCHOOL LEADERS WOULD WELCOME FUNDING COMING FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE INSTEAD OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BUDGET SO WE'D BE HAPPY TO GET BEHIND THAT.
BUT EACH SCHOOL MY UNDERSTANDING IS WOULD NEED TO FIRST DECIDE THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WANTED TO DO. IT IS THAT IT IS MORE THAN A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT.
IT IS A COMMUNITY INVESTMENT AND SO YOUR STAFF NEEDS TO BE WILLING TO PUT IN THE TIME AND SO AS I SAID, OUR SUPPORT STAFF SPENDS A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA
TIME IN THE MORNINGS AT THE FRONT DOOR AND AT FIRST YOU KNOW, NOBODY WAS EXCITED ABOUT ADDITIONAL TIME DOING AN ADMINISTRATIVE DUTY. AND I THINK WHEN FOLKS REALIZED THAT THE INVESTMENT PAID OFF
OVER THE COURSE OF THE DAY WITH THE REDUCTION AND PEER CONFLICTS OR PEER ISSUES, THEN THAT TIME INVESTMENT IT FELT WELL WORTH THE ADDITIONAL TIME AT THE FRONT DOOR.
AND SO I THINK IN TERMS OF INVESTMENT FROM SCHOOLS THE GREATER INVESTMENT IS THE STAFF RESOURCES IN TERMS OF BEING WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, BE CONSISTENT ABOUT THE
IMPLEMENTATION. AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WANTS THINGS TO BE FAIR ADOLESCENTS ARE PARTICULARLY TUNED INTO ISSUES OF FAIRNESS AND SO THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH THE CELL PHONE POLICY IN THE PAST IS THAT WE YOU TOOK MY PHONE BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S THREE PEOPLE OVER THERE THAT HAVE THEIR PHONES WHY AREN'T YOU TAKING THEIR PHONES AND THEN SUDDENLY YOU'VE COMPLETELY LOST THE CLASSROOM.
THIS IS DONE UNIFORMLY AT THE FRONT DOOR. WE'RE CLEAR AND STUDENTS NOW AS STUDENTS DO, THEY'RE VERY CREATIVE THAT IF THEY FIGURE OUT A WAY AROUND IT AND THEY'RE
FOUND LATER THEN IT'S GOING TO GO DOWNSTAIRS AND BECAUSE IT IS UNIFORM AND CONSISTENT WHICH IS WHAT I THINK I HEAR STUDENTS ASKING FOR AND PREDICTABLE IT
IS SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, NOBODY LIKES TO LOSE THEIR PHONE BUT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING AND IT'S GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO DO IT IN A FAIR WAY. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S THE
INVESTMENT IT'S IT'S THE PEOPLE INVESTMENT CERTAINLY NOTHING IS FREE BUT AND I CAN'T SPEAK TO HOW INDIVIDUAL OTHER SCHOOLS WOULD BUDGET IT BUT IT HAS NOT
BEEN A BARRIER TO US. AND SO HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE SENATE BILL NOT THIS ISN'T A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT. IF YOU DIDN'T DO IT THAT'S FINE. BUT SO IN IT IT REQUIRES LIKE
ANY PLAN TO HAVE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE THE PLAN HAS TO INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE METHOD FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS TO CONTACT STUDENTS DURING THE DAY INCLUDING IN AN EMERGENCY.
SO I HAVE YOU DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN PLACE? SO I HAVE THREE CHILDREN MYSELF. I I USE THE IPHONE TRACKING FEATURE TO FIND OUT WHERE THEY
ARE IN THE SUMMER MUCH TO THEIR CHAGRIN IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS TO TO KNOW AND TO BE ABLE TO RELIABLY ACCESS THEIR STUDENTS AND SO AS PART OF THIS
POLICY I'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR WITH OUR MAIN OFFICE STAFF WITH ANYONE WHO CARRIES EITHER A CELL PHONE OR HAS A PHONE IN THEIR OFFICE THAT IF A CAREGIVER CALLS THEN WE DROP
WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WE'RE GETTING THAT STUDENT. IF A STUDENT IS WHERE THEY'RE MEANT TO BE, IT WILL TAKE LESS THAN A MINUTE TO LOCATE THEM AND EITHER DIRECT THEM TO THE SOCIAL WORKERS OFFICE ON THE
FOURTH FLOOR AND TRANSFER THE PHONE CALL OR TO CALL THEM DOWN TO THE MAIN OFFICE. WE HAVE NOT HAD ISSUES AND IN FACT I HAD A NUMBER OF PARENTS COME IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS
THAT WE WERE DOING THIS AND THANK US AND SAY THAT THEY WANTED THIS FOR THEIR HOUSE BECAUSE THEY WERE SO TIRED OF TRYING TO TALK TO THEIR TEENAGERS, YOU KNOW, AT HOME
WHO WERE USING THEIR PHONES. AND SO THAT HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE. BUT IT'S CRITICAL AND IT'S CRITICAL FOR SCHOOLS TO BE IN REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS ABOUT
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT THE CONCERN HAS BEEN THAT SOMETHING IS HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOL AND WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, BEEPS HAS A ROBUST COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AND SO THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE
ORGANIZATION CAN MANAGE TIMELY ANNOUNCEMENTS TO FAMILIES ABOUT ANY EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. OKAY. YEAH, I DON'T KNOW THE TIMING
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HOSPITAL WHERE I KNOW THAT'S OKAY. I THINK WELL I, I JUST I MEAN SORRY PRINCIPAL MURPHY JUST HAD
A IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, IMPACTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE KIDS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S HAVE AN ARTICLE OVER HERE WHICH YOU KNOW ONE STUDY FOUND THAT YOU
KIDS STUDENTS 14 TO 17 WERE USING ON AVERAGE IN OUR SCHOOL DAY USING THEIR PHONES TO LOOK AT TICK TOCK YOUTUBE AND AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE WHEN IN TERMS OF DID YOU SEE ANY IMPACT ON NOT NOT JUST TALKING TO EACH OTHER OBVIOUSLY BUT MENTAL HEALTH WERE KIDS GOING INTO
COUNSELING? YOU KNOW, WERE THERE CYBERBULLYING? WHAT DID YOU SEE AS THE PRINCIPAL? CERTAINLY I THINK I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW DAMAGING IT WAS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
FOR STUDENTS TO BE. THEY WOULD COME TO US YOU KNOW, TO SHOW US A MESSAGE THAT SOMEONE HAD SENT US OR A SNAPCHAT MESSAGE THAT HAD SOME KIND OF SOME SUBLIMINAL SUB
LIKE A MESSAGE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TO THEM. AND SO IT WAS IT IS PERVASIVE. YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE BRAIN SCIENCE TELLS US THAT THESE SORT OF STRESS INCIDENTS THEY
TRIGGER LIKE A FIGHT OR FLIGHT REFLEX AND IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THERE TO BE LEARNING. YOU CAN'T FOCUS IF YOU'VE IF YOU'RE PREOCCUPIED WITH A MESSAGE THAT YOU JUST GOT AND
THEN THERE'S A GROUP CHAT THAT'S THEN GOING AND SENDING AND THIS WAS TAKING UP A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AND THEN PREVENTING US FROM PROVIDING SORT OF THE REGULAR COUNSELING
SERVICES THAT STUDENTS MAY HAVE JUST BEEN ENTITLED TO AS PART OF THEIR IEP OR OTHER SERVICES. AND SO THE SOCIAL WORK TEAM AND SUPPORT TEAM WAS FINDING THAT THEY WERE CONSTANT RUNNING TO
SORT OF PUT OUT FIRES THAT WERE BEING STARTED BY SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WERE CAUSING INCIDENTS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AND INSTEAD OF YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF RESPONSIVE WORK WE'RE ABLE
TO SORT OF PROACTIVELY PLAN STRESS AND ANXIETY GROUPS BECAUSE THERE'S MORE BREATHING TIME DURING THE SCHOOL DAY BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT CONSTANTLY RESPONDING TO WHAT NEW MESSAGE SOMEONE HAS SEEN ONLINE AND
THAT HAS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WHICH ARE NEEDED SORT OF BESIDES THIS. AND SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THOSE NEEDS AND
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT SORT OF SIX HOUR BREAK IN INPUT OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND MESSAGES. OKAY, THANKS. HEY, I JUST LIKE TO I JUST POINT OUT THAT I THINK THERE'S
AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORKER ABOUT HOW THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR KIDS BUT IT'S ALSO I MEAN PART OF THE REASON WHY I THINK WHY WE TALK ABOUT IT SO MUCH IS BECAUSE IT'S ALSO AN ISSUE FOR ADULTS. I THINK MY COLLEAGUES YOU KNOW
I'M SURE I'M SURE A LOT OF THE STUDENTS HERE HAVE HAD PEOPLE SAY MEAN THINGS ABOUT THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA. ANYONE KNOW? WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE HAD THAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
I THINK I DON'T KNOW WHO EXCEPT FOR LUCY LOUIJEUNE EVERYONE JUST SAYS REALLY NICE THINGS BUT YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF I YOU KNOW, I THINK I I DON'T KNOW WHO'S IN FIRST PLACE BUT COUNCILWOMAN HERE PROBABLY HAS
LIKE 11,000 INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I THINK THAT AND SO BETWEEN THE TWO OF US WE'VE GOT ABOUT 11,004 AND BUT YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH MY FOUR FOLLOWERS, YOU
KNOW, WE WE DEAL WITH THIS ALL THE TIME AT LEAST LIKE I'M JUST A MATT YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THIS AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH AND CERTAINLY I THINK
TO MISS MOHAMMED'S POINT ABOUT TEACHERS GETTING TEACHERS OFF THEIR PHONES TOO WOULD BE WOULD BE GREAT. BUT YOU KNOW, TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP KIDS LEARNING IN SCHOOL, I THINK THAT'S THE FOCUS OF THIS.
SO JUST I THINK WE WE FEEL THEIR PAIN ESPECIALLY THE ELECTED OFFICIALS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE THROW A LOT OF STUFF AT US ALL THE TIME. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSELOR.
WHOEVER WE'RE NOW GOING TO GO TO HOUSE PREVENT AS A REMINDER WE DO HAVE ANOTHER PANEL AFTER THIS AND THERE IS ANOTHER HEARING TO SORT TO GET TO SO WAYS TO WORK JUST KEEP YOUR EYES SPEED ENOUGH.
YEAH, BUT I WANT TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE HAVE AMAZING PANELISTS WITH US HERE TODAY AND OF COURSE WE'RE PREPARED TO HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND I'M PROUD TO BE ONE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.
FOUR OR FIVE WORDS DID YOU SAY THAT? NO, SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR THE PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU BRING. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO WITH OUR STUDENTS. I THINK THERE'S NOTHING MORE
VALUABLE THAN WORKING WITH OUR YOUNG POPULATION HERE IN THE CITY. MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE WAY THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO TRACK THE SUCCESS OR THE JUST THE
IMPACT OF TAKING AWAY THE CELL PHONES THROUGH THE POWER SYSTEM AT ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL. I WANT TO KNOW LIKE HAVE YOU SEEN DIFFERENCE IN ACADEMICS DIFFERENCE CULTURE?
DO YOUR TEACHERS PROVIDE SOME SORT OF REVIEW? DO THE STUDENTS PROVIDE SOME SORT OF REVIEW? I WOULD LIKE TO JUST KNOW THAT IS THERE ANY TRACKING MECHANISM HOW HAS IMPACTED YOUR SCHOOL?
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO OUR TEACHERS SORT OF HAVE UNIFORM WE SUPPORT THE POLICY, HAVE SPOKEN AT GREAT LENGTH ABOUT HOW THEY WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE KEEP THE POLICY. ANY TIME THAT WE COME UP IN OUR SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL MEETINGS WHICH IS THE SORT OF GOVERNING BODY OF THE SCHOOL THERE IS UNIFORM SUPPORT AMONG TEACHERS
FOR IT BEEPS, DOES SOME SURVEYS . ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAW MOST RECENTLY IN OUR SCHOOL DATA WAS AN INCREASE IN THE SENSE OF BELONGING AND THAT'S ONE OF THE INDICATORS WHICH IS I
THINK A GOOD INDICATOR. I THINK WE HAVE INFORMALLY SURVEYED STUDENTS. I CAN TELL YOU THEY WERE GOING TO SAY THAT IT'S AGGY. THEY DON'T LIKE IT THAT BUT AT
THE SAME TIME I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND IT AS SOMETHING THAT IS LIKE VEGETABLES OR YOU KNOW, CALCULUS PROBABLY NOT SOMETHING
YOU MIGHT NECESSARILY WANT TO DO BUT THAT IT IS GOOD FOR YOU . SO I THINK YEAH, OKAY. YEAH. I'M CURIOUS TO SEE IF WE WERE TO ASK THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES
LIKE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS LIKE HOW THEY'VE BEEN IMPACTED BY THIS. SO IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF YOU EVER DO THAT LET US KNOW. YES, I WOULD LOVE TO. OH, AND I WONDER WHO TESTIFIED
EARLIER IS AN ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AND WHILE WE WERE DOING THIS HE STARTED HIS OWN EXPERIMENT IN THE LUNCHROOM WHERE THEY PUT LITTLE T LIGHT CANDLES AND HAD A LIKE A FORMAL
LUNCH BECAUSE SUDDENLY THERE WAS SPACE TO DO THIS AND HE CALLED IT ONE OF HIS SOCIAL EXPERIMENT OR SOCIAL EXPERIMENT . AND SO I THINK PART OF THAT WAS FROM THE CELL PHONE WORK
THINKING ABOUT WHAT OTHER WAYS CAN WE EXPERIMENT WITH AND THEY WORE SUITS TO THE CAFETERIA AND HAD TEA LIGHTS AND AND SO I THINK YOU KNOW, IT IS SOMETHING
WE COULD BE AND PROBABLY SHOULD BE COLLECTING AND TRACKING DATA ON. I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN SORT OF A A DECREASE WHEN YOU TALK TO OUR DEANS IN TERMS OF THE THE EXTENT OF THE PEER
CONFLICTS AND THE SORT OF PEER CONFLICTS THAT THEN RESULT IN PHYSICAL ALTERCATIONS HAS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AND STUDENTS WILL SAY THAT IT'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR PHONES AND SO THEY ARE LESS
INTERESTED IN ENGAGING IN THAT SORT OF CONFLICT. SADLY IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO VIDEOTAPE IT. AND SO THAT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT STUDENTS HAVE ARTICULATED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS TO US.
OKAY. NOW I'M JUST I'M THANKFUL THAT THIS PRACTICE HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE AT LEAST IN THE TRAFFIC SCHOOL AT ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL AND I KNOW THAT IT'S A LITTLE OUTSIDE OF MY DISTRICT BUT WITH THE PERMISSION OF COUNCIL RUBBER I LOVE TO VISIT AND JUST
GET THAT EXPERIENCE TOO. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN SOMEHOW SET THAT UP RUBBER. THAT'LL BE GREAT BUT JUST THANK YOU. THANK YOU WORK YOU ALL DO. THANK YOU FOR AGAIN YOUR
TESTIMONY. IT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU CONCEPT OF A CLASSROOM HERE YOU HAVE A FLOOR. YES AND I WILL VERIFY I DO HAVE 11,000 FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM.
YOU CAN FOLLOW ME AT JULIA FOR BOSTON. I CAN GET SOME MORE BUT I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOMETHING THAT COUNCILOR WEBER MENTIONS.
I HAD CLOSE TO 14,000 FOLLOWERS ON TWITTER AND I STOPPED USING THAT PLATFORM BECAUSE OF HOW TOXIC AND HOW MEAN TROLLS ARE
IN THAT SPACE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EVEN THOUGH SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE A GOOD INFORMATION SHARING PLATFORM AND EVEN THOUGH I HAD MORE
FOLLOWERS THERE, I OUGHT NOT TO ENGAGE IN THAT PLATFORM ANYMORE JUST BECAUSE IT'S SO TOXIC AND SO THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL IMPACT THAT IT HAS EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ADULTS IT IS VERY
TROUBLING THE WAY THAT PEOPLE HAVE USED SOCIAL MEDIA TO ATTACK ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ALSO HOW PEOPLE USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO ATTACK PEOPLE, PERIOD. SO I THINK THAT THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID THERE
ABOUT THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD. I LEFT THAT PLATFORM AND ONLY SPORADICALLY SHARE THINGS THERE WHEN NEED BE JUST BECAUSE IT'S
SO TOXIC, SO JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND SO YOU KNOW, I REALLY LOVE THE BALANCED PERSPECTIVE HERE AND DENISE, I JUST REALLY WANT TO JUST LIKE ACKNOWLEDGE HOW YOU
BROUGHT THE YOUTH VOICE INTO THIS BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THESE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING ARE GOING TO IMPACT THEIR DAY TO DAY LIVES AND SO TO BRING THEM INTO THE PLATFORM, INTO THE
SPACE AND THEIR CONCERNS HERE IS REALLY VALID AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS. AND SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT . AS AN ADULT WHO HAS CHILDREN,
I'M SURE YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR YOU TO EVEN BE HERE BECAUSE I FEEL THE PAIN RIGHT NOW MY DAUGHTER UTILIZES HER PHONE TO TEXT ME ABOUT CASHAPP
SEND HER UBERS. I'M CONSTANTLY I HAD TO GET OFF OF LIFE360 JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS TRACKING MY WHEREABOUTS LIKE IT'S SO CRAZY RIGHT? AND SO I JUST WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE OUR LIVES EASIER AND ALSO HARDER AND I AM VERY CURIOUS
ABOUT AND I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM EVEN THOUGH WE ARE PARENTS THE THREE OF US HERE ON THIS PANEL RIGHT NOW BUT WE SEE THE ROLE THAT PARENTS PLAY IN THIS
CONVERSATION, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE CAN'T EXPECT GOVERNMENT WE CAN'T EXPECT OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR EDUCATORS TO BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYBODY AT ALL TIMES IS JUST UNREALISTIC. AND I'M JUST CURIOUS KIND
OF LIKE WHAT ROLE HAVE YOU ALL SEEN PARENTS PLAY IN THIS DIALOG AND WHAT ROLE AND WHAT WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS?
WE'RE TUNING IN ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN DO AT HOME TO HELP SUPPORT THIS CONVERSATION. YEAH, I'M SURE CAITLIN DEALS
WITH PARENTS QUITE A BIT MORE THAN I DO BUT I WILL SAY THAT IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BLACK YOUNG PEOPLE AND WITH THEIR PARENTS THERE IS DEFINITELY RESISTANCE FROM
PARENTS AND I THINK THAT STEMS FROM A LACK OF TRUST AND A LACK OF COMMUNICATION WITH WITH SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS AND WITH SOME OF THOSE INSTITUTIONS THAT UNFORTUNATELY THEY FEEL AS THOUGH THEY WON'T BE
COMMUNICATED WITH. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A GREAT SYSTEM OF ENGLISH HIGH FOR STUDENTS TO GET, YOU KNOW, IN TOUCH WITH PARENTS AND FOR VICE VERSA.
BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATELY BE THE CASE THAT ALL OF OUR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND I I THINK ANECDOTALLY YOU WOULD HEAR FROM STUDENTS THAT THEY FEEL THAT
THEY DON'T HAVE THE AUTONOMY TO ,YOU KNOW, ASK TO GO TO THE BATHROOM OR ASK FOR A PERIOD PRODUCT. WOULD THEY HAVE THE AUTONOMY TO ASK TO USE THE PHONE TO CONTACT A PARENT AND SO I THINK LIKE
THERE ARE SOME GREAT PROCEDURES PUT IN PLACE AT ENGLISH I, I CAN'T SAY THAT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE THOSE AND I THINK THAT IF WE SPOKE TO STUDENTS WE WOULD DEFINITELY HEAR A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT THEY FEEL THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO NECESSARILY ASK FOR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED AND THEN IN TURN OUR PARENTS FEEL LIKE PERHAPS MY STUDENT ISN'T GETTING WHAT THEY
NEED OR DON'T DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO WHAT THEY NEED AND SO THEY FEEL YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY LIKE I NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE CONSTANT CONTACT WITH MY
STUDENT. I PERSONALLY TRY TO YOU KNOW, I HAVE A 14 YEAR OLD I PERSONALLY TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TIME WITHOUT THE PHONES WHETHER
IT'S BEING GOING FOR A WALK DURING DINNER CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY THAT WE DON'T WE'RE ALL NOT ON OUR PHONE BUT IT'S
DEFINITELY A BATTLE AND I DON'T THINK YOU KNOW, EVEN EVEN IN BASIC WE HAVE OUR WE HAVE OUR BATTLES AS WELL. BUT I THINK IF YOU WALK INTO OUR SPACE ON ANY GIVEN DAY A MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE
INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER. THEY ARE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE WE ARE VERY LOUD. WE ARE VERY BOISTEROUS. I THINK THE BOLAND BUILDING MIGHT BE TIRED OF US AT SOME POINT BUT OUR STUDENTS ARE
INTERACTING AND SO I DON'T WANT TO PAINT THE PICTURE THAT STUDENTS ARE JUST SO DISCONNECTED FROM THE WORLD BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY
INSTANCES WHERE EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE A YONDER SYSTEM IN PLACE OR WE DON'T HAVE A PHONE SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT YOU CAN SEE STUDENTS BEING YOUNG PEOPLE AND IF YOU CAME TO OUR BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT ON FRIDAY
YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS NOT ON THEIR PHONE JUST HANGING OUT AT THE PARK, ENGAGING IN BALL DANCING, PERFORMING AND HAVING A GOOD TIME.
AND SO I THINK SOMETIMES WE DON'T ALWAYS GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THE CREDIT THAT THEY DESERVE WHEN IT COMES TO THEM MANAGING A WORLD THAT WE DID NOT GROW UP IN, WE DID NOT HAVE THIS ACCESS
THE WAY THAT THEY DO AND SO I THINK MANY OF THEM CARRY THEMSELVES IN IN A VERY GOOD WAY AND TRY TO BE CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT TO SAY SURE. I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES LIKE THIS THAT ASK PEOPLE TO DO SOMETHING THAT FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE AND A
LITTLE BIT SCARY THEN AS ADMINISTRATORS, YOU KNOW WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR THAT TO FEEL LIKE AS OKAY AS POSSIBLE. AND SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT
ENGLISH THAT THAT WE ARE THIS IS A BIG ASK FOR FOLKS AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE TEACHERS ARE NOT ON THEIR PHONES. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IF A PARENT CALLS WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING YOU STOP AND GET THE STUDENT.
IT'S IMPORTANT IF A STUDENT NEEDS TO SPEAK TO THEIR FAMILY THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING AND THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A FEELING THAT YOU CAN DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE GET TO DO THIS THING
THAT WE KNOW IS REALLY GOOD FOR YOU. AND I THINK YOU KNOW BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THAT WE CAN CONTROL IS THESE 6 HOURS. I THINK IN MY OWN LIFE AS A PARENT IT'S EASIER TO GIVE MY
EIGHT YEAR OLD THE IPAD WHEN I HAVE WORK TO DO. BUT THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR HER AND I YOU KNOW, I'M FIGHTING WITH MY HIGH SCHOOL AGE SON ABOUT HIS SUMMER READING THAT HE HASN'T STARTED AND REALIZING
THAT LIKE WHEN IS THE LAST TIME HE SAW ME READ A BOOK? AND SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO ADJUST MY OWN PRACTICES. I, I THINK THERE'S THERE'S WORK THAT ALL OF US HAVE TO DO AS PARENTS BECAUSE IT'S BECOME SO
EASY TO JUST LET THE DEVICES SORT OF, YOU KNOW, RUN THE KIDS WHILE WE'RE ALL TIED UP DOING I MEAN IT ALLOWS US TO DO SO MANY THINGS AT ONCE. RIGHT.
BUT AS A PARENT MYSELF, I THINK I WOULD SAY THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE TECHNOLOGY PRACTICES THAT YOU'RE MODELING FOR YOUR STUDENTS LIKE HOW OFTEN ARE THEY SEEING YOU ON YOUR PHONE OR YOUR DEVICE
VERSUS DOING SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE WE ALL GREW UP WITH WE'RE WATCHING OUR PARENTS DO OTHER THINGS LIKE AND SO I THINK YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SORT OF MODELING WHAT WE'RE DOING
AND YOU KNOW, I CAN ONLY CONTROL WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY BUT I KNOW MYSELF AS A PARENT IT'S A HUGE CHALLENGE TO TO MONITOR MY OWN USE. I APPRECIATE THAT.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE LIMITED TIME AND MY COLLEAGUES HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS TOO. I JUST GET ONE MORE QUESTION AND CHAIR THANK YOU AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK AS A PARENT LIKE THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M STRUGGLING WITH THE MOST IN TERMS OF KIND OF LIKE HOW DO I BALANCE BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT LIKE YEAH I HAVE 101 THINGS TO DO. I'M A SINGLE MOM AT THAT SO I
HAVE I'M THE ENTERTAINMENT YOU KNOW, I'M THE ONE WHO HAS TO CARRY IT ALL AND SO IT'S EASIER FOR ME TO ALLOW MY DAUGHTER TO, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO ON HER SNAPCHAT AND I'M NOT
I DON'T EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO IT. SO I FIND OUT WHAT SHE'S DOING ON SNAPCHAT THROUGH MY COUSIN YOU KNOW, THROUGH MY OTHER SIBLINGS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR KIDS THAT INFORMATION. AND SO LIKE THERE'S A WALL
OF LIKE THERE'S A BARRIER THERE IN TERMS OF US BEING ABLE TO MONITOR OUR KIDS SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITIES AND I WANT TO NAME THAT AS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO
ACKNOWLEDGE. I THINK THAT ONE TO THE IDEA OF UTILIZING THE CAFETERIA FOR SOCIALIZING I MEAN I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL
ABOUT THIS AND I THINK WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE DISTRICT PERSPECTIVE IS REALLY MORE CONSISTENCY AROUND LIKE ALL SCHOOLS ALL TIMES THIS IS GOING
TO BE THE BLANKET. THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH OUR CELL PHONE USAGE BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS THAT I SEE IS THAT CERTAIN SCHOOLS HAVE
MORE CAPACITY AND MORE RESOURCES AND MORE DISCIPLINE THAN OTHERS. RIGHT. AND THEN SO THAT CREATES THE CULTURE OF OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, IF YOU WILL. SO I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS AND ONE
ONE IS HOW ARE WE GRAPPLING WITH THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN TERMS OF LIKE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE JUST BEING AS COMPETITIVE AS OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHEN WHEN THEY'RE ALLOWED THEIR
STUDENTS TO UTILIZE CELL PHONES BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALLEGEDLY MORE DISCIPLINE. SO I'D LOVE TO HEAR THAT. AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF THIS QUESTION IS FOR ME I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE SOCIAL
INTERACTION PIECE OF IT. I THINK WENDELL'S IDEA OF AND I DON'T KNOW I WANT EVERYBODY TO DO THIS LIKE CAN WE DO A CHALLENGE ACROSS THE DISTRICT
WHERE IT'S A A DIGITAL DETOX CHALLENGE WHERE WE TAKE MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE HIGH SCHOOLS AND PUT THEM TO THE TEST TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE
SPENT A WHOLE WEEK DEDICATED TO BEING DIGITALLY CONSCIOUS? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THIS DISTRICT CAN DO AND WOULD BE
WILLING TO TAKE ON A DIGITAL CHALLENGE A WEEK OF DIGITAL DETOXING SIMS SO I CANNOT
COMMIT TO THAT BUT I CANNOT COMMIT TO THAT. BUT I MEAN I DO THINK THAT LIKE YOU KNOW WHEN YOU VISIT OUR SCHOOLS AND YOU SEE, YOU KNOW,
THE WORK THAT OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS ARE DOING, OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS ARE DOING WHETHER IT'S LIKE THE SMALL SMALL GROUP LUNCH TIME A LOT OF THEM DO THAT OR A LOT OF OUR
SCHOOLS HAVE VARIOUS AFFINITY SPACES FOR STUDENTS THAT DO GIVE THEM THAT KIND OF ONE ON ONE TIME, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT. I DO THINK THAT LIKE THAT'S A
SUPER IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL PART. I LOVE HEARING STUDENTS LEAD THAT AND I DO THINK THERE ARE SPACES WHERE THAT'S HAPPENING IN SCHOOL PERHAPS IT'S NOT LIKE DRESSED IN A SUIT WITH A TEE
LIGHT AT THE LUNCH TABLE BUT YOU KNOW THERE ARE STUDENTS RUNNING RECYCLING CLUB AND STUDENT GOVERNMENT AND YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT VARIOUS PROGRAMS AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS
THAT THEY DO FIND THAT THAT ONE ON ONE TIME THEY DO FIND THEIR TIME TO BUILD WITH EACH OTHER. THEY DO FIND THAT TIME TO PRACTICE A STEP OR PRACTICE A DANCE AND SO THOSE THOSE SMALL
THINGS I DON'T WANT THEM TO GO UNACKNOWLEDGED RIGHT BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES WHERE OUR STUDENTS IN MANY STUDENTS ARE HAVING THAT SOCIAL INTERACTION. I MEAN EVEN WHEN STUDENTS ARE
MAKING TIKTOKS TOGETHER RIGHT THERE IS A LEVEL OF SOCIAL INTERACTION GOING ON THERE BUT I, I THINK WE'RE GRAPPLING WITH THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY TOUGH, TOUGH QUESTION TO TO KIND OF TRY TO TACKLE. BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE OF SEEING SCHOOLS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY
HAVE CELL PHONE POLICIES PER SE, I THINK IT'S AROUND THE EXPECTATION THE COMMUNITY AND THE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL AND REALLY FOCUSING ON BUILDING THAT TRUST AND BUILDING THAT
COMMUNITY WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE KATELYN IS DOING A GREAT JOB DOING THAT BUT IF STUDENTS DON'T FEEL WELCOME, DON'T FEEL TRUST, DON'T FEEL CONNECTED TO THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, THERE
IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE THAT STRUGGLE TO TAKE A PHONE OR TO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE IN THAT BUILDING REALLY HAVE YOUR BEST INTERESTS AT HEART IF THEY DON'T GENUINELY FEEL THAT.
AND SO I'M NOT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION AROUND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW BUT I DO KNOW THAT WHEN SCHOOLS BUILD TRUST BUILD SAFE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENTS OR
WHETHER IT BE A YOUTH PROGRAM AS WELL, THE EXPECTATION OF STUDENTS IS GOING TO BE THERE AND THEY'RE GOING TO RISE TO THE EXPECTATION. I THINK IN TERMS OF THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE QUESTION I ACTUALLY THINK HAVING THIS POLICY MAKES OUR STUDENTS MORE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER DISTRICTS. NOT HAVING THE CELL PHONES DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE NO TECHNOLOGY. SHE CERTAINLY WE HAVE A LOT
OF TECHNOLOGY THAT IS ALIGNED WITH THE STANDARDS SO WE HAVE THE ONLY LEGAL AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES PATHWAY IN THE DISTRICT SO OUR STUDENTS HAVE A911 CAR SIMULATOR AND SO
STUDENTS ARE ENGAGING WITH THAT TECHNOLOGY OR THEY'RE ENGAGING WITH A SUITE OF TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS IN OUR HEALTH ASSISTING PROGRAM. THE TEACHER WHO I QUOTED FROM
TEACHES OUR PROGRAMING AND WEB DESIGN CLASS AND SO I THINK REDUCING THE ACCESS TO CELL PHONES DURING THE DAY AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE
KINDS OF TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS TO ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS AND MAKE THEM COMPETITIVE I THINK ACTUALLY THE PHONE POLICY HELPS BECAUSE THE STUDENTS ARE FREE TO CONCENTRATE ON THOSE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES AND
ALL OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE CHROMEBOOKS. WE JUST REFRESHED OUR CHROMEBOOKS. ONE OF THE LEARNING'S I THINK JUST IN TERMS OF HOW DO I FIND OUT WHEN MY PRACTICES IS OR HOW DO I FIND OUT IS THAT I MEAN
STUDENTS ALL HAVE EMAIL THAT THEY JUST WEREN'T ACCESSING IT. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR STUDENTS LEARN TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE CHECKING YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT. YOU KNOW, ONCE OR TWICE A DAY
USING THE SCHOOL CHROMEBOOK AND COMMUNICATING THROUGH THAT PLATFORM WHICH IS AN EASY WAY TO FIND OUT IF PRACTICE TIME HAS CHANGED OR IF SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON. AND WE FOUND THAT STUDENTS WERE RELYING HEAVILY ON GROUP TEXT
AND GROUP CHATS INSTEAD OF USING EMAILS WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT AS THEY GET CLOSER TO SENIOR YEAR THEY REALIZE THAT THEY THEY REALLY NEED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH USING EMAIL ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR COLLEGES AND FOR INTERNSHIPS
AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I THINK IN SOME WAYS A CONSISTENT POLICY ACTUALLY CAN HELP TO BRIDGE THAT DIGITAL DIVIDE BUT IT'S SOMETHING IMPORTANT REALLY FOR PEOPLE TO BE MINDFUL OF.
THANK YOU. I THINK IT COMES FROM HERE COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING. ACTUALLY WHEN I WAS JUST OUT I
WOULD TALK TO ONE OF MY INTERNS WHO IS NOW IN COLLEGE AND SHE WAS AT THAT EXACT THING SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE COULD FIND INFORMATION ABOUT PRACTICE AND ROOM CHANGES ALL OF THAT VIA
EMAIL AND WE ALL HAD OUR CHROMEBOOK SO THAT AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BEING ON THE PHONES I THINK COUNTS FOR MEJIA ASKED IN PART THE QUESTION THAT I HAD IN TERMS OF LIKE PARENTS
REACTION AND RESPONSE, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ELABORATE BUT THAT'S THAT'S WHEN I'M CURIOUS ABOUT BECAUSE YOU KNOW I'M THINKING YOU KNOW, WE WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP RIGHT, YOUR PARENTS WOULD LEAVE
YOU A MESSAGE ON THE KITCHEN TABLE LIKE TAKE THE MEAT OUT OF THE FREEZER. RIGHT. AND LIKE MAYBE NOW THAT SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO TEXT THEIR KIDS BUT MAYBE
IT'S THEM THAT CAN WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY. SO SORT OF JUST MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PARENT FEEDBACK. SURE. I THINK THERE WAS SOME ANXIETY INITIALLY AND AND THEN I THINK ONCE PARENTS REALIZED THAT I
MEAN WE'LL TAKE THE MESSAGE ABOUT THE MEAT AND YOU KNOW, PASS IT ON TO THE STUDENT. THERE'S NO MESSAGE THAT'S TOO MINOR BECAUSE WE'VE REMOVED THAT ABILITY AND SO WE HAVE TO
BE FLEXIBLE THAT AND IF THAT IF YOU'RE YOU KNOW, REGULAR WAY OF COMMUNICATING AND YOU HAVE TO GET A MESSAGE RIGHT AWAY WE WILL GET THE STUDENT THE MESSAGE. AND I THINK THAT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN RESPONSIVE IN THAT WAY, I
THINK PARENTS HAVE BEEN APPRECIATIVE AND AGAIN, I THINK AS WE'VE HAD PARENT MEETINGS RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, PEER CONFLICTS AND THINGS, IT HAS COME UP REPEATEDLY THAT THE PARENTS ARE HAPPY THAT THE
STUDENTS ARE NOT ENGAGING WITH EACH OTHER DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. AND SO BY AND LARGE THE RESPONSE OF PARENTS HAS BEEN POSITIVE. I'VE MET WITH A NUMBER OF PARENTS WHO WERE CONCERNED
ABOUT THE QUESTION OF WHAT DO I DO DURING AN EMERGENCY? AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE REITERATED THAT YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE EVER TRIED TO GIVE A TEENAGER MULTI-STEP DIRECTIONS WHILE THEY HAVE THEIR PHONE IN THEIR HANDS LIKE THAT'S WHY THE
LAUNDRY DIDN'T GET PUT AWAY OR THE MEAT NEVER GOT OUT OF THE REFRIGERATOR OR THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY LISTEN TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. AND SO WE'VE WALKED PARENTS THROUGH IMAGINE THERE'S A REAL EMERGENCY AND I'M TRYING TO GIVE YOUR YOUR STUDENT A
DIRECTION ABOUT WHERE TO GO AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THEIR PHONE AND NOT FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID THAT THERE HAD TO BE SOME KIND OF FIRST RESPONDERS OR SOMETHING. AND SO MOST PARENTS SO LONG AS
WE'VE SAT DOWN WITH THEM AND EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT OUR EMERGENCY PLANS AND PROTOCOLS ARE, THEY HAVE BEEN SATISFIED WITH THAT AND I THINK THE KIDS
THE CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO PARENTS IN THAT WAY. WELL THANK YOU. OH DENISE YEAH I REALLY LIKE HOW SOCIEDAD LATINA INCORPORATED THE PARENTS IN THEIR POLICY RIGHT?
LIKE MAKING SURE THAT THERE WAS LIKE EITHER A PHONE CALL OR A PERSONAL TOUCH POINT FROM LIKE AN ADULT OF THE PROGRAM TO LIKE OUTLINE THE EXPECTATIONS AND I KNOW IN THE TOOL KIT THAT THE
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CREATED THERE'S ALSO KIND OF LIKE COMMUNITY GUIDELINES RIGHT? BECAUSE AGAIN IT'S 6 HOURS OF THE DAY. THERE'S A LOT OF HOURS OUTSIDE OF THAT THAT YOU KNOW, THAT
FUEL THE FIRE FOR ARGUMENTS OR FIGHTS OR GOSSIP OR OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT THAT CARRY INTO THE SCHOOL DAY AS WELL. AND SO I THINK LIKE BE YES, OUR STUDENTS ARE A BIG PART OF IT
BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A BIGGER COMMUNITY COMMITMENT FROM THE ADULTS ACROSS THE BOARD THAT WE ARE GOING TO CARRY OURSELVES IN THE SAME WAY AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME THINGS THAT WE SAY THAT WE WANT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
TO DO. YEAH, I THINK THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL REFLECTION SORT OF LIKE WHAT ARE WE DOING? SO I LOOK FORWARD TO VISITING IN ENGLISH AND SEEING IT ALONGSIDE SOME DISTRICT COUNCILORS AND YOUR DISTRICT
COUNCILOR APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE OF ME HERE GIVE A SHOUT OUT SO WE WOULD SEE FOR BOSTON ON SOCIAL MEDIA BUT HONESTLY I WILL SAY THOUGH THE NUMBER OF KIDS AND STUDENTS WHO REACH OUT TO ME ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT
THEY'RE HAVING WITH THEIR FAMILY OR ON AND BUT THIS IS A QUESTION FOR ANOTHER DAY. BUT LIKE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE FOR CONSTITUENT SERVICES VIA SOCIAL
MEDIA. DM THE NUMBER OF OUR STUDENTS IS REALLY HIGH AND I THINK THAT'S LIKE YOU KNOW, TRAINING PEOPLE ON EMAIL.
I THINK IS IMPORTANT BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THAT IS A VEHICLE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND THAT YOU KNOW NOW AS EVERYONE IS LIKE OKAY CAN YOU PLEASE EMAIL
ME THIS CONCERN BOTH BECAUSE IT'S BAD FOR MY OFFICE TO TRACK VIA EMAIL BUT ALSO AS A WAY OF HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT LIKE THAT'S PROBABLY THE BETTER WAY THAN SOCIAL MEDIA. SO I DO THINK THAT THERE'S LIKE
A TRAINING ASPECT ALSO IN TERMS OF HOW YOU COMMUNICATE AND ALSO IN TERMS OF LIKE TEACHING US WHAT'S URGENT BECAUSE WE ARE WE SORT OF HAVE FAILED TO TO UNDERSTAND AND COMPLETED EVERYTHING AS URGENTLY AS
URGENT BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE PHONES IN OUR HANDS WHEN NOT EVERYTHING IS URGENT. SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. PRESIDENT CASTRO THANK YOU, CHAIR AND I THINK I'M GOING TO
GIVE COUNCILOR WEBER A BOOST IN HIS FOLLOWERS SO PLEASE GO FOLLOW COUNCILOR WEBER BEND FOR DISTRICT SIX. LET'S GET HIS FOLLOWERS UP AND
ALSO FOLLOW ME TO VOTE WHERE BUT A FEW QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU IS YOU TALKED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT IS UP TO UPGRADED.
DO WE KNOW KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD TAKE? IS THERE LIKE AN ASSESSMENT THAT IS DONE BY SCHOOL TO SEE IF THEIR TECHNOLOGY IS OUTDATED
AND THEN CAN WE QUANTIFY THAT IN TERMS LIKE A DOLLAR AMOUNT SO IT WOULD BE THE DEPARTMENT THAT MANAGES THAT AND SO I
BELIEVE THE THE CHROMEBOOKS ARE ON A SET REVIEW. SO EACH SCHOOL HAS A TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR AND IN THE SPRING ALL OF THE TECHNOLOGY COORDINATORS WERE GIVEN THIS IS PROBABLY MORE DETAIL WE'RE
GIVEN A WAY TO LOOK THROUGH ALL THE CHROMEBOOKS THAT YOU HAVE IN STOCK AND TO START TO PULL OUT THE ONES THAT WERE THAT YOU KNOW, SORT OF TOO OLD TO UPDATE AND THEN THE DISTRICT REPLENISHES THOSE.
SO THAT'S HAPPENING ON A YEARLY BASIS. YES. AWESOME. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW AND I CAN CHECK IN WITH THE DISTRICT TO SEE IF THAT'S HAPPENING AT. ALL OF THE SCHOOLS YEAH YOU WOULD HAVE TO CHECK IN WITH THEM ABOUT LIKE THE SCHOOLS
LIKE IT IF THE SCHOOL WHO THE TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR IS AT THE SCHOOL HOW YOU KNOW HOW ARE THEY GOING THROUGH THE CHROMEBOOKS AND THEN WHAT IS THE TRANSACTION OF HEY WE NEED
14 MORE OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. I KNOW THAT I FROM CAITLIN'S COMMENTS THAT STUDENTS AT ENGLISH HAVE CHROMEBOOKS BUT I THINK IT VARIES SCHOOL TO
SCHOOL LIKE IF STUDENTS IF THEIR CHROMEBOOK BREAKS WHAT'S THE PROCESS TO GET IT FIXED, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? DO THEY GET A REPLACEMENT AND WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE GOT
LIKE NEWER CHROMEBOOKS AND YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S ON YOUR PHONE IS ON YOUR CHROMEBOOK OR ON YOUR COMPUTER. SO I DO AGREE WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHEN THEY SAY THIS
SHOWING OUR STUDENTS OUR PARENTS THAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN ACCESS A LOT OF THE SAME TOOLS ON YOUR CHROMEBOOK LIKE YOU GET STARTED A GOOGLE CHAT RIGHT
WITH A BUNCH OF YOUR FRIENDS TO TALK ABOUT THE BACK EVENT THAT MIGHT HAVE GOT YOU KNOW, RESCHEDULE OUT OR AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
SO I DO BELIEVE YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET THEM TO THE COMPUTER OR THE CHROMEBOOK IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF. BUT THEN THE CAREGIVERS YOU KNOW, TO GO TO YOUR POINT, WE
ONLY HAVE OUR STUDENTS FOR 6 HOURS A DAY SO KIND OF TEACHING OUR CAREGIVERS THE BEST PRACTICES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA I THINK THE BEST PRACTICE IS NOT BUYING THEM A CELL PHONE
SOMETIMES BUT IF THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A CELL PHONE JUST KIND OF BEST PRACTICES. SO KIND OF SEEING SOME COMMUNICATION COMING OUT OF BP'S ON THAT TO HELP OUR
CAREGIVERS HELP US ON BEST PRACTICES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA. I THINK THE LAST OR EVEN THE PHONE I THINK THE LAST I WOULD SAY IS I MEAN TAKE A LOOK AT MY
NOTES. I JUST WANT TO JUST ALSO YOU BROUGHT UP SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T SAY OFTEN TIMES LIKE OUR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NAVIGATING A WORLD
THAT WE HAVE NEVER HAD TO NAVIGATE AS A TEENAGER. SO I JUST WANT TO JUST GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT AND WORKING WITH US ON NAVIGATING, YOU KNOW, SOME MUCH MORE PRESSURE
AND SO MUCH MORE TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU KNOW CAN BE HARMFUL AT TIMES. SO I JUST WANT TO JUST SAY THAT OUT LOUD AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FOR OUR FOR OUR STUDENTS AND NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BUT
THANK YOU. AWESOME. WELL, VEGA COMES FROM AROUND AND THANK YOU TO OUR PANELISTS. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS AND
PROVIDING THAT FEEDBACK SO I WILL DISMISS YOU BOTH AND I WILL WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME PUBLIC TESTIMONY WE'RE GOING TO TAKE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND THEN I'M GOING TO INVITE THE
LAST PANEL DOWN WITH US. SO FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY WE HAVE THE MONEY WE HAVE A MONEY
BEYOND KEVIN LEWIS NEAR US THIS SIDE AND JOSEPH, I CAN GET YOU UP YOU CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME,
YOUR AFFILIATION AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES FOR YOUR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. OH, GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS IMANI VILLA. I'M A RISING JUNIOR AT BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON SWIMMING ADVISORY COUNCIL.
I BELIEVE STUDENTS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR PHONES IN SCHOOL NOT JUST FOR CONVENIENCE BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH RESPONSIBILITY IN THE DIGITAL AGE PHONES AREN'T GOING
AWAY INSTEAD OF BANNING THEM, SCHOOLS SHOULD GUIDE STUDENTS ON HOW TO USE THEM WISELY JUST LIKE WE TEACH SAFE DRIVING BEFORE HANDING OVER THE KEYS WE SHOULD BE TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO MANAGE SCREEN TIME, AVOID
DISTRACTIONS, USE PHONES FOR RESEARCH AND STAY SAFE ONLINE RESPONSIBLE PHONE USE AS A LIFE SCHOOL BY INCORPORATING PHONES INTO A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WITH CLEAR BOUNDARIES, WE PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE REAL
WORLD WHERE SELF-CONTROL, DIGITAL LITERACY AND BALANCE ARE ESSENTIAL SCHOOLS JUST BLOCK THE TECH THEY SAID SHE TAUGHT YOU THEY'RE RIGHT AGAIN . NAME IS IMANI.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MEMORIES OF CITY HALL. MY NAME IS KEVIN LEWIS. I AM A RISING JUNIOR AT THE JOHN D O'BRIEN AND I'M
REPRESENTING THE BOSTON STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST BANNING PHONES IN SCHOOLS. PHONES ARE NOT JUST SOCIAL MEDIA. THEY'RE TOOLS FOR LEARNING SAFETY AND CONNECTION.
FOR MANY STUDENTS THEY PROVIDE TRANSLATION, RESEARCH AND A LIFELINE IN EMERGENCIES. A BAN DOESN'T JUST SELF-DESTRUCTION IT HIDES IT IN THE REAL WORLD LIKE COLLEGE
WORK AND EVERYDAY LIFE. PHONES ARE EVERYWHERE. TAKING THEM AWAY IN SCHOOL DOES IT PREPARE STUDENTS? IT PUTS THEM AT A DISADVANTAGE. SCHOOLS SHOULD TEACH RESPONSIBILITY, NOT AVOIDANCE.
WITH CLEAR RULES WE CAN SHOW STUDENTS HOW TO MANAGE TECHNICAL TECHNOLOGY WISELY A SKILL THAT THEY'LL USE LONG AFTER GRADUATION. DON'T TAKE AWAY THE CHANCE FOR STUDENTS TO PROVE THAT THEY CAN
BE RESPONSIBLE. TEACH THEM HOW BECAUSE THE WORLD WON'T BE IN PHONES AND NEITHER SHOULD WE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JUNIOR SYEED. I'M A RISING SOPHOMORE AT BARCELONA ACADEMY AND REPRESENTING THE BOSTON STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST A PROPOSED STATEWIDE BILL BANNING
STUDENT CELLPHONE USE IN ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM BELTSVILLE . PHONES CAN BE A DISTRACTION BUT BANNING THEM ENTIRELY DURING A NON INSTRUCTIONAL TIME IGNORES REAL ISSUES AND CREATES NEW ONES. THIS BILL WOULD TAKE AWAY A TOOL THAT HELPS US STAY
CONNECTED, INFORMED AND SAFE. TODAY PHONES ARE MORE THAN ENTERTAINMENT. WE USE THEM TO CONTACT FAMILIES DURING EMERGENCIES TO ACCESS CLASSWORK AND GRADES. CHECK IN WITH TRUSTED PEOPLE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND STAY SAFE WHILE COMMUTING.
THIS BILL'S EXPECTATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL YOUTH HEALTH NEED AN IPAD DON'T GO FAR ENOUGH. NOT EVERY NEED COMES WITH FORMAL DOCUMENTATION AND LOCKING PHONES IN POUCHES OR LOCKERS ONLY ADDS TO COST AND
STRESS. THIS POLICY ALSO ASSUMES THAT ALL SCHOOLS ARE THE SAME WHEN URBAN, SUBURBAN AND RURAL SCHOOLS FACE VERY DIFFERENT REALITIES IN URBAN SCHOOLS LIKE MINE, MANY STUDENTS TRAVEL LONG
DISTANCES TO UNSAFE AREAS. IN SUBURBAN SCHOOLS, STUDENTS FACE INTENSE ACADEMIC PRESSURE AND RELY ON PHONES TO CONNECT PARENTS, THERAPISTS OR RESOURCES. IN RURAL AREAS LIMITED INTERNET
LONG COMMUTES MEANS STUDENTS OFTEN NEED PHONES FOR LEARNING AND CONNECTION. INSTEAD OF SPENDING ALL THIS MONEY ON ENFORCEMENT SYSTEMS. WE SHOULD BE INVESTING IN REPLACING OUTDATED TEXTBOOKS, IMPROVING SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND
EXPANDING SPORTS AND ART AND STRENGTHENING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. THIS BILL SENDS THE MESSAGE THAT STUDENTS CAN'T BE TRUSTED. TRUST AND RESPONSIBILITY GOES BOTH WAYS. GIVE US A STRUCTURE, THE SUPPORT AND A CHANCE TO SHOW
THAT WE CAN USE OUR TOOLS RESPONSIBLY AND TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR US SHOULD BE MADE WITH US AND OUR VOICES BELONG IN OUR FUTURE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS JAYLEN. I RESIDE IN BOSTON AND MY NAME IS JOSEPH AND I'M FROM DORCHESTER AND WE BOTH ARE HERE
TO REPRESENT IN FRONT OF THE CHILDREN AND TALK ABOUT THE WAY SOCIAL MEDIA AFFECTS BODY IMAGE
AND THE YOUTH. WE BELIEVE IT CONTRIBUTES UNREALISTIC STANDARDS BUT CAN LEAD TO BULLYING, EATING DISORDERS AND DEPRESSION ACCORDING TO THE BOSTON
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL DID DIGITAL WELLNESS CENTER THE 46% OF US TEENS SAY THAT SOCIAL MEDIA AFFECTS THEIR SELF-IMAGE NEGATIVELY AND NEGATIVITY
PREVALENT IN SOCIAL MEDIA LEADS TO MANY INDIVIDUALS TO FEEL THAT THEY DO NOT MEASURE UP IN TERMS OF APPEARANCE. THIS CAN CREATE A VICIOUS CYCLE AS THEY WILL SEEK TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES AND GAIN MORE WEIGHT AND FEEL MORE
WORSE LEADING TO EAT MORE IN RESPONSE THE ISSUES ARE SEVERELY SEVERELY IMPACTS YOUNG IMPRESSIONABLE GIRLS. MY LITTLE SISTER HAS APPROACHED ME MULTIPLE TIMES EXPRESSING
THAT SHE FEELS BAD ABOUT HER APPEARANCE AND SOMETIMES THAT ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR SOME PEOPLE. I THINK NATIONALLY SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES SHOULD STOP SHOWING TEENAGERS FITNESS AND WEIGHT
LOSS CONTENT. I THINK THIS CONTENT IS BAD FOR THEM BECAUSE THIS CAN LEAD THEM TO HAVE A NEGATIVE THOUGHT ABOUT BODY IMAGE ISSUES. I BELIEVE ALGORITHMS SHOULD BE REGULATED TO AVOID SHOWING TEENAGERS THESE IMAGES AND
VIDEOS. I WANT BOSTON CITY COUNCIL TO FUND MORE PROGRAMING AROUND BODY ACCEPTANCE AND POSITIVE BODY IMAGE FOR TEENAGERS. I BELIEVE OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS THIS PROGRAMING TO HELP OUR PEERS FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT
THEMSELVES AND I ALSO AM PUSHING CITY COUNCIL TO PASS A RESOLUTION FOR SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES TO SERVE SHOWING FITNESS AND WEIGHT LOSS CONTENT TO THESE TEENAGERS AS IT HAS A
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THEIR BODIES . SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS LIKE TIKTOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE AND SNAPCHAT SHOULD START SHOWING CERTAIN HARMFUL CONTENT ON
USERS TO PREVENT THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTUBE OF ISSUES THAT COULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH IN THE LONG RUN. I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR THE INCLUSION OF DISCLAIMERS ON VIDEOS WHERE INDIVIDUALS USE TO
ALTER THEIR APPEARANCE. I URGE ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO WORK WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVES TO ESTABLISH LAWS TO PROTECT THE YOUTH FROM BODY DYSMORPHIA DISORDERS AND
RELATED ISSUES. COLLECTIVELY WE CAN STRIVE TO RID OUR NOT JUST OUR CITY BUT OUR NATION OF THIS PERVERSE OF PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
AND TO THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BOTH BEING HERE AND TESTIFYING. WE'RE NOW GOING TO INVITE OUR
THIRD PANEL ALL UP. WE HAVE WITH US DAVID MORAN, CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR FOR FAIR PLAY DR. DAVID BECOME A RESEARCH
SCIENTIST AND DONALD AND YOUNG ADULT MEDICINE RESEARCH AND DIGITAL WELLNESS LAB AT BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND AN INSTRUCTOR OF PEDIATRICS AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE AMAZING ALEX OLIVER DAVILA, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL AND LATINA.
SO AS YOU ALL COME HERE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE YOU ALL INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, GIVE OPENING REMARKS AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT OVER FOR MY COLLEAGUES, FOR
COUNSELOR FOR FOR QUESTIONS. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE. THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN A LONG HEARING SO I KNOW FOR A FEW HOURS. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CAME OUT TODAY AND MANY OF YOU WERE LEAVING. I APPRECIATE YOU STAYING FOR SO LONG. THANK YOU TO ALL THE CITY COUNSELORS COUNSELOR SANTANA COUNSELOR WEBER, COUNSELOR PEP
AND COUNSELOR DURKIN AND ALL OF THE OTHER COUNSELORS ALSO WHO JOINED US WHEN WE CAME TO DO A RUN THROUGH. MY NAME IS ALEXANDER OLIVER DAVILA AND I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SOCIO LATINA WHICH IS LOCATED IN ROXBURY.
WE ARE AN OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM. WE FOCUS ON WORK READINESS, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND ARTS AND CULTURE AND WE WORK WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, THROUGH
POST-SECONDARY WITH STUDENTS FROM BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. DO I WANT TO KEEP GOING OR INTO MY HOWEVER YOU HOW ARE YOU? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO I THINK BEAUTIFUL. ALL RIGHT.
SO THANK YOU. I WANTED TO JUST TOUCH BASE A LITTLE BIT. I DO HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT I PROVIDED SO IT MIGHT BE BORING TO JUST STARE AT ME. YOU CAN LOOK AT THE
PRESENTATION OF ALL ALONG IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO. BUT BEFORE I TALK ABOUT OUR TEENS AND TECHNOLOGY CAMPAIGN, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF OUR WORK BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE
CONSISTENTLY BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF ALL OF OUR CAMPAIGNS DRIVING SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY . FOR INSTANCE DURING THE PEAK
OF YOUTH TOBACCO USE SO TO THAT LATINO CONDUCTED SURVEYS COMPARING UNHEALTHY STOREFRONT ADS IN BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS TO THOSE IN SUBURBAN AREAS AND ANGERED BY THEIR FINDINGS THEY
TOOK ACTION LEADING TO A POLICY WHERE BOSTON STOREFRONTS CAN NOW DISPLAY NO MORE THAN 33% OF UNHEALTHY ADVERTISED MEATS IN THEIR WINDOWS OR BE FINED BEFORE THE CITY OF BOSTON EVEN
BEGAN ITS PUBLIC EDUCATION EFFORTS ON THE HARMS OF SUGAR SWEETENED BEVERAGES. OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WERE ACTIVELY NEGOTIATING WITH LONGWOOD MEDICAL AREA HOSPITALS TO HAVE THESE DRINKS REMOVED AS AN
OPTION FOR PATIENT MENUS. ADDITIONALLY, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR THE PLACEMENT OF SALAD BARS IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ENSURING THAT STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO
FRESH AND HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS. THESE EXAMPLES UNDERSCORE THE CRITICAL ROLE YOUNG PEOPLE PLAY IN PUBLIC HEALTH. THEY IDENTIFIED ISSUES DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR WELL-BEING AND PROACTIVELY TOOK ACTION ON
THEM. WE AS AN ORGANIZATION HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT CELL PHONE AND SOCIAL MEDIA USE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. IN A POST PANDEMIC ANONYMOUS
SURVEY SOURCES THAT LATINO YOUTH OVERWHELMINGLY SHARED THEIR MOST PRESSING CONCERNS WHICH ARE MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND CYBERBULLYING. THIS LED TO THE CREATION OF A
WELLNESS DEPARTMENT IN OUR ORGANIZATION THAT FOCUSES ON YOUTH CHECK INS AND INTEGRATING WELLNESS ACTIVITIES INTO OUR PROGRAMS. WE ALSO CREATED A YOUTH WELLNESS COMMITTEE AND IMPLEMENTED HAPPINESS CLASSES
AND AN ANTI-BULLYING CURRICULUM. UNDERSTANDING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE RESPOND BEST WHEN THEY FEEL THEY HAVE AUTONOMY AND AGENCY. OUR ORGANIZATION WIDE INITIATIVE CALLED TEENS AND
TECHNOLOGY THRIVING IN A DIGITAL WORLD FOCUSES ON PROVIDING YOUTH WITH INFORMATION ON HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY WISELY AND HOW TO PROTECT THEIR DIGITAL MENTAL HEALTH. IN OUR ORIGINAL INTERNAL
SURVEY. YOUTH ALSO SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW SOCIAL MEDIA AFFECTS THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. OUR YOUTH WELLNESS COMMITTEE CO-CREATED AND ANALYZED A
SURVEY WITH TUFTS TISCH COMMUNITY RESEARCH CENTER AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE DIRECTOR ELAINE DONNELLY AND AUGUST SMITH WHO PARTNERED WITH US ON THE SURVEY. THE SURVEY CALLED SOCIAL MEDIA
AND YOUR WELL-BEING LOOKS AT THE RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND WELL-BEING AMONG YOUTH OF COLOR AGES 14 TO 19 INCLUDING TIME SPENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.
REASONS SOCIAL MEDIA IS USED AND PARENT CAREGIVER INVOLVEMENT WITH THEIR TEENS SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIENCE. WE UTILIZE THE EPA EPOC MEASUREMENT FOR ADOLESCENT WELL-BEING WHICH ASSESSES FIVE
CHARACTERISTICS THAT FOSTER WELL-BEING AND THOSE ARE PERSEVERANCE, ENGAGEMENT, OPTIMISM, CONNECTEDNESS, HAPPINESS. ALTHOUGH THIS IS A SMALL SAMPLE
BASED ON 44 RESPONSES FROM OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR PROGRAMS, IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC SAMPLE OF A SUBSET OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS MOST NOTABLY ENGLISH LEARNERS AND YOUTH OF COLOR.
AND THE RESULTS ARE IN IN THE PACKAGE AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT DATA POINTS. I'M ONLY GOING TO SHARE A COUPLE. SO WE FOUND THAT 25% OF YOUTH WERE ON THEIR PHONES FOR 6 TO 8
HOURS A DAY. 22% OF YOUTH WERE ON THEIR PHONE FOR MORE THAN 8 HOURS A DAY. THAT'S EFFECTIVELY MORE THAN 50% OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE PHONE FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME DURING THE DAY.
ALSO 84% OF YOUTH WERE USING THEIR PHONES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, 84% DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. WE FOUND THAT THE EPOC WELL-BEING SCORES DECREASED
WHEN YOUTH SPENT LONG HOURS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND USE THEIR PHONES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AT MEAL MEALTIMES AT BEDTIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND TO REDUCE BOREDOM AND DISTRACT THEMSELVES FROM THEIR FEELINGS.
WE FOUND THAT ONLY 30% OF PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS HAD RULES AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND SCREEN TIME AND THAT EPOC WELL-BEING SCORES ACTUALLY INCREASED WHEN PARENTS AND GEAR
CAREGIVERS ESTABLISHED RULES AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA AND WORK PAPERS. AS YOU HEARD TODAY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TESTIFYING ABOUT SOME
OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS. SO THEY HAVE BEEN TESTIFYING ALL YEAR AT BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND MADE THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN TOUCHED UPON HERE TODAY WHICH
IS TO IMPLEMENT A K-12 DIGITAL CITIZEN CURRICULUM TO DEVELOP A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BEFORE INTRODUCING CHAT JPT AND OTHER A.I. TOOLS TO OFFER CLASSES TO
PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS ON HOW SCREEN TIME AND SOCIAL MEDIA AFFECTS STUDENTS TO ESTABLISH AN EXTERNAL FAMILY AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE THAT INCLUDES STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND STAKEHOLDERS TO ADDRESS THE
OPPORTUNITY AND CHALLENGES OF A.I. AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY. I BELIEVE IN SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE'S INDEPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY IS IMPORTANT. THIS IS MY CAREER WHAT I'VE DONE MY ENTIRE CAREER.
HOWEVER, THE REALITY IS THAT CELL PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA ARE ADDICTIVE AND AS WE HEARD TODAY ALL OF US CAN ADMIT THAT WE ALL STRUGGLE INCLUDING MYSELF AROUND CELL PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
THE FRONTAL CORTEX WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR SELF-CONTROL, DELAY OF GRATIFICATION AND RESISTANCE TO TEMPTATION IS NOT UP TO FULL CAPACITY UNTIL THE MID-TWENTIES.
THE DRAW OF CONSTANTLY CHECKING YOUR PHONE SOCIAL MEDIA AND GROUP CHATS IS REAL EVEN WHEN STUDENTS WANT TO FOCUS ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM OR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN FRONT OF THEM IN REAL LIFE.
IT CAN BE NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE ADDICTIVE DESIGN . RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT CELL PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTING YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIAL SKILLS ABILITY TO FOCUS MEMORY CRITICAL
THINKING AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION SKILLS. THE INSTANT GRATIFICATION RELATED TO GETTING LIKES, NOTIFICATIONS AND COMMENTS TRIGGERS THE RELEASE OF DOPAMINE IN THE BRAIN SIMILAR TO PLAYING SLOT
MACHINES. THE HIGH POTENTIAL FOR ADDICTION CANNOT BE OVERSTATED AND AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE WE ARE IN THE WORST MENTAL HEALTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY.
CELL PHONE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAN FURTHER EXACERBATE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES BY CAUSING ANXIETY, SLEEP DISRUPTION, UNHEALTHY COMPARISON AND CYBERBULLYING. BUT OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT TO BLAME FOR BEING DRAWN IN.
THEY'RE GROWING UP IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS BEEN ENGINEERED BY BIG TECH TO KEEP THEM ADDICTED AND I THINK THAT THIS HEARING REPRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AND PUT THEIR MENTAL SOCIAL AND
ACADEMIC HEALTH FIRST. HOWEVER, A PHONE FREE SCHOOL POLICY HAS TO BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH COMMUNITY BUILDING AND CONNECTION. STUDENTS WANT MORE BELONGING AND CONNECTION WITH THEIR PEERS
AND SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THE ENACTMENT OF A POLICY A PHONE FREE DEVICE, FREE ENVIRONMENT THAT THERE WILL BE A STUDENT VOICE TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON ITS IMPLEMENTATION.
I THINK BPF HAS TO MAKE A FIRM DECISION AND IT HAS TO BE IN WRITING AND IT HAS TO BE IMPLEMENTED CONSISTENTLY. WHAT WE FOUND FROM OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WE DID A SURVEY AND WE
FOUND THAT IT WAS BASED ON TEACHER BASED ON CLASSROOM TO CLASSROOM WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH CELL PHONES I THINK THAT IS REALLY UNFAIR. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT A DIGITAL DIVIDE
OF DEVICES ANYMORE. THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IS NOW THAT YOUTH OF COLOR SPEND MORE TIME ON CELL PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA THAN THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS AND I THINK THAT'S THAT IS A DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE.
IT IS VERY HYPOCRITICAL WHEN WE LOOK AT BIG TECH CEOS, THEY ALL SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOLS THAT ARE DEVICE FREE AND WE ARE GOING TO BE LEFT BEHIND. THE BRAIN CANNOT FUNCTION THESE
POLICIES OF BEING ABLE TO TAKE YOUR PHONE IN AND OUT DOES NOT HELP YOU TO ACTUALLY YOU NEED TO HAVE TIME IN YOUR BRAIN TO PROCESS AND LEARN INFORMATION. THERE'S SO MUCH RESEARCH AROUND
THIS. SO LASTLY I'LL JUST SAY THE TEACHER PIECE IS REALLY IMPORTANT. IT CANNOT JUST BE THE STUDENTS NOT USING THEIR CELL PHONES. TEACHERS ALSO NEED TO ROLE MODEL IN PARENTS, PARENTS, PARENTS WE ALL NEED TO WE ALL
NEED TO BE TALKING WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. I AM A PARENT OF A TEENAGER AND TRUST ME I STRUGGLE EVERY SINGLE DAY. IT'S A CONSTANT CONVERSATION. I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT TOILET, THAT CELL PHONE IN THE
TOILET IT FLUSHES, NEVER SEE IT AGAIN. BUT I KNOW THAT THAT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY AND I HAVE TO KEEP TALKING TO MY TO MY TEENAGER ABOUT IT. AND LASTLY TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THEY
DESERVE THEY DESERVE TO BE IN A PLACE THAT IS FREE FROM DEVICES WHERE THEY CAN CONCENTRATE, WHERE THEY CAN ENGAGE OR THEY CAN TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE AND BUILD BELONGING AND BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND BUILD THE SOCIAL SKILLS THAT ARE
BEING TAKEN AWAY THROUGH THIS TECHNOLOGY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME RAMBLE. I APPRECIATE. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M DAVID MONAHAN, CAMPAIGN
DIRECTOR AT FAIR PLAY. WE'RE A NATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS TO ENHANCE CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING BY ELIMINATING THE EXPLOITATIVE
AND HARMFUL BUSINESS PRACTICES OF MARKETERS AND BIG TECH FAIR PLAY'S OFFICE AND OUR ROOTS ARE HERE IN BOSTON. I'M ALSO A FORMER ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL I WORKED FOR
15 YEARS IN THE CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION OF THE MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND I'M A FATHER OF TWO STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL IN MASSACHUSETTS. I THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR
HOLDING THIS IMPORTANT HEARING FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR REACHING OUT TO BOSTON FAMILIES AND STUDENTS TO HEAR THEIR VOICES ON THESE URGENT ISSUES.
I'M INSPIRED BY THE FACT THAT SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN THIS ROOM TODAY AND HAVE SPOKEN SO ELOQUENTLY ABOUT THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SOME DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES CERTAINLY MEANS
THAT THERE'S WORK TO DO. BUT TO ME THAT'S A REALLY GOOD SIGN THAT THERE'S FERTILE GROUND THAT SO MANY PEOPLE CARE AND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE IDEAS THAT THERE IS FERTILE GROUND FOR WORKING TOWARD SOLUTIONS AT
FAIR PLAY WE'VE COLLABORATED OVER THE PAST YEAR WITH EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE U.S. AND CANADA WHO RECOGNIZE THE URGENT PROBLEM OF SCHOOL OF SMARTPHONES IN
SCHOOLS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING TODAY. THE LURE OF PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA CREATES A DISTRACTION THAT IMPEDES LEARNING. STUDENTS ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. TEACHERS ARE NOT FREE TO TEACH
BECAUSE THEY'RE USING TIME TO EMPLOY STUDENTS TO PUT THEIR PHONES AWAY. AND SCHOOL IS NOT JUST ABOUT EDUCATION. IT'S ALSO ABOUT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. AND AS WE'VE HEARD TODAY IN MANY SCHOOLS, STUDENTS ARE NOT
ENGAGED IN CLASS. THEY'RE ALSO IGNORING ONE ANOTHER IN THE HALLWAYS, IN THE LUNCHROOM WITH HEADS BURIED IN SCREENS AND HOURS A DAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA DURING SCHOOL
MEANS HOURS OF EXPOSURE TO HARMS LIKE BULLYING, SEXUAL PREDATORS AND CONTENT THAT PROMOTE SUICIDE, SELF-HARM, EATING DISORDERS, DRUGS AND DANGEROUS CHALLENGES.
LIKE MANY OF YOU WE WERE PLEASED ON JULY 31ST WHEN THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATE VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR OF A LAW THAT WOULD REMOVE PHONES FROM MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOLS FROM
THE FIRST BELL IN THE MORNING UNTIL THE LAST BELL IN THE AFTERNOON. AND IF THE HOUSE APPROVES THIS MEASURE AND IT'S SIGNED BY GOVERNOR HEALEY, MASSACHUSETTS WILL JOIN 18 STATES AND OUR
GOOD FRIENDS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IN PASSING STRONG PHONE RULES RULES THAT WILL REMOVE PHONES FROM SCHOOLS. WE HOPE THAT WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE THE BELL TO BELL PHONES
LOCKED IN A WAY POLICY CAN TRANSFORM BOSTON SCHOOLS. AS WE HEARD THIS MORNING FROM PRINCIPAL MURPHY AND TO PLACES OF GREATER LEARNING ENGAGE AT
FUND AND FUND AND AT FAIR PLAY. WE'VE SEEN THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN ENGAGEMENT WILL FLOURISH. NOW EARLIER THIS YEAR FAIR PLAY AND OUR PARTNERS AT ANOTHER NONPROFIT, THE PHONE FREE
SCHOOLS MOVEMENT ISSUED A LETTER IN MY WRITTEN TESTIMONY THERE'S A LINK TO THIS LETTER BUT I'VE ALSO PROVIDED COPIES FOR THE COUNSELORS IT SIGNED BY MORE THAN 35 ORGANIZATIONS AND
SAID ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN AND MORE THAN 35 EXPERTS IN CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT AND WELL-BEING. AND IT CALLS ON SCHOOLS TO ENACT ROBUST BELL TO BELL PHONE FREE SCHOOL POLICIES.
IT WAS SIGNED BY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AND THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION AND EXPERTS LIKE JONATHAN HITE AND SHERRY TURKLE.
AND AS STATED IN THIS LETTER, WE OWE IT TO OUR YOUTH TO GIVE THEM 7 HOURS A DAY. AND I GUESS OUR MATH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY ABOUT 6 HOURS LET'S CALL IT 6.5 HOURS A DAY
FREE FROM THE DISTRACTIONS AND DANGERS OF PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA. WE'VE ALSO CREATED FREE TOOLKITS AND THERE'S A LINK IN MY TESTIMONY WHERE FOLKS CAN
GET THESE FREE TOOLKITS AS ONE FOR AMBASSADORS, ONE FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND THESE HIGHLIGHT THE URGENCY OF THE PROBLEM AND ALSO WOULD GIVE SOLUTIONS TO WHAT EVERYONE HAS
RECOMMENDED TODAY ABOUT GETTING BY AND ABOUT TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY WHAT WORKS IN OUR SCHOOL? HOW DO WE MAKE YOUNG PEOPLE FAMILIES UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DOING THIS? THIS TOOLKIT CAN HELP YOU TO
IMPLEMENT PHONE FREE SCHOOLS IN A WAY THAT WILL EFFECTIVELY DEMONSTRATE TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THIS IS NOT A PUNISHMENT BUT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE THINK YOU WILL BE THANKFUL FOR ONCE YOU
SEE HOW SCHOOL IS TRANSFORMED FOR THE BETTER AND THAT'S A POINT I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE AS I GET CLOSE TO CONCLUDING WE TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOUNG PEOPLE ASKING WHY ARE YOU TAKING MY
PHONE AWAY? WHY CAN'T I HAVE IT IN BETWEEN CLASSES? WHAT DID I DO WRONG? IS THIS A PUNISHMENT OR AS WE'VE HEARD VERY ELOQUENTLY TODAY SHOULDN'T YOU GIVE ME THE
CHANCE TO BUILD DISCIPLINE AND SHOW YOU THAT I HAVE SELF-CONTROL? WELL, I WANT TO SAY TO THE STUDENTS WHO ARE HERE TODAY THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION. YOU MADE A GREAT POINT AND WE
NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ABOUT WHAT THE POINT OF THIS IS. BUT YOU KNOW, I AGREE 1,000%. WE NEED DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAMS. WE NEED TO TEACH YOU TO USE
THAT PHONE IN A SAFE WAY WHEN YOU GET HOME IN THE EVENING. BUT IN ORDER TO RETURN ENGAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS, WE WOULD RESPECTFULLY SAY WE NEED TO TAKE THE PHONES AWAY FROM BELT
ABOUT YOU KNOW WE DON'T SAY TO YOUNG PEOPLE WE WANT YOU TO BUILD UP DISCIPLINE SO WE'RE GOING TO HAND YOU THIS PACK OF CIGARETS AND SHOW US THAT YOU UNDERSTAND HOW DANGEROUS IT IS AND THROW IT IN THE TOILET.
NO, WE SAY YOUNG PEOPLE CAN'T GET CIGARETS AND WE SAY TO ALL OF US YOU NEED TO HAVE A SEATBELT WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING A CAR IN ORDER TO KEEP YOU SAFE. WELL, WE WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE NEED TO GET THE PHONES OUT
OF SCHOOLS FROM BELL TO BELL TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT AND WE CAN ALSO TEACH YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT WHY WE'RE DOING THAT AND REALLY FRAME TO THEM THAT THIS IS NOT A PUNISHMENT.
IT'S ABOUT A GIFT GIVING BACK ENGAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS. WE'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING STUDENTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHO WERE HESITANT AT FIRST BUT THEN A FEW MONTHS IN THEY SAY TAKING PHONES OUT
OF SCHOOLS WAS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED. WE RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COMMITTEE TO ACT TO PROMOTE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS IN BOSTON SCHOOLS THAT SUPPORT HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND FAIR PLAY STANDS
READY TO ASSIST IN THE PROCESS FOR SCHOOLS READY TO TRANSITION TO BEING PHONE FREE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME'S DAVID BECKHAM .
I'M A THE RESEARCH DIRECTOR AT THE DIGITAL WELLNESS LAB AT BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. I'M ALSO THE PROUD PARENT OF TWO KIDS, 12 AND 13 YEAR OLD
WHO HAVE BEEN IN CPS SINCE THEY'VE BEEN THREE AND FOUR YEARS OLD RESPECTIVELY. I'M ALSO A THE FIFTH FOLLOWER
OF OUR CUSTOMER AND WEBINAR ON INSTAGRAM. SO PROUD MEMBER THERE AS WELL AND AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR FOR HAVING ME AND AND CONGRATULATE YOU ON AN
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL EVENT SO WELL ATTENDED AND SUCH A BREADTH AND IMPORTANT BREADTH AND A WIDE VARIETY OF IMPORTANT VIEWPOINTS AND POSITIONS A LOT
OF WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY TODAY REALLY HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID. I'M GOING TO PRESENT YOU WITH SOME OF THE RESEARCH WE'VE DONE BUT HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ECHOING A LOT OF WHAT YOU'VE HEARD IN DIFFERENT DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS
THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT THE DAY BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU KNOW, WHAT I DO IS I'VE BEEN STUDYING THE IMPACT OF MEDIA ON KIDS FOR YOU KNOW,
I HATE TO SAY IT ALMOST 30 YEARS NOW AND REALLY I THINK ABOUT IT EVERY DAY WITHIN WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF OF HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO TO REALLY LOOK AT THE RESEARCH AND TRY TO BALANCE WHAT WE KNOW AND TRANSLATE IT TO PHYSICIANS AND AND THE TECH INDUSTRY AND TEACHERS AND SO
REALLY WHAT I WANT TO DO TODAY IS TELL YOU ABOUT A STUDY THAT WE'VE DONE AND TELL YOU HOW I THINK IT CAN BE TRANSLATED INTO BEST FOREIGN POLICY USE. SO THIS WAS A STUDY I'VE GOT SOME SLIDES IF IF SOMEONE'S
DIRECTING IT CAN CAN ADVANCE IT. IF NOT YOU CAN LOOK AT IT. I THINK YOU THIS IS A STUDY OF OF AN ONLINE STUDY OF ABOUT 1500 YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THESE ARE KIDS THAT REPRESENT
THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. WE ASKED THEM THIS IS REALLY THE IDEA WAS TO GET WHAT DO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE POLICIES IN THEIR SCHOOL, WHAT IS THEIR EXPERIENCE AND WHAT IS THEIR RESPONSE TO THESE POLICIES?
NOW THESE KIDS TOLD US A NUMBER OF THINGS. FIRST THEY SAID THEY USE THEIR PHONES A LOT 63%. THEY SAID THEY USE THEIR PHONES A LITTLE TOO MUCH OR WAY TOO MUCH. THEY SAY THAT MORE THAN HALF
SAY THAT IT'S A MAJOR DISTRACTION AT SCHOOL AND THAT MOST OF THEM ALMOST HALF ACTUALLY NOT QUITE MOST REPORT USING TOOLS AS SOME SORT OF ACT TO CONTROL THEIR OWN USE.
SO THIS IS A PRETTY COMMON THING THAT WE FIND WHEN WE TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE. THEY USE APPS ON THEIR PHONE TO CONTROL THEIR USE. SO WE SEE THIS AS THEY'RE POSITIONED.
THEY'RE READY TO TO BE OPEN TO POLICIES THAT GIVE THEM TOOLS TO CONTROL THEIR OWN USE AND IN FACT THEY'RE VERY RESPONSIVE TO
THESE KIND OF POLICIES AND AND GAVE POSITIVE REPORTS OF HOW IT IMPACTED THEIR SCHOOLS. 45% SAID SORRY, GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
45% SAID THAT THE THESE POLICIES IMPROVE THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. 35% SAID THAT IMPROVE THEIR OWN ABILITY TO PAY ATTENTION. AND WHILE THESE AREN'T MORE THAN 50% YOU KNOW MOST OF THE
KIDS CHOSE THAT MIDDLE RESPONSE OF IT DIDN'T IMPROVE OR WORSENED BUT VERY FEW SAID THAT IT WORSENED. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PRETTY BIG CHUNK THAT ARE SAYING THESE ARE HAVING POSITIVE IMPACT
THESE POLICIES ARE HAVING POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEIR ON THEIR OWN ABILITIES AND ON THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT OF SCHOOLS. SO GO AHEAD AND THE NEXT SLIDE . BUT THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT
CAVEATS THERE HAVE BEEN MENTIONED THROUGHOUT THE DAY THAT THAT AS THESE POLICIES ARE IMPLEMENTED NEED TO BE CONSIDERED AND THE FIRST IS SAFETY WITH 29% OF YOUNG PEOPLE SAYING THAT THAT THEIR SCHOOL
PHONE POLICY MADE THEM FEEL LESS SAFE AND WHILE WE OFTEN INTERPRET THAT AS MEANING SOMETHING ABOUT AN EMERGENCY OR A SCHOOL SHOOTER, WHAT WE FOUND
WAS THAT THIS NUMBER IS HIGHER FOR GIRLS 36% AND HIGHER FOR NONBINARY OR TRANS YOUTH 45% WHICH TO ME MEANS IT'S NOT ABOUT EMERGENCIES. IT'S ABOUT DAY TO DAY LIVING.
THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT KIDS YOUNG KIDS ARE THE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE RELYING ON THEIR PHONE TO MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE AND AS WE IMPLEMENT THESE POLICIES WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MEANS TO EACH SCHOOL
AND MAKE SURE THAT THE IS PROVIDING THAT LEVEL OF SAFETY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AS WE ARE POTENTIALLY REMOVING UNIMPORTANT LIFELINE FOR THAT SAFETY. THE SECOND HAS TO DO WITH DECENT DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS
HALF THE KIDS IN OUR IN OUR SURVEY SAID THAT THEIR THEIR SCHOOL USES A DETENTION OR SUSPENSION AND TO ENFORCE THESE POLICIES WHICH MEANS THAT
THEY'RE TAKING AWAY ACCESS TO SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THIS AND THAT REALLY THE PERCEIVED SEVERITY OF THESE POLICIES IMPACTS THE STUDENTS RELATIONSHIP WITH
THEIR TEACHERS. I TEACH THE ADOLESCENT HEALTH COURSE AT THE HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH WHAT I'VE LEARNED BY TEACHING THAT IS THAT THE NUMBER ONE LINK TO
POSITIVE ADOLESCENT HEALTH IS IF THEY HAVE A ADULT THAT THEY TRUST IN THE SCHOOL THAT THEY'RE IN EVERYTHING ELSE FALLS AWAY. IF YOU HAVE AN ADULT YOU TRUST THE SCHOOL YOU'RE IN. SO IF WE'RE IMPLEMENTING
POLICIES IN A WAY THAT REDUCES THAT TRUST, WE'RE DOING A DETRIMENT TO OUR STUDENTS. SO 49% OF THESE KIDS THAT SAID THAT THESE IF THEY SAY THE
PUNISHMENTS ARE FAIR, THAT IMPROVES THE RELATIONSHIPS THEY HAVE WITH THEIR TEACHERS BUT IF THEY SAY THAT THE PUNISHMENTS ARE NOT FAIR THAT WORSENS THE RELATIONSHIP. SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THE BUY IN FROM ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO
ARE HERE AND WHO LEFT AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME FOR THEM TO LEAVE RIGHT BEFORE A FEW OF US SPOKE OF ANOTHER ANOTHER WAY THAT THAT STUDENTS NEED TO
GET TO THAT WE CAN GET THE STUDENTS BACK IN IS THEY NEED TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE POLICY AS THEY'RE BEING MADE. I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO LATE YET. 50 UNFORTUNATELY IN OUR SURVEY
OVER HALF 58% OF STUDENTS HAD LITTLE TO NO ROLE IN THE POLICY THAT THAT WAS CREATED AT THEIR SCHOOL. BUT OF THOSE THAT WERE INVOLVED
,65% SAID THAT THEIR SCHOOL'S POLICY WAS VERY OR COMPLETELY REASONABLE. SO YOU WANT THAT BY END YOU HAVE TO GET THEM INVOLVED FROM DAY ONE FROM HOW DOES HOW IS
THIS BEING CREATED? AND WHEN WE ASK THEM THE QUESTION HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY ADDITIONAL IMPACT OF THE SCHOOLS DEVICE POLICY POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE ONE STUDENT WROTE MANY STUDENTS WANT TO DROP
DEAD AT SCHOOL NOW THAT THEIR AUTONOMY IS TAKEN AWAY WITHOUT EVEN ASKING US FIRST OR CONSIDERING OUR FEELINGS AND THE CONSEQUENCES. SO IF WE DON'T ASK THEM FIRST THIS IS HOW THEY'RE GOING TO
FEEL. SO WHAT MAKES A GOOD POLICY WE ACTUALLY FOUND THE POLICIES THE DETAILS OF THE POLICIES THE STRICTER POLICIES DID NOT
OUTPERFORM ACCORDING TO THE KIDS LESS STRICT POLICIES. SO WE ASKED THEM BECAUSE OF THIS POLICY ARE YOU ABLE TO TO FOCUS ARE YOU DO YOU HAVE A
BETTER SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE AND THESE OTHER OTHER OUTCOMES AND POLICIES WHERE THEY MAINTAIN POSSESSION OF THEIR PHONE INSTEAD OF HAVING THE PHONE LOCKED AWAY PERFORMED
BETTER, NEVER DID A MORE STRICT POLICY PERFORM BETTER FROM THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE NOW I WON'T GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY BUT THERE WERE THREE NEEDS THAT ARE
REALLY CRITICAL FOR ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT AUTONOMY, COMPETENCE AND RELATEDNESS BEING CONNECTED TO OTHER PEOPLE WHEN YOU USE A STRICT PHONE
POLICY BELL TO BELL LOCK YOUR PHONE AWAY AND YOU ASK THE KIDS HOW DOES THIS IMPACT THEIR AUTONOMY AND YOU COMPARE THAT TO OTHER POLICIES THERE AUTONOMY THEY SAY THEIR
AUTONOMY IS LESS GREAT. THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S BEING IMPOSED UPON THEM AND LESS AND THIS IS FROM OUR OUR RESEARCH THIS STUDY UNLESS THE SCHOOL HAS CLEARLY COMMUNICATED THE
GOALS OF THE POLICY AND IN FACT ACROSS ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF POLICY IF THE SCHOOL CLEARLY COMMUNICATES THE GOALS OF THE POLICY TO THE STUDENTS IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW STRICT IT IS .
THE KIDS SAID THAT THIS POLICY INCREASED THEIR SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE. IT INCREASED THEIR ABILITY TO BE COMPETENT THINGS LIKE STAYING ORGANIZED AND IT INCREASED THEIR ABILITY TO BE CONNECTED TO OTHER STUDENTS.
SO THE DETAILS OF THE POLICY WERE LESS IMPORTANT. WHAT WAS MORE IMPORTANT WAS THE SCHOOL BEING CLEAR AND COMMUNICATING THE GOALS ABOUT
THAT POLICY. I WANT TO SAY ONE QUICK THING BEFORE I FOR I TAKE AWAY SOME OF SOME LAST POINTS.
YOU KNOW WE'VE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE DAY HOW BIPS USES DEVICES TO SCHOOLS. THE KIDS ARE USE DEVICE AS PART
OF THEIR LIFE IN BEEPS. THEY USE IT TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER STUDENTS TO CONNECT WITH EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND TO UTILIZE SCHOOL STUDENTS WHERE MY SON GOES TO SCHOOL IF HE WANTS TO GO TO THE LIBRARY
DURING STUDY HALL HE HAS TO GO ONLINE AND SIGN UP FOR THAT SLOT. SO IF HE WANTS TO CONNECT WITH HIS COACH HE HAS TO CONNECT WITH HIS COACH TO KNOW WHERE TO
GO AFTER SCHOOL. IT'S THE ONLY TIME HE USES HIS PHONE DURING SCHOOL HE SNEAKS IT SO HE KNOWS WHERE TO GO AFTER SCHOOL AND TODAY WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT YOU KNOW I
HEARD A LOT ABOUT THESE NEED TO BE SAFE AND YOU KNOW, THESE ARE AVAILABLE TO KIDS USING THEIR CHROMEBOOKS LIKE THAT ALL BUT ALL OF THAT NEEDS TO BE CONVEYED TO KIDS AS THIS
TRANSITIONS FROM FROM PHONES TO OTHER DEVICES. AND I THOUGHT THIS RESPONSE TO OUR QUESTION HAS YOU NOTICED THIS ADDITIONAL IMPACT OF SCHOOL DEVICES THIS THIS
YOUNG PERSON REALLY SUM THIS UP? WELL ON THE POSITIVE SIDE LIMITED IN DEVICES DURING CLASS HELPS STUDENTS STAY FOCUSED AND REDUCES DISTRACTION AND LEADING TO A MORE ENGAGED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND THE NEGATIVE
SIDE SOME STUDENTS FEEL DISCONNECTED FROM USING DIGITAL TOOLS THAT COULD ENHANCE OUR LEARNING ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO RESEARCHING OR COLLABORATING ON PROJECTS DURING CLASS TIME.
AND THAT BALANCE I THINK IS THE CHALLENGE THAT BP FACES AS THEY DEVELOP THESE POLICIES. SO TO SUMMARIZE ALL THIS AND SO I GO ON TO THE NEXT I'M NOT
DOING A VERY GOOD JOB OF DIRECTING THE SLIDES BUT GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT TO THE LOT. THERE'S A COUPLE SLIDES IN ONE MORE PERFECT. SO WHAT DO I THINK MAKES OH WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN TO
MAKING GOOD PHONE POLICY? WELL ONE YOU NEED TO INVOLVE STUDENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT THESE POLICIES THIS BUILDS COMMUNITY AND INCREASES BUY IN AND THEN IDENTIFIES LEGITIMATE
CONCERNS WHAT WE DON'T I THINK THERE'S AN IMPORTANT CAVEAT OF THIS RESEARCH WE DON'T KNOW COULD BE THESE SCHOOLS THAT THAT INVOLVE STUDENTS ARE JUST REALLY GOOD AT COMMUNICATING
ANYWAY AND IT MIGHT BE THAT THAT'S DRIVING THESE GOOD OUTCOMES BUT STILL I THINK THAT THAT INVOLVEMENT IS PRETTY CRITICAL TO COMMUNICATING CLEAR REASONS AND GOALS. THIS CLARIFIES EXPECTATIONS WE
MUSIC MOVES AMBIGUITY AND POTENTIALLY IMPROVES STUDENT ATTITUDES AND FINALLY THIS FOCUS ON FAIRNESS AND REALITY ENSURE THAT POLICIES DON'T
INTERFERE WITH THESE STUDENT AND CHILD RELATIONSHIPS OR THE STUDENT ACCESS TO EDUCATION. I THINK WE SET THIS UP THEN THE DETAILS ABOUT WHAT HOW WE
IMPLEMENT IT CAN BE DETERMINED BY WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES. SO THANK YOU AND THIS IS THE PICTURE IF YOU GO TO THE LAST SLIDE YOU CAN SEE MY THIS IS THE PICTURE THAT I GENERATED IF
YOU ASK IT TO SHOW YOU A LUNCHROOM IN A SCHOOL THAT HAS A REALLY GOOD FOREIGN POLICY WHICH IS NO SCHOOLS BUT EVERYBODY IS ON THE SCHOOL ON A NO PHONES BUT EVERYBODY IS ON A PHONE SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH
AGAIN, IT'S REALLY BEEN MY PLEASURE TO COME IN AND BE A PART OF THIS FANTASTIC EVENT TODAY. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THREE OF YOU BEING HERE AND PROVIDING
EXPERTISE ON THIS ISSUE. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL FOR OF QUESTIONS THIS COURSE
WHEREVER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU CHAIR SO LET'S JUST SAY DR. BECOME YOUR SON LET'S JUST LET ME GUESS ZANDER IT'S PRETTY GOOD. GUEST YEAH YOU KNOW HE'S AT
SCHOOL WITH MY DAUGHTER AND LIKE THEY'VE BEEN FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS TOGETHER MAYBE ZERO ADMISSION AND THEY ACTUALLY CARE QUITE UNDERSTATED BUT SO
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS HEARING A LOT ABOUT CIGARETS AND YOU THINK OF OF THOSE COMPANIES SORT OF MARKETING TO CHILDREN AND ADDICTIVE CAN YOU JUST I
KNOW FROM YOUR RESEARCH YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THESE COMPANIES ARE DOING WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE IMPACT IT HAS ON KIDS BRAINS OR YOU KNOW, THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
YEAH, IT'S AN INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED AND IMPORTANT QUESTION AND I THINK THAT WE KNOW THAT THE DESIGN OF THESE PLATFORMS IMPACT ITS USE.
WE KNOW THAT THE COMPANIES MAKE MONEY BY MORE USE AND WE KNOW THAT THAT ATTENTION DRIVES THAT
ECONOMY. WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THESE INDUSTRIES THAT YOU KNOW AND THAT THESE INDUSTRIES WERE DESIGNED REALLY FOR ADULT USE.
AND IT WASN'T UNTIL LATER WHERE THEY WERE LIKE GOT MUCH MORE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN YOUNG PEOPLE ARE USING THESE AND WHAT IS THAT? WHAT DOES IT DRIVE THEN WHEN WE
HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE LOGGING ON EVEN WHEN THEY MISS YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SAY THEY'RE THEY'RE YOUNGER THAN WHAT THE ACTUAL INTENDED AGE FOR THIS IS
WE AT THE DIGITAL WELLNESS LAB WORK FAIRLY CLOSELY WITH THESE COMPANIES WITH THE GOAL OF ADVISING THEM ON HOW TO BEST
REDESIGN PLATFORMS TO MAKE THEM AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE AT TIMES THEY'RE RESPONSIVE AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES AND AT TIMES
THERE'S THE BEST OPPORTUNITY IS NOT TO GO ON THOSE PLATFORM FORMS. SO I THINK THE YOU KNOW, I
THINK THAT THE COMBINATION OF LET'S REMOVE THE LET'S REMOVE ACCESS IN LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND LET'S PROVIDE
AS MUCH EDUCATION AS POSSIBLE AROUND IT, HOW DO YOU USE IT IN HEALTHY WAYS FOR WHEN THEY'RE NOT IN THOSE EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTS IS THE BEST
APPROACH FOR ALL OF US TO TAKE SO THAT THE KIDS CAN BE SO THAT WHEN IT'S IN IT WHEN THEY'RE WHEN WE'RE IN THE EDUCATIONAL SETTING IT'S OPTIMAL AND THEN
THEY'RE INFORMED AND HAVE THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO SUCCEED WHEN THEY'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHEN THEY'RE USING WHEN THEY'RE USING THE PLATFORMS OUTSIDE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, OUTSIDE
OF THE EDUCATION JUST SO FAR TO THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK I LIKE MY PARENTS YOU KNOW, MY MY GRANDPARENT IT'S WERE NERVOUS
ABOUT THE IMPACT OF LIKE ROCK AND ROLL AND ELVIS PRESLEY, YOU KNOW, SHAKING HIS HIPS AND IMPACTS ON THE YOUTH LIKE HOW IS THIS IS THIS DIFFERENT I
MEAN ARE WE JUST ARE WE OLD NOW AND WE WE DON'T WANT THIS SOCIAL MEDIA I JUST START WITH YOU, DR. BICKHAM AND THEN OTHER PANELS. YEAH. LIKE IS THIS IS THIS A DIFFERENT ANIMAL THAN UM, I
THINK SOMETHING LIKE I THINK YES, IT'S A DIFFERENT ANIMAL BUT I ALSO THINK WE DO HAVE TO BE AWARE OF OUR OWN SORT OF BIAS OF WHAT WE BRING OF WE
HAVE YOU KNOW EVERY GENERATION I THINK I IDEALIZED OUR OWN CHILDHOOD AS THIS BEING SORT OF THE PERFECT WAY, YOU KNOW, OF GROWING UP LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY FOR
DEALING THINGS LIKE WITH LIKE BULLYING. YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A KID WE TOLD KIDS WELL THAT WAS PART OF GROWING UP DEAL WITH IT, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MEANS.
NOW WE HAVE POLICIES AROUND IT AND RECOGNIZE IT AS AN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, SO SO I THINK THAT THERE ARE CONCERNS LIKE THE DIFFERENCE TO ME IS THERE'S
THERE'S CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH SHOWING THAT WHEN WHEN TECHNOLOGY IS DESIGNED TO ATTRACT ATTENTION, IT DOES IT REALLY EFFECTIVELY AND IT CAN
MAINTAIN THAT ATTENTION FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME AND THAT THAT RESEARCH IS VERY WELL ESTABLISHED. THERE'S A LOT OF PREVIOUS CONCERNS WERE BUILT ON SORT
OF VALUE JUDGMENTS OR CULTURAL JUDGMENTS AND THEN WE HAVE A PRETTY STRONG EVIDENCE BASE FOR CERTAIN CONCERNS AROUND SOME MENTAL SOME OF THE MENTAL
HEALTH CONCERNS AND SOME OF THE THE KIND OF LONG SUSTAINED ATTENTION KIND OF CONCERNS THAT AREN'T VALUE JUDGMENTS THAT ARE MORE SCIENCE BASED. AND SO THAT I THINK
DIFFERENTIATES A LITTLE BIT OF IT FROM SOME OF THE PRIOR YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THAT WE'RE MORE YEAH HAVE MORE VALUE JUDGMENTS THAN THAN SCIENCE BASED.
YEAH. SO IF I MAY YOU USE THE EXAMPLE OF ROCK AND ROLL I ALWAYS USE THE EXAMPLE OF SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS AND I WAS TRANSFIXED AND I WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS WHO
LOOKED AT THE THE TEST PANEL OR WHATEVER IT WAS CALLED WAITING FOR THE CARTOONS TO START BUT WE DIDN'T CARRY THOSE AROUND IN OUR POCKETS. THEY WEREN'T OUR DATA OUT AS
WE WERE WATCHING. YOU KNOW, THERE WERE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY IS SO MUCH MORE HARMFUL IT MAKES KIDS
VULNERABLE. IT'S COLLECTING JUST SENSITIVE DATA ON KIDS AND ON YOU KNOW, FOR ALL OF US IT TRYING TO ATTRACT OUR ATTENTION BECAUSE THERE IS A VALUE IT'S NOT JUST LIKE WE'RE BECOMING CUSTOMERS
BUT THEY'RE AT OUR DATA, THEY'RE MONETIZING IT. IN THE CASE OF KIDS IT'S JUST SUPERCHARGED BECAUSE KIDS DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND THE PERSUASIVE INTENT SO THEY'RE MORE LIKELY
TO GIVE UP MORE INFORMATION. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE SO THEY CAN GET MORE MONEY FOR FOR THE DATA THAT THEY'RE SHARING. AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW, I TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE HARMS KIDS ARE EXPOSED
TO TODAY ONLINE BULLYING SEXUAL PREDATORS, CONTENT THAT PROMOTES SUICIDE, SELF-HARM, THAT KIND OF THING. BUT THERE'S ALSO JUST THE FACT THAT IT'S DISPLACING ACTIVITIES THAT ARE CRUCIAL TO YOUR DEVELOPMENT.
SO IF YOU'RE A CHILD AND YOU COME HOME FROM SCHOOL AND YOU SPEND YOU KNOW, 8 HOURS A DAY SEARCHING A VIDEO GAMES THAT'S 8 HOURS THAT YOU HAVEN'T SPENT JUST CHATTING WITH YOUR SIBLINGS OR GOING OUT AND
SWINGING AT A BASEBALL OR CHASING BUTTERFLIES OR READING A BOOK OR JUST SITTING THERE AND LOOKING UP AT THE CEILING AND COMING UP WITH A WAY TO IMAGINE THINGS. SO EVERYTHING NOW IS IS JUST
DESIGNED TO HOLD YOUR ATTENTION AND YOU KNOW THERE'S SO MUCH ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT'S ALSO GIVING KIDS THIS SKEWED IDEA OF WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN LIFE. YOU'VE GOT TO BE POPULAR, YOU'VE GOT TO IMPRESS PEOPLE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE SO MANY LIKES AND YOU CAN'T EVEN LOOK AWAY. YOU KNOW, I WAS ABLE TO SHUT THE THE CARTOONS OFF WHETHER A SATURDAY MORNING OR AFTER SCHOOL. BUT WHEN A KID TRIES TO SHUT DOWN THE DAY THERE ARE SIX
DIFFERENT THINGS SAYING DON'T GO AWAY. WATCH THIS YEAH I DID A AND EVERYTHING SAID I GUESS WE'RE GETTING OLDER BUT I DON'T THINK THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH
THIS. I BELIEVE AND I KNOW THAT THAT THESE TECH COMPANIES ARE DESIGNING THESE PLATFORMS. THEY ARE INTENTIONALLY TARGETING PEOPLE'S LIKE PSYCHOLOGY VULNERABILITIES,
ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE. THEY'RE DESIGNED TO KEEP YOU PLUGGED IN AND I THINK IT'S A COLOSSAL COLLECTIVE SOCIETAL FAILURE THAT WE HAVE HAD. WE HAVE NO GUARDRAILS.
IT'S A LAWLESS LAND AND YOU KNOW, ON THE MORE SERIOUS SIDE IS I AM PART OF A CELL PHONE HARMS GROUP OF PARENTS THAT IS PART OF FAIR PLAY.
I HAVE HAD MY OWN EXPERIENCES AS A PARENT VERY SERIOUS WITH MY OWN TEENAGER AND IF YOU CAME TO ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS YOU WOULD SEE, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER
OF PARENTS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH THESE PLATFORMS, THROUGH SUGGESTIONS, THROUGH BULLYING. THESE THINGS KEEP YOU, YOU KNOW, ADDICTED, KEEP YOU
PLUGGED IN. THERE'S A RESEARCHER, JOE WALSH, AP YOU SHE TALKED SHE HAS A TALK AND TALKS ABOUT HOW THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT SHE WORKS
WITH WHO ARE DOING RESEARCH STARTED TO BE STARTED TO RESEARCH BAKING SITES AND WHEN THE ALGORITHM KEPT TAKING THEM TO OTHER PLACES THAT WERE
AROUND LIKE RESTRICTIVE CALORIE, YOU KNOW, FOOD AND ALL OF THIS. AND SO IT'S AN ALGORITHM THAT IS AGAIN IT'S TARGETING YOUR MOST VULNERABLE YOUNG PEOPLE. AND SO WE HAVE TO PROTECT ALL
OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE LOSING JUST ONE YOUNG PERSON IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND I THINK IT'S UNACCEPTABLE WHAT THESE COMPANIES ARE DOING. THEY'RE JUST EXPLOITING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. THEY KNOW THAT IT'S THE SAME AS TOBACCO, IT'S THEIR FUTURE
CUSTOMER AND THEY HAVE TO KEEP THEM ADDICTED. AND I AND I'LL JUST SAY I DON'T THINK ALL TECHNOLOGY IS BAD SO I KNOW I SOUND LIKE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS AND WE'VE SEEN THAT THROUGHOUT TIME.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT DURING YOU KNOW, THE PANDEMIC PEOPLE WERE CONNECTED. IF YOU GO TO A PROTEST YOU'RE ABLE TO HEAR YOU KNOW, FOR LGBTQ YOUTH IT IS A PLACE TO
CONNECT. BUT I STILL THINK WE NEED WE NEED GUARDRAILS, WE NEED PARAMETERS AND IT'S CRAZY TO THINK WE HAVE HAD NO LEGISLATION ON THIS SINCE LIKE 1998. THIS IS CRAZY AND IT'S JUST
LAWLESS AND WE NEED TO WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THERE. I BELIEVE IN THE AUTONOMY OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR VOICE AND I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT WHAT DAVID TALKED ABOUT IS HAVING YOUNG PEOPLE BE PART
OF THIS BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY ARE YOUNG. THEIR BRAINS ARE STILL DEVELOPING AND THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY UNDERSTANDING HOW THE ALGORITHM WORKS AND WHERE IT'S TAKING THEM TO INCLUDE I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS US TO CONNECT WITH
PEOPLE WE KNOW AND ALGORITHMIC DRIVEN SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT THAT'S TRYING TO SELL THINGS AND SO LIKE IF YOU THINK ABOUT GROUP CHAT THAT YOUR KIDS
FRIENDS CONNECT WITH AND PLAN AND GET TOGETHER AND REALLY DEVELOP AND IT IS A TOOL FOR MAINTAINING FRIENDSHIPS IN A
WORLD REALLY YOU KNOW THAT WHERE SCHOOLS ARE DISCONNECTED GEOGRAPHICALLY FROM WHERE THEY LIVE YOU KNOW THEIR KID FRIENDS LIVE ALL OVER THE CITY AND
BEING WITH THEM PHYSICALLY IS FAIRLY DIFFICULT TO DO. AND SO THOUGH THAT MAINTAINING A FRIENDSHIP OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL THROUGH TECHNOLOGY IS REALLY A CRITICAL KIND OF YOU KNOW, WAY
THAT TO MANAGE THAT RELATIONSHIP SHAPE. AND SO I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT OF OF THAT THAT THERE IS THESE WAYS THAT TECHNOLOGY SERVES THAT KIND OF TOOL.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT IS WHERE THE EDUCATION COMES IN WITH WITH WITH YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE THIS IS YOU KNOW THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT WAYS AND THIS IS THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS THAT IT CAN DO AND THESE ARE
HOW YOU CAN MAKE THESE DECISIONS AND WHAT THOSE MEANS AND THESE ARE HOW YOU CAN MAKE SURE YOU'RE USING IN A WAY THAT DEVELOPS THOSE FRIENDSHIPS AND THAT MEETS THESE NEEDS BUT THAT
AVOIDS SOME OF THESE NEFARIOUS AND TEACH THEM WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING IN THESE THESE STRATEGIES THAT COMPANIES USE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT GOOD MEDIA LITERACY DOES. IT LETS PEOPLE BEHIND THE
CURTAIN OF WHAT OF WHAT THAT MANIPULATION LOOKS LIKE. YEAH. JUST ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP. THANK YOU DR. PECKHAM OR AS I
KNOW HE'S INTERESTED. YEAH OR ARE YOU SO SO JUST IN TERMS OF SET MAKING THE POLICY I SAW YOU KNOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A POLICY THAT REMOVES
CELL PHONES YOU KNOW ALL DAY LIKE IN THE YONDER POUCHES I THINK THAT MEANS AND HAVING ACCESS TO THE PHONES DURING THE DAY YOU SEEM MORE SUCCESSFUL OR
ARE YOU SAYING IF IF WE HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THOSE TWO OPTIONS WOULD YOU STILL PREFER THE YONDER WITH BETTER COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY BY END OR ARE YOU ADVOCATING FOR
THE YOU KNOW THAT THEY A BETTER POLICY WOULD BE TO HAVE THE PHONES ON ALL DAY I MEAN I THINK AND LISTENING TO TODAY I REALLY THINK THAT DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES NEED DIFFERENT POLICIES, DIFFERENT SCHOOLS NEED DIFFERENT POLICIES. WHAT I'M SAYING IS IN A SCHOOL THAT NEEDS A YONDER POST POLICY ,WHAT'S CRITICAL IS THAT
COMMUNICATION AND BY AND WHAT WE HEARD FROM ENGLISH HIGH WAS REALLY THE SAFETY WAS ADDRESSED THE COMMUNITY THE ABILITY TO
CONTACT PARENTS WAS ADDRESSED ALL OF THIS LIKE HOW HOW AM I GOING TO ASK WHAT'S WHAT'S THE DISCIPLINE THAT WAS ADDRESSED LIKE THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE SEE YOU WITH YOUR PHONE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET
SUSPENDED. YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE YOUR PHONE. IT'S GOING TO GO HERE. ALL OF THAT WAS ADDRESSED AND SO THAT MEANT THAT YOU COULD USE THIS STRICTER POLICY
WITHOUT THE KIND OF POTENTIAL REPERCUSSIONS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL BACKLASH THAT YOU MIGHT EXPERIENCE BY BY FEELING LESS AUTONOMY OR LESS INDEPENDENCE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE
MIGHT FEEL SO THAT'S SORT OF MY THAT'S KIND OF I THINK MY TAKE AWAY OKAY AND I DISAGREE WITH THAT BECAUSE I THINK ESPECIALLY IN BOSTON WHAT I CAN FORESEE
HAPPENING IS THERE ARE GOING TO BE CERTAIN SCHOOLS THAT ARE THOUGHT OF AS DISCIPLINE, THAT NEED DISCIPLINE AND NEED TO USE THE POUCH AND IT'S WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK DOWN TO THE DIVIDE
OF THE EXAM SCHOOLS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, OPEN ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS OR WHATEVER THEY CALL IT NOW AND I THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE FAIR AND SQUARE ACROSS THE BOARD AND IF EVERY EVERYONE SHOULD BE FOLLOWING THE SAME
POLICIES, SAME MESSAGING, SAME CONSISTENCY AGAIN, I THINK YOUTH SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN LIKE THE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE CONSEQUENCES BUT IT SHOULD BE ACROSS THE BOARD AND THE OTHER PIECES AROUND THE RESEARCH
SHOWS THAT IF YOU HAVE YOU KNOW I DON'T KNOW TECHNICALLY WHAT IT'S CALLED BUT WHEN YOU CAN ACCESS YOUR PHONE IN BETWEEN CLASSES AND LUNCH THERE'S JUST RESEARCH AROUND YOUR BRAIN NOT
BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY LEARN BECAUSE THE TIME THAT YOU TAKE AWAY YOUR PHONE YOU CAN'T HAVE A TASK THAT IS DEMANDING ON YOUR BRAIN AND THEN GO TO YOUR PHONE THAT IS JUST AS DEMANDING AND YOU IT ACTUALLY INTERFERES
WITH YOUR LEARNING YOUR BRAIN ACTUALLY NEEDS A BREAK THROUGHOUT THE DAY TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT LEARNING TO THINK AND TO GO TO YOUR MEMORY ETC. SO I JUST FEEL REALLY STRONGLY THAT THE POLICY SHOULD BE ABLE
TO BALANCE SHOULD BE ACROSS EVERY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT. I MEAN I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DISAGREEING WITH IS I MEAN I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING WHAT I'M
THINKING ABOUT IS DO WE NEED TO INVEST IN YONDER PATCHES OR NOT AND THERE'S THERE'S REASONABLE REASONS OF AND I'VE SEEN THIS
IN OTHER SCHOOLS WHEN WHEN WE'VE GONE INTO OTHER SCHOOLS WHAT THE KIDS RESPONSE TO THIS PHYSICAL OBSTACLE TO THEIR PHONE IS AND WHAT THAT MEANT TO THEM AND THIS FEELING OF OF AND
WE'VE HAD RESPONSES OF OF WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN I'M 18 AND I HAVE ANOTHER ADULT CHASTISE ME ABOUT TAKING MY PROPERTY AND PUTTING IT IN A PLACE WHERE I
CAN'T ACCESS IT AND WHAT DOES THAT MAKE ME FEEL AND WHY IS THAT A POSITIVE THING LIKE SO? SO I THINK I LIKE SO I WOULD BE WELL I MEAN I HAVE RECOGNIZED
THIS BUILD ABOUT POLICY AND LIKE I SEE THAT THAT POINT AND I RECOGNIZE YOUR POINT AND I THINK IT'S REASONABLE BUT BUT BUT I BUT I'M NOT QUITE CONVINCED THAT EVERY SCHOOL NEEDS TO HAVE YONDER POUCHES SO SO LIKE LIKE THAT THAT'S I THINK MIGHT BE WHERE THERE
MIGHT BE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY AND HOW COULD I COMMENT AT THE RISK OF YOU LETTING US HAVE A LITTLE DEBATE HERE BUT I THINK IT FOLLOWS ON THESE POINTS YONDER POUCH IS
NOT THE ONLY WAY TO GO SO YOU CAN HAVE A LOCKER AND YOU CAN HAVE PHONES AWAY IN THE LOCKER ALSO IF I'M READING THE MASSACHUSETTS LAW CORRECTLY, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE MANDATING OF POUCHES OR
LOCKERS. IT'S CONCEIVABLE WE RECOMMEND POUCHES OR LOCKERS BUT I THINK THE MASSACHUSETTS LAW WOULD ALLOW SCHOOLS TO PERMIT THAT
PHONES BE LOCKED IN A WAY YOU KNOW, EVEN IN THE SCHOOL IN A STUDENT'S BACKPACK. NOW THAT'S WHERE THE CULTURE COMES IN. SO IF YOU ARE GETTING THAT BUY IN AND EVERYONE IS UNDERSTANDING AS THE DOCTOR
EXPLAINED, THEN HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT A CONSTANT BATTLE OF KIDS, YOU KNOW, REACHING INTO THE INTO THEIR BACKPACK. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT YONDER IS NOT THE ONLY WAY TO
DO IT. YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT. I THINK WE AGREE MORE THAN WE DISAGREE. YES. YES YOU CAN WORK IT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. YEAH. I'LL HAVE TO SIGN UP THEN. YEAH, SAME ELSEWHERE WEBER
COUNCILOR MEJIA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I SEE. WAITING HERE FOR MY TURN. AND SO ALEX, YOU KNOW ME. I HAVE NO PATIENCE.
YOU KNOW HOW I AM. SO IT'S ALL GOOD. SO I THINK AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE WHEN I ASKED THE
QUESTION AROUND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND I REALLY LOVE THE WAY PRINCIPAL MURPHY TALKED ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE BECAUSE FROM A RACIAL JUSTICE STANDPOINT, RIGHT, IT SHOULD NOT BE DIFFERENT STROKES FOR
DIFFERENT FOLKS AND PEOPLE UTILIZE THAT NARRATIVE AS WAY TO SCAPEGOAT AND AS A WAY TO SAY YEAH, OUR KIDS ARE GOING TO BE LEFT BEHIND. NO ACTUALLY THEY'RE NOT. AND TO YOUR POINT, ALEX, IT
REALLY PROVIDES THE DISCIPLINE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON ALL OF THE TECHNOLOGY APPS AND TOOLS THAT THEY HAVE IN SCHOOL. SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU UNDERSCORING IN YOUR TESTIMONY
HERE TODAY BECAUSE I THINK THAT OFTENTIMES THAT IS THE WAY THAT PEOPLE KIND OF LIKE AND I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE AS SOMEONE WHO DID NOT GO TO AN EXAM SCHOOL
AND HAS BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT SCHOOLS THAT WHATEVER GETS INSTITUTED SHOULD BE ACROSS BOARD REGARDLESS OF THE ZIP CODE THAT
YOU LIVE IN THE THE ECONOMIC STATUS OF THE JUST CLASS ALL OF THOSE ISSUES I WOULD FEEL REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH INSTITUTING SOMETHING THAT IS
ONLY FOR A SPECIFIC SET OF YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE OUR ALREADY FEEL LESS THAN AND SO ANYTHING THAT COMMUNICATES TO THEM THAT THIS IS HOW WE'RE
GOING TO DO IT HERE BUT WE'RE GOING TO MODIFY IT OVER HERE IS TO ME A VERY BAD MESSAGE TO SEND TO OUR KIDS ESPECIALLY IN
THIS MOMENT IN TIME WHEN WE ARE READY FEEL OTHER RISE IN SO MANY WAYS AND I HAVE A CHIP ON MY SHOULDER AROUND THOSE ISSUES
AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROCEED WITH LOTS OF CAUTION IN REGARDS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WHATEVER POLICY WE ARE EXPERIENCING OR
DISCUSSING NOW YOU ALL REFERENCE ROCK AND ROLL I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU ALL I DID I REMEMBER ELVIS PRESLEY TOO BUT I GREW UP IN THE MTV ERA, OKAY?
I USED TO WORK AT MTV AND I REMEMBER WORKING AT MTV AT A TIME WHEN HIP HOP AND RAP MUSIC WAS UNDER ATTACK AND I'M LIKE
PRODUCING TELEVISION. I'M LIKE WHAT ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT? WHY I WANT TO TRY TO LIKE LITERALLY SHUT DOWN THE CHANNEL BECAUSE OF RAP MUSIC AND I FEEL
LIKE THIS MOMENT IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THAT BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW EASY ACCESS IT IS FOR US TO JUST
CHECK OUR PHONES OR FOR STUDENTS TO DO THAT. WHEN YOU WERE WATCHING MTV YOU HAD TO WAIT TO GET HOME TO WATCH THE CHANNEL ALL THAT. SO THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT TIME THAT THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW AND I THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE CONTINUE TO NAVIGATE THESE CONVERSATIONS TO BALANCE BOTH YOUNG PEOPLE NOT FEELING LIKE IT'S A PUNITIVE THING AND I THINK SOMEBODY SAID IT HERE I FORGET
WHO IT WAS THAT IS A GIFT THAT IS THE BEST FRAMING AROUND HOW WE'RE GIVING YOU BACK YOUR TIME. AND I THINK THAT GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE BACK THEIR TIME TO BE
YOUNG PEOPLE, TO BE FOCUSED AND TO BE IN A SPACE THAT RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE
OF RELATIONSHIP IS A GIFT AND I THINK THAT WILL PROBABLY MAKE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING DONE TO THEM WITH THEM IN TERMS
OF THE COMMUNICATION ROLLOUT. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US AND I DON'T HAVE THE SCREEN OR THE PEOPLE'S NAMES HERE BUT SANDERS DAD YES, THANK YOU.
THAT WILL GO BY THAT'S DAVID YEAH, THAT'S DAVID THAT'S FINE. I THINK DAVID'S POINT IN THERE WAS A SLIDE THAT YOU HAD SHARED EARLIER ABOUT KIND OF LIKE THE ROLLOUT AND HOW WE ENGAGE YOUNG
PEOPLE IN THIS PROCESS I THINK IS TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF THAT MAKING YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE DOING THIS WITH THEM NOT TO THEM. RIGHT? YEAH.
AND I THINK THAT THAT FOR ME FEELS LIKE THE RIGHT WAY FOR US TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION AS A DISTRICT. THE COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE YOUTH IN
THE ROLLOUT AND WHAT THE ACCOUNTABILITY METRICS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE. I THINK THAT IS KIND OF WHERE WE SHOULD BE ROLLING TOWARDS.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT YOU ALL'S INPUT ROLLOUT PLAN I MEAN STRATEGY I WOULD CHALLENGED MAYBE LITTLE BIT THIS IDEA OF A GIFT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
ADOLESCENTS WHOSE PRIMARY DEVELOPMENTAL ROLE IS A SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY AND SO TO BE GIVEN SOMETHING
YOU KNOW AS A GIFT IS NOT THE MOST SELF, YOU KNOW, DETERMINATION KIND OF PERSPECTIVE. I THINK IT'S MORE LIKE YOU ALL
KNOW IF WE GIVE YOU PHONES IN CLASS THAT'S NOT A GREAT PLACE TO BE, RIGHT? LIKE IT'S LIKE BRINGING THEM IN AND SAYING WE ALL KNOW AS A COMMUNITY YOU ARE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
WE ALL KNOW THE TRUTH HERE WHICH IS PHONES IN CLASSROOMS NOT GREAT, RIGHT? LIKE THIS IS JUST NOT A GREAT AND SO WE AS A SCHOOL OUR GOAL
IS FOR YOU ALL TO LEARN AND YOU KNOW THIS LIKE YOU KNOW THE GOAL YOU'RE SMART, YOU'RE HERE TO LEARN AND SO THIS IT'S NOT
SURPRISING FOR YOU TO HEAR FROM US THAT THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND THIS IS WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER. AND SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU? WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK ABOUT HOW BEST TO DO THIS? AND YOU WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU
WHAT WE THINK AND IT SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISING WHERE YOUR TEACHERS WE'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO YOU AND WE'RE GOING TO COME TOGETHER. WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST DO WHAT YOU SAY BECAUSE THAT'S NOT OUR ROLE. WE'RE THE TEACHERS AND BUT WE'RE GOING TO LISTEN AND
INTEGRATE WHAT YOU SAY AND WHAT WE SAY AND WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT THAT WORKS BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND SO TO ME THAT AND SO SO IT'S NOT SO MUCH WE'RE GIVING YOU SOMETHING IT'S NOT SO MUCH
WE'RE TAKING SOMETHING IT'S WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND WE'RE EACH TAKING OUR OWN ROLES BECAUSE WE HAVE YOU KNOW, THOSE ROLES ARE DEFINED AND COME IN AND PUT TO WHAT'S BEST FOR US AS A AS A SCHOOL COMMUNITY THAT
THAT YOU KNOW, THAT TO ME IS WHAT'S GOING TO RESONATE SO I MADE THIS MIGHT NOT BE A POPULAR OPINION YEAH AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT YEAH NO I MEAN I
ACTUALLY PREFER NOT TO HAVE ALWAYS THE HAVE BUT I KNOW A LOT OF PARENTS AND I DON'T THAT I'M IN IN SEVERAL CHATS BUT I
TRY NOT TO ENGAGE A LOT BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THERE IS THIS DRIVING FORCE WHERE PARENTS WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO
HAVE ACCESS TO PHONES AND I CAN'T TALK ABOUT WHAT LIFE IS LIKE FOR OTHER STUDENTS BUT IN MY HOUSEHOLD. I'M THE ONE AND ONLY RIGHT FOR
MY CHILD AND SO I DO NEED A LITTLE BIT OF HELP WITH HOW MY CHILD IS GOING TO SHOW UP IN SCHOOL AND IF THERE IS A BLANKET, YOU KNOW, POLICY THAT WILL HELP ENSURE THAT MY
DAUGHTER IS UPHOLDING YOU KNOW, UPHOLDING THE LAW IN THAT SCHOOL THAT I NEED THAT EXTRA REINFORCEMENT. SO I I THINK THAT THERE IS A LEVEL OF I GUESS A DISCONNECT
FOR ME IN TERMS OF LIKE WANTING TO YOUNG WANTING TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THE AGENCY OVER THEIR OWN LIVES, IF YOU WILL, BUT
ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT AS AS ADULTS RIGHT, WE NEED TO ALSO GIVE OURSELVES THE GRACE THAT WE NEED AND ASK FOR THE SUPPORT THAT WE NEED FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO
STEP IN AND SAY WHILE WE APPRECIATE RIGHT YOU PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS AT END OF THE DAY STUDIES SHOW YEAH X, Y AND Z RIGHT? AND WE'RE GOING TO GET YONDER
OR WE'RE GOING TO GET WHATEVER IT IS AND WE'RE GOING TO HOLD DOWN THE THE LAW HERE BECAUSE I THINK THAT AT SOME POINT THERE
HAS TO BE ABSOLUTELY AND I THINK THAT'S THE COMMUNICATION SIDE OF IT ALL COMES IN RIGHT LIKE YOU'RE JUST CLEAR ABOUT ALL OF THIS YEAH AND THAT THAT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S AGAIN LIKE THAT'S THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL
TO SAY WE'RE CREATING THE BEST EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT WE CARE ABOUT YOU AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING IT THIS WAY SO YEAH I THINK I JUST WANT TO SAY I AGREE WITH YOU AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK WITH FAMILIES. SO WHEN I WENT THROUGH THE SLIDES OF OUR SURVEY THERE ONLY 30% OF FAMILIES HAD ANY KIND OF CAREGIVER RULES AND AND REGS
AND I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY AND WE CAN'T PUT EVERYTHING ON APS BUT IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START AND I DON'T KNOW THAT EVERY EVERY PARENT UNDERSTANDS I THINK I HAVE LEARNED A LOT THROUGH THIS CAMPAIGN THAT I
DID NOT KNOW AS A PARENT I THINK I HAVE BETTER CONVERSATIONS WITH MY TEEN NOW THAN I DID, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA, AROUND CELL PHONE USE.
I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD COMMUNITY NORMS. YOU SEE A LOT OF THINGS LIKE WAIT UNTIL EIGHTH GRADE, THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK IN MY CHILD'S CIRCLE
I'M THE ONLY PARENT WHO TAKES THE PHONE AT NIGHT AND IF IF FAMILIES NOT ALL FAMILIES KNOW LIKE YOU KNOW, THE SLEEP DEPRIVATION IS REAL AND IF YOU LOOK AT A YOUNG PERSON'S BRAIN WHO HAS NOT SLEPT, IT'S THE
SAME AS LOOKING AT A PERSON WHO HAS A DEPRESSED WHO'S DEPRESSED AND SO WE NEED TO WORK WITH OUR FAMILIES SO THEY UNDERSTAND. SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND I ALSO DO THINK IT'S A GIFT.
I THINK IT'S A GIFT AND MAYBE WE WILL YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT RIGHT NOW. THEY'LL REALIZE IT LATER. BUT I KNOW FAMILIES FOR SURE WILL THINK THAT IT IS A GIFT EVEN THOUGH I THINK THE EMERGENCY PIECES THAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT OF COURSE I WORRY ABOUT THAT TOO AS A PARENT BUT I KNOW THAT I CAN CALL THE SCHOOL AND I CAN GET A HOLD OF SOMEONE IF I KNOW THAT THEN THAT'S GOING TO ASSUAGE MY FEARS. IF I MAY BUILD ON WHAT ALEX IS SAYING, I THINK IT'S A REAL
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES, MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE NOT ALONE. YOU'RE DEALING WITH ISSUES THAT EVERY FAMILY IS DEALING WITH. THE SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL
COMMUNITY WANT TO BE A RESOURCE BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT SAYING HERE ARE THE TOOLS YOU NEED NOW YOU GO BE THE GATEKEEPER. YOU'RE IN CHARGE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT FAIR TO PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS. THEY HAVE A LOT ON THEIR PLATE.
THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO TO BE JUGGLING AS A PARENT TODAY AND THERE'S SO MUCH THAT IS LURING KIDS THAT WE CAN'T PUT THE ONUS ON PARENTS BUT WE CAN HELP THEM . WE CAN HELP THEM TO TO UNDERSTAND THE MANIPULATION
OF THE INTERNET. WE CAN HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE SCHOOL WANTS TO BE A PARTNER WITH YOU. SO YOU'VE HEARD HOW MANY TIMES TODAY WE WANT DIGITAL LITERACY. WE WANT TO KNOW YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOLS CAN PROVIDE THAT
RESOURCE AND WORK WITH THE FAMILIES TOGETHER. YEAH AND I KNOW THAT COUNSELOR WEBER PROBABLY GOT MORE TIME BECAUSE HE WAS THE LEAD SPONSOR AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE ONE MORE COLLEAGUE THAT IS WAITING
TO ASK QUESTIONS. THEN MY REQUEST WOULD BE IF YOU WANT TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SET I GET A SECOND THAT I CAN GET MY OTHER QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL BUT I DO WE DO HAVE A TIMER SO
I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. IT NEVER WELL YOU HAVE TO ANSWER USUALLY GETS MORE TIME. WE PUT FOR FOUR OR 5 MINUTES BUT I THINK EVERYONE'S SURPRISED THAT FOUR OR FIVE
MINUTE MARK AT THIS POINT. SO GIVEN THAT IT'S 10 MINUTES TO TWO AND WE HAVE ANOTHER HEARING STARTING SOON THAT I'M ALSO CHAIRING BUT YEAH WE WILL
ALLOW PLATITUDE COUNSELOR TO REACH OUT AND THEN IF YOU HAVE A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE HAPPY TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I JUST TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
TESTIFYING TODAY AND THIS IS A REALLY OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT QUESTION. I WANT TO THANK YOU, ALEX, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU BROUGHT. I THINK YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS REALLY HELPFUL WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT WHAT ARE WHAT ARE THE CEOS OF THESE COMPANIES WHAT ARE THEY DOING FOR THEIR KIDS THAT'S ALWAYS LIKE THAT TO ME, WHICH IS MY JOB BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR THEIR KIDS
FOR THEM TO BE ON THESE DEVICES THAT THEY'VE INVENTED YEP, WHY IS IT GOOD FOR OUR KIDS? AND SO I DO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE PUT IN SO I'M NOT I'M GOING TO GIVE MY TIME BACK BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE INTERNS AND YOUNG
KIDS I THINK WHO STILL WANT TO TESTIFY AND WE DO HAVE A HEARING IT TOO SO I'M NOT GOING TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU WHAT A PROFOUND IMPACT THAT HAD ON ME AND ABOUT HOW WE THINK ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT CUSTOMER HERE VERBALS THAT I WAS SEEING WAS ABOUT ME SO I GUESS I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE HAD PEOPLE STILL
WAITING IN THE ROOM TO SPEAK SO IN THE INTEREST OF BEING RESPECTFUL OF OTHER PEOPLE'S TIME I'LL YIELD THE REST AND I HAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER SO I CAN ASK YOU QUESTIONS OUTSIDE OF THIS CHAMBER. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. CUSTOMER HERE, LET'S DO THE HONORS. SO WE STILL HAVE WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE REST OF OUR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I WILL DISMISS THIS PANEL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. A LOT OF EXPENSES FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF OUR YOUTH AND OUR MISSION.
HOW YOU GREAT SO I HAVE A LONG LIST OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE. SO IF YOU ARE HERE TO TESTIFY IF YOU CAN JUST COME DOWN AND
INSTEAD OF THE BACK PODIUM HERE BUT I HAVE TERRELL WALKER,
JAY-Z AND THE ACCESS STEPHANIE GRAY AGUAYO, JULIAN MORALES,
ROSA BAKER JULIAN REESE WAS AND HUFF. ALL RIGHT IF YOU CAN USE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG HEARING
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WE REALLY VALUE OUR YOUTH VOICES SO I MEAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR AFFILIATION AND YOU HAVE TWO WAYS TO TESTIFY. THANK YOU.
OH, MY NAME IS JAIR. I HAVE I HAVE LIVED IN BOSTON FOR ALMOST MY ENTIRE LIFE. I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF BOSTON CITY COUNCIL.
I STAND HERE TO DISCUSS THE FACT ON HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE A VERY ADDICTIVE HABIT AND I FEEL LIKE WE COULD PREVENT THE UPCOMING GENERATION FROM FALLING INTO THE PITFALLS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION.
A LOT OF TEENS FROM 10 TO 17 TEND TO GET DISTRACTED SOCIAL MEDIA IN SCHOOL AS WELL AS OUT OF SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. I PERSONALLY THINK SOCIAL MEDIA IS BRINGING YOUNGER KIDS IN TEEN BRAIN FROM DOING THE
BETTER THINGS IN LIFE RATHER THAN JUST SITTING AROUND AND JUST DEPENDING ON THEIR PHONES ,ACCORDING ACCORDING TO TIMOTHY COOK MASTERS IN EDUCATION THE TIMING OF THIS AI
VALIDATION WITH YOUNG MINDS COULDN'T BE WORSE. THE PRE FRONTAL CORTEX THE BRAIN REGION RESPONSIBLE FOR CRITICAL EMOTIONAL EMOTIONAL
OBLIGATION AND COMPLEX PROBLEMS OFTEN DOESN'T FULLY DEVELOP UNTIL AROUND AGE 25. THIS MEANS MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND TEENAGERS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO FORMING DEPENDENCY ON EXTERNAL
VALIDATION SYSTEM END QUOTE. YOUTH ARE MORE EXPRESSION OF BULL THAN EVER. WE WE SHOULD COME TOGETHER AND ADVOCATE FOR AGE VERIFICATION AND SOME AND SOME OF THE APPS
TO HELP PROTECT OUR KIDS. I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE STRONGER SECURITY AROUND AGE VERIFICATION BEFORE DOWNLOADING APPS LIKE INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK AND SNAPCHAT AND MORE. THE DANGER THAT ARISES FROM
SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE SPEED WITH WHICH OH SO THE DANGER THAT ARISES FROM SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE SPEED WITH WHICH A TEENAGER CAN BECOME VULNERABLE AND
VULNERABLE TO THE ADVERSE INFLUENCES. KIDS AND TEENS TEND TO FIND WHATEVER NEGATIVE THEY SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR ON THE INTERNET TO BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO TRY AT A YOUNG AGE. KIDS LIKE TO BE ON THEIR PHONES
A LOT DURING LEARNING AGE LIMITS CAN HELP PROTECT THIS COUNCIL IS FOR THE CITY OF CITY OF BOSTON. I APPRECIATE YOUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO ENGAGE WITH UPLIFT
IN OUR COMMUNITY IN AREAS OF SOCIAL MEDIA. THIS ISSUE HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND I BELIEVE YOUR LEADERSHIP CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN
SHAPING A FAIR AND JUST OUTCOME FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AGAIN MY NAME JAYA. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. MY MY NAME IS TARA AND I AM A RESIDENT OF YOUR CITY LIVING IN DORCHESTER. I'M A PART OF A GROUP CALLED YOUTH TUTORS AND MENTOR TO FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN.
WE CREATE PROGRAMING AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY AND HABITS AND I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE BANNING OF STOUGHTON MARKETING PRODUCTS FOR YOUTH AND TEENS COMPANIES HOPING YOU CAN START MARKETING IS AN
INFLUENCER UNDERCOVER PROMOTE THEIR PRODUCTS TO AVOID ADVERTISING REGULATIONS. I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE YOUTH EXPOSED TO ACCORDING TO THE NEW JERSEY STATE BAR FOUNDATION, KIDS ARE EXPOSED TO ADVERTISING
FOR VAPING, UNHEALTHY FOODS AND GAMBLING ALTHOUGH IT IS GENERALLY ILLEGAL FOR COMPANIES TO ADVERTISE OUT TO MINORS, COMPANIES USE TOTAL MARKETING AS A TARGET TO PROMOTE IN A SUBTLE WAY IN NATIONAL FINANCE
EDUCATORS COUNCILOR PRODUCT COMPANIES SPEND APPROXIMATELY TO 2.9 BILLION A YEAR FOR TARGETED ADS FOR CHILDREN AND THIS WILL INCREASE TO 21.1 BILLION BY 2031. THIS IS DANGEROUS DUE TO
CHILDREN NOT BEING ABLE TO DISTINGUISH ADVERTISING FROM CONTENT OR ENTERTAINMENT. BY THE TIME A YOUNG PERSON TURNS 21 THEY ARE SEEING MORE THAN 1 MILLION ADVERTISING THROUGH TELEVISION OR SOCIAL MEDIA.
I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD PUSH LAWMAKERS TO STOP STOCK MARKET AND TARGET STEALTH MARKETING AS A BUSINESS PARK STOP MANIPULATIVE VULNERABLE PEOPLE SUCH AS KIDS AND TO BUY MISLEADING PRODUCTS
ADVERTISING THE CHILDREN CAN INFLUENCE AND HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE VOTERS OF 16. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. ALLOW ME TO SPEAK. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. YOU SHOULD YOU BE AGAIN. GOOD AFTERNOON CITY COUNCILORS THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TODAY AND FOR OUR
STUDENTS TO ALSO SPEAK BEFORE YOU. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE AND WHILE I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF SOCIO LATINA WHERE I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF DIRECTLY PARTNERING WITH PBS STUDENTS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, I WANT
TO START OFF BY SAYING THAT I SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A CONSISTENT PORTABLE CELLPHONE POLICY ACROSS VEEPS. I AS AN ADULT ORIGINALLY DID NOT SUPPORT BUT IT TOOK ME SOME TIME AND I FULLY STAND HERE
SUPPORTING THAT STANCE DUE TO THE EXTREMELY ADDICTIVE OF OUR TECHNOLOGY WHICH ARE IMPOSED BY BIG TECH COMPANIES. STUDENTS NEED BOUNDARIES WITH THEIR TECHNOLOGY IN ORDER TO
FOCUS AND THRIVE ACADEMICALLY HAVING THEIR SCHOOL BE A FORM FREE ZONE WILL NOT ONLY ALLOW THEM TO FOCUS ACADEMICALLY BUT TO FOCUS ON BUILDING THE IN-PERSON RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WITH
THEIR PEERS. THAT BEING SAID, WE ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER HOW WE ENSURE OUR SCHOOLS ARE ACTIVELY FOSTERING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO USE THEIR DOWNTIME TO CONNECT WITH THEIR PEERS.
OUR SCHOOLS RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR YOUTH HAVE ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE SOCIAL LIFE SKILLS NEEDED WHEN THEY GRADUATE. NEXT I WANT TO SHARE THAT IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR
YOUTH ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS OF FIGURING OUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A BILL TO OUR POLICY OUR STUDENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN A PART OF SEVERAL AS YOU HEARD SO OFTEN POLICIES YONDER PORCH TRIAL RUNS AND DUE
TO THIS THEY HAVE EXTREMELY VALUABLE FEEDBACK ON HOW TO MAKE AN EFFECTIVE POLICY. LASTLY, SOCIALITY UNIT IS RECOMMENDING THE FORMATION OF TWO ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO HELP THE DISTRICT NAVIGATE THE
ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION. THE FIRST COMMITTEE'S FOCUS IS TO AUDIT HOW TECHNOLOGY IS CURRENTLY USED AND BEEPS. A DISTRICT WIDE AUDIT WILL HELP TO IDENTIFY OUR CURRENT GAPS
AND BEST PRACTICES TO MAKE TECHNOLOGY MORE EQUITABLE AND EFFECTIVE IN OUR SCHOOLS. THE SECOND COMMITTEE'S CHARGE WOULD BE TO DEVELOP EDUCATION AROUND DIGITAL READINESS AND CRAFTING AN AI POLICY AND BEPS.
STUDENTS NEED CLEAR INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO BE RESPONSIBLE DIGITAL CITIZENS AND THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT A.I.. AS AI BECOMES MORE EMBEDDED IN EDUCATION, WE MUST ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE
ACCESS TO TRAINING AND GUIDELINES THAT PROMOTE AND SAFE PRACTICES. A THOUGHTFUL AIR POLICY CAN HELP US TO LEAD THE WAY IN SETTING STANDARDS FOR AI INTEGRATION IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
. TOGETHER, THESE INITIATIVES REFLECT A STUDENT CENTERED APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY IN OUR SCHOOLS. I URGE PEEPS AND OUR LEADERS TAKE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT OUR DIGITAL TOOLS ARE USED IN WAYS
THAT ENHANCE LEARNING, PROTECT STUDENTS MENTAL HEALTH AND PREPARE THEM FOR THE DIGITAL WORLD THAT WE'RE LIVING IN TODAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSELORS. MY NAME IS FAVORITE AND I'M AN INTERN UNDER COUNSELOR WORRELL THIS SUMMER AND I WAS SITTING
IN THIS CHAMBER AND I WAS COMPLETELY INTERESTED AND JUST LIKE SORT OF BLOWN AWAY BY THE CONVERSATION AND I SORT OF WANTED TO ADD MY PIECE SO I WROTE A SMALL TESTIMONY AND SO
I FIRST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE IDEA OF DISCIPLINE. I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN DISCIPLINE CANNOT BE TAUGHT BUT IT MUST BE LEARNED. OKAY, SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT COMES FROM THE SELF.
YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE TO BE DISCIPLINED AND I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT PROCESS BUT I THINK THAT HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU LEARN TO BE DISCIPLINED HOW DO YOU
STIMULATE A LEARNING PROCESS WITHOUT FORCING SOMEONE INTO IT? WELL, I THINK WHAT BPI IS TRYING TO DO IS OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN CHANGE THEIR ENVIRONMENT IN A WAY YOU CAN ALLOW STUDENTS TO
FIND NEW WAYS TO ADAPT BY TAKING AWAY PHONES BP IS TRYING TO ALMOST TAKE WHAT COUNSELOR FITZGERALD PROPOSED WHICH IS THE YOU GOT TO FIGURE IT OUT APPROACH, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN ?
SO HOWEVER I FEEL LIKE A CHANGE IN ENVIRONMENT LIKE THAT WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY A RESOURCE THAT SOMEONE ALREADY HAS OR ALREADY USES THAT WILL OBVIOUSLY A
DISTRESS OR REACTION AND YOU KNOW EITHER STUDENTS WILL REACT IN A WAY WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO THRIVE FROM THIS OR STUDENTS WILL ULTIMATELY FIND DISADVANTAGES WITHIN THIS
SYSTEM. SO I GUESS WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS IS THERE A DIFFERENT WAY WITHOUT CHANGING THE ENVIRONMENT OF STUDENTS, IS THERE A DIFFERENT WAY TO INSTITUTE THAT SORT OF CHANGE
WHERE STUDENTS AREN'T CONSTANTLY USING THIS PHONE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF STUDENTS WERE NOT ACTING MEAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA WE'RE NOT WE'RE ALL WE'RE FOCUSED DURING CLASS .
WE WOULD NOT BE IN THIS CHAMBER HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. WELL, I WANT TO SAY THAT I DID RECENTLY GRADUATE FROM B+ AND SO I AM COMING FROM AN EXAM
SCHOOL AND WE DID HAVE THE SAME POLICY AS BP'S OBVIOUSLY WHICH IS THE NO NO PHONE POLICY AND IT WASN'T A EXTREME OR HUGE ISSUE BEING LEFT IN THE FIRST
PLACE TO NO PHONE DO YOU KNOW WE HAVE PHONE ISSUES. THEY TAKE AWAY OUR PHONES BUT IT WASN'T LIKE A MAJOR THAT WE HAD TO CONTINUOUSLY KEEP TALKING ABOUT AND SO WHY IS IT
DIFFERENT IN BELIZE? WHY I THINK FOR ONE REASON IT'S ABOUT CREATING A STRONG COMMUNITY WITHIN BELIZE. WHEN I FIRST GOT THERE IT JUST FELT LIKE A CONSENSUS THAT YOU
KNOW, EVERYBODY WAS LEARNING EVERYBODY WAS STRIVING TO DO BETTER AND EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO YOU KNOW, I GUESS JUST BE BETTER IN A WAY. AND SO I GUESS INSTEAD
OF CHANGING OUR ENVIRONMENT I THINK BEING LESS FUNCTIONS ON AN UNSPOKEN CODE OR AN HONOR CODE WHICH IS THIS SORT OF ENERGY THAT THRIVES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL AND IT'S
ALMOST CONTAGIOUS. AND I THINK I THINK THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU DO THAT? HOW DO YOU ADD THAT INTO A SCHOOL? RIGHT. WELL, FIRST START WITH THE TEACHERS MAKING SURE YOUR
TEACHERS ARE BEING THERE FOR STUDENTS AND ARE CREATING THAT COMMUNITY FOR STUDENTS. THEN IT'S ADAPTING LESSONS THAT ARE PERSONALIZED TO STUDENTS MAKING IT INTERESTING. LEARNING MUST BE INTERESTING.
IT SHOULDN'T FEEL LIKE I'M JUST PREPARING FOR A 9 TO 5 JOB. WHY WOULDN'T I WANT TO USE MY PHONE THEN? AND I THINK IT'S ALSO HAVING RESOURCES THAT ALLOW STUDENTS NOT TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING
ON OUTSIDE OF THAT. SO I OBVIOUSLY BELIEVE THAT BUILDING COMMUNITY YOU KNOW, IS OBVIOUSLY WAY HARDER SAID THAN DONE. YOU KNOW, IT'S I MEAN THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION IN THE FIRST PLACE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LARGE ISSUE AND I THAT YOU KNOW RESTRICTING RESOURCES IS THE SHORTCUT OR TO SOME PEOPLE IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE.
YOU KNOW, MAKE REGULATION AND PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW THAT REGULATION. SO I WANT TO URGE THAT MAYBE INSTEAD OF CUTTING CORNERS LET'S STRENGTHEN THE SOCIETY
THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AND CREATE A TRUSTING COMMUNITY OR THE LACK OF NEED FOR PHONES IN SCHOOL IS NOT JUST A LAW BUT IT'S JUST TRUTH AND CONSENSUS. IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO HAVE
THAT THERE. AND SO LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT'S DONE BY THE TEACHERS THAT WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY THAT THOSE TEACHERS AND ADULTS CREATE IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT. IT'S DONE BY THE LESSONS THAT
OUR PERSONAL LIVES TO STUDENTS NOT JUST PREPARING THEM FOR 9 TO 5 BUT TO CREATE ACTUAL FUTURE AND ACTUAL CHANGE. AND IT'S ABOUT HAVING RESOURCES FOR ALL STUDENTS THAT ALLOW THEM NOT TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S
GOING INSIDE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RECENT GRADUATES FROM THE CLASS. UM AWESOME. I'LL KEEP IT SHORT.
WHEN I STARTED AS MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU ALL AND I THINK REALLY I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING OUR STUDENT SPEAK HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS WILLIAM MORALES AND I'M HERE FROM CICERO LATINA AS THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST FOR THE YOUTH
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING PROGRAM. YOU HEARD FROM A LOT OF THE YOUTH IN THIS PROGRAM TODAY WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS ONE OF OUR MAJOR CAMPAIGNS IN THE PAST YEAR AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS WE ARE ACTIVELY HAVING TODAY IN WHICH
IS OF COURSE TEENS AND TECHNOLOGY. BUT OBVIOUSLY SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT OUR ONLY CONCERN. APPLICATIONS LIKE CHAT, LIBERTY AND OPEN I HAVE A USERBASE THAT IS PREDOMINANTLY STUDENTS AND
IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN DISCUSSING THE ROLE OF TECH IN OUR SCHOOLS AS THIS TECHNOLOGY CONTENT CONTINUES TO RAPIDLY DEVELOP WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT OUR YOUTH ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND BY MANDATING EDUCATION ABOUT WHAT IT REALLY IS INCLUDING NOT JUST
THE PROS BUT ALSO THE CONS THAT SNEAK UP ON US. THAT'S WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN AI CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR ALL YOUTH 14 PLUS HIGH SCHOOLERS TO HELP THEM MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT HOW THEY USE A.I. IN THEIR ACADEMIC LIVES.
A.I. IS CURRENTLY STILL A LARGE UNKNOWN FOR MANY AND IT'S OFTEN MISUSED IN WAYS THAT ARE DETRIMENTAL TO CRITICAL THINKING AND IMPORTANT PART OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT THAT OCCURS MOSTLY DURING THEIR TEEN YEARS AND SOCIALIZING IS BIG ON PARENT INVOLVEMENT PARENTS,
GUARDIANS, TEACHERS REALLY ANY ADULTS INTERACT WITH YOUTH NEED TO HAVE MORE THAN A BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF AI IN ORDER TO PROPERLY GUIDE TOWARD THEIR ONLINE ENCOUNTERS WITH IT. OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT BPF BEGINS OFFERING CLASSES FOR
PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS IN THE UNIVERSITY AND WHAT AI IS THE BENEFITS AND DANGERS AND HOW TO SUPPORT THEIR USE AND MAKING SAFE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS ONLINE. WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL WE'VE BECOME USED TO AI LEARN IT
SLOWLY AS I SHOULD SINCE WE'RE ALREADY PLAYING CATCH UP TO THESE TECH COMPANIES AND THEIR DESIGNS FOR OUR FUTURE. SO SAY THAT YOUTH HAVE BEEN CAMPAIGNING AT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS FOR THE INCLUSION OF A.I. EDUCATION ALONG WITH K THROUGH 12 DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
COURSES SINCE LAST YEAR. IT'S PAST TIME TO DEVELOP THE CURRICULUM OUR KIDS NEED AND WE'RE GOING KEEP DOING IT UNTIL WE HAVE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO TESTIFY? OKAY.
DO YOU WANT TO BE A DAD OR DO YOU WANT TO. OKAY. COSMO, I WAS GOING TO NOW READ A LETTER THAT WE WILL SEE THAT WILL NOW BE READ IT TO THE
RECORD COMES FROM EVERY ARTICLE BEFORE THE CENTRAL STAFF CUTTING US OFF. OKAY. JUST QUICKLY AS FAST AS I CAN.
I'LL READ THIS LETTER. DEAR CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEND YOUR TESTIMONY. MY NAME IS DR. JILLIAN BISWAS AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS PSYCHIATRIC
SOCIETY. OUR MEMBERS ARE PHYSICIANS SPECIALIZING IN THE DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF MENTAL ILLNESS AS WELL AS THE PROMOTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. AND WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE ESCALATING YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. THE MASSACHUSETTS PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY SUPPORTS IMPLEMENTING PERSONAL SMARTPHONE RESTRICTIONS IN SCHOOLS.
RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THAT UNREGULATED SMARTPHONE USE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY DISTRACTS STUDENTS FROM ACADEMIC TIME, CONTRIBUTES TO CYBERBULLYING, EXPOSES KIDS TO INAPPROPRIATE
CONTENT AND REDUCES OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTHY IN-PERSON SOCIAL INTERACTION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ALL OF WHICH ARE CRITICAL TO HEALTHY ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT. RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY SHOWS
THAT PROBLEMATIC SMARTPHONE USE IN YOUTH IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RATES OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, POOR SLEEP QUALITY STRESS AND DIMINISHED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. A 2018 META ANALYSIS OF OVER
41,000 YOUNG PEOPLE FOUND THAT PROBLEMATIC USE WAS LINKED TO MORE THAN THREEFOLD HIGHER ODDS OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND MORE THAN DOUBLE THE ODDS OF POOR SLEEP.
THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL AND THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS HAVE ISSUED URGENT ADVISORIES CITING THESE RISKS AND LOCAL SURVEYS AND LOCAL SURVEYS SUCH AS
ASSOCIATED LATINAS WORK WITH TUFTS UNIVERSITY INDICATE THAT MANY BOSTON STUDENTS ARE SPENDING SIX OR MORE HOURS PER DAY ON THEIR PHONES OFTEN DURING SCHOOL HOURS. EXCESSIVE IN-SCHOOL SMARTPHONE
USE NOT ONLY IMPACTS ACADEMICS IT AMPLIFIES EXPOSURE TO CYBERBULLYING AND ONLINE HARASSMENT DISRUPTS PEER RELATIONSHIPS AND CAN DISPLACE ENGAGEMENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES LEARNING AND FACE TO
FACE SOCIALIZATION ALL OF WHICH ARE PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR MENTAL HEALTH. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEAR PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR IMPLEMENTATION. THE MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE CELL PHONE POLICY TOOLKIT BILL WITH SUPPORT FROM THE SHAW FOUNDATION AND MANY OTHERS COULD BE A VALUABLE STARTING POINT FOR SCHOOL LEADERS. IT OFFERS STRATEGIES FOR
REDUCING DISTRACTIONS, SUPPORTING TEACHER ENFORCEMENT AND ENSURING EQUITY IN HOW POLICIES ARE APPLIED. THESE TOOLS SHOULD BE LEVERAGED BY BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO
IMPLEMENT CONSISTENT EFFECTIVE CELL PHONE RESTRICTIONS DISTRICT WIDE. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOME STUDENTS MAY NEED ACCESS TO COMMUNICATION FOR EMERGENCIES OR FOR HEALTH REASONS. THIS CAN BE ADDRESSED BY
PROVIDING FLIP PHONE AND EMAIL STATIONS OR DESIGNATING AREAS WHERE STUDENTS CAN MAKE CALLS WHEN NECESSARY. COUPLED WITH DIGITAL LITERACY AND CITIZENSHIP CURRICULA TO PREPARE THEM FOR SAFE
RESPONSIBLE TECHNOLOGY USE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL THEIR SCHOOL HOURS IN CLOSING, THE MASSACHUSETTS PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY SUPPORTS THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL TAKING DECISIVE
ACTION BY ADOPTING A SMARTPHONE RESTRICTION POLICY ACROSS ALL BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. DOING SO WILL HELP SAFEGUARD STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH, FOSTER ENGAGEMENT AND LEARNING AND CREATE A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
WHERE CHILDREN CAN BE FULLY PRESENT, CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER AND BE MORE SUPPORTED IN THEIR GROWTH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF BOSTON'S YOUNG
PEOPLE. I KNOW DR. JOE BOLAND AS WELL AS PRESIDENT OF MASSACHUSETTS PSYCHIATRIC SOCIETY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR WEBER. I'M NOW I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY
CENTRAL STAFF THAT WE HAVE A FEW MAYBE A FEW PEOPLE ON ZOOM WHO ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY IF WE CAN JUST BRING THOSE UP FOR THOSE TESTIFYING ON ZOOM.
PLEASE ACCEPT THAT MESSAGE ASKING YOU TO BE PROMOTED TO PANELISTS WHEN IT APPEARS.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN A LONG HEARING SO. SOUNDS GOOD. SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
SO WITH THAT STATEMENT I APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR PANELISTS TODAY. I APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR GUESTS. I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE ALL THE YOUTH WHO WERE HERE EARLIER TODAY AND APPRECIATE THEIR
CONVERSATION. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER
0905 IS ADJOURNED