Thomas Sowell vs. Jonathan Haidt. A video from Reason presents some substantive criticisms of Jonathan Haidt, his research claims, and his issue advocacy.
There’s quite a bit there that tackles the weaknesses of the cited research. And Haidt does seem to have become anointed, with some considerable effort on his part, which isn’t a flaw necessarily. Everyone should know by now that life in this society entails constant self-promotion. Nor is it a flaw for him to advocate passionately for things he believes in passionately. But it shouldn’t make him into the automatic boss of the mankind before whom all must bend a knee.
Lots of top-down government policy has been put in place by passionate advocates who were given the public stage because of their connections. Nine-tenths of climate change policy, for instance, or a similar chunk of diet-related health policy—to put figures on a wild hunch—have been chiseled into the immutable stone of federal regulation without any serious consideration of the zero option: Let’s just do nothing as a national government. Maybe the problem will resolve itself, or individuals will adjust and figure out what to do on their own. Why not let’s try that for a long enough time until supermajorities conclude a specific fix is needed?
Some thoughts on phones in school:
In the middle school where I substitute phones are not allowed out during the school day without permission and permission is rarely given. Students are expected to go to the office to call parents.
The fact that some students use smart phones for medical purposes such as notification for a glucose monitor complicates things, particularly as parents may also monitor the glucose monitor.
The complicated familial relationships, housing situations and caregiver employment schedules also shape the rules and how they are implemented. I think many parents would strenuously object to banning them entirely in school.
It has been almost ten years since I subbed in high school. At that time, some teachers had boxes inside the door into which students were required to stow their phones when they entered the classroom. Whether or not teachers could touch a students phone at that time was an issue so most did not. I do not know current policies but I expect there are limits. How diligently they are enforced is another matter.
Based on a field trip experience when my daughter was in middle school - back when you could still get phones with keyboards - I would say the bus is where most of the emotional damage is done and where there is no chance of enforcing usage restrictions. How many photos and videos are taken of unsuspecting students and used to bully?
In class, I have had more problems with Chromebooks - which are, more often than not, required to do the day's assignments. There are some internet restrictions but they are nowhere nearly as narrow as they should be. They have access to games and music and videos - but it can be difficult to tell is the game is part of the assignment or not. The content does not have to be inappropriate to be distracting. I had a student last year who would come in and watch knitting and crocheting videos, sometimes while she knitted. Before the bell is one thing, in place of doing the assignment is something else. As well, having permission to be online once the assignment is finished is asking for minimal effort and substandard work.
The government has the authority to deal with this and is, at least, attempting to deal with it in our school district. My guess is that the problem has as much to do with adults having attitudes along the lines of "Kids - watcha gonna do?"
A thought on cell phones. All my students have them in class. And they text regularly during class. 🙄
It's also contagious. I'll get 3-4 students with an attitude, and they'll text people in class, who'll respond, rinse, lather, repeat. I just remind them phones are not permitted during the final exam....Watching the withdrawal symptoms is painful!😱
Does it affect learning? yes. Those are the folks who will someday operate on you. Sweet dreams! 🙄