Why schools are ditching phones! - Family IT Guy Podcast

Summary3 min read

Podcast Summary: "Why schools are ditching phones!"

Family IT Guy Podcast
Host: Ben Gillenwater (Family IT Guy)
Date: January 31, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, cybersecurity expert and parent Ben Gillenwater, known as the Family IT Guy, examines the global movement of schools banning smartphones. Gillenwater discusses recent studies, real-world outcomes, and government actions, illustrating why this trend is gaining traction and how it’s affecting students, classrooms, and entire educational systems.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Worldwide Shift Toward Phone Bans in Schools

Global Trend: Ben highlights that around the world, schools are implementing bans or strict restrictions on student phone use.
Evidence of Success: New studies and government reports suggest these measures have positive results for student focus and well-being.

2. Case Study: The Netherlands (01:00)

Nationwide Ban: Since January 2024, secondary schools in the Netherlands have enforced a phone ban.
Government Study: Reviewed over 600 schools nearly two years after ban.
- Findings:
  - 75%: Improved student concentration.
  - Nearly 60%: Better social climate—students conversing more with each other.
  - Over 25%: Academic improvements observed in under two years.
- Primary Schools: Even schools where phones weren’t prevalent reported calmer classroom environments.

Notable Quote:
"Kids are actually talking to each other again."
— Ben Gillenwater (01:43)

3. Case Study: Sweden—Learning from a Digital Experiment (02:00)

Background:
- In 2009, Sweden "went all in on digital learning"—removing textbooks and adopting screens for every student.
- After 15 years, the drawbacks became clear:
  - Declining reading scores.
  - Students struggling to focus.
Reversal:
- Swedish Education Minister called the move "an experiment without scientific basis."
- Sweden has invested over €100 million to reintroduce textbooks.
- National tests are reverting to paper formats.
- In 2026, a nationwide phone ban will take effect.

Notable Quote:
"Sweden tried the digital future, but they've gone back to paper."
— Ben Gillenwater (03:01)

4. The Growing Movement in the United States (03:15)

Expanding Legislation:
- 35 states now have some form of school phone restrictions.
- 22 of those laws were enacted in 2025 alone—a rapid increase.
Major Districts:
- Los Angeles Unified School District initiated a ban (Jan 2025).
- New York invested over $13 million to help schools store phones during the day.

5. Europe Follows Suit (04:00)

France: Running a trial with 50,000 students before nationwide rollout.
Italy: Banned phones from classrooms.
Spain: Several regions introduced restrictions.
Belgium: Banned phones in French-speaking schools.

Notable Quote:
"This is good news and real progress, evidence that change is possible."
— Ben Gillenwater (04:34)

6. Message of Hope for Parents (04:40)

Encouragement:
- The trend proves that protective actions work.
- Parents shouldn't feel hopeless: tangible changes are occurring globally.

Memorable Moments

Ben’s Framing of the Issue:
- "While we’re all worried about what technology is doing to our kids, something remarkable is happening around the world." (00:08)
Reflections on the ‘Fight’ for Digital Well-Being:
- "If you’ve been feeling like the fight is hopeless, it’s not. Schools are taking action, countries are reversing course, and the data says it’s working." (04:45)

Important Timestamps

00:00: Introduction and overview of phone bans in schools globally.
01:00: Netherlands’ study results.
02:00: Sweden’s digital learning experiment and reversal.
03:15: US adoption of phone bans and notable state actions.
04:00: European school phone ban developments.
04:40: Ben’s encouragement to parents and invitation to engage.

Overall Tone

Ben Gillenwater’s style in this episode is both data-driven and hopeful. He draws from his personal expertise and authoritative sources to deliver a message of optimism and actionable insight for parents seeking to keep their children safer and more engaged in a digital world.

Listener Engagement

Ben ends by inviting parents to share their own experiences:

"What’s the phone policy at your kid’s school? Leave a comment and let me know." (04:58)

Summary in a Sentence:
Ben Gillenwater details the growing, data-backed movement to ban student phones in schools worldwide, showing parents that meaningful change is possible—and happening now—with significant benefits for students and learning environments.

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Transcript1 lines

[00:01]
A
I've got good news. While we're all worried about what technology is doing to our kids, something remarkable is happening around the world. Schools are banning phones, and we have evidence that it's working. Let me walk you through what's happening and why it matters. Hi, I'm Ben, the family IT guy. I'm a dad and a cybersecurity expert with 30 years of experience. Let's start with the Netherlands. They banned phones from secondary schools in January 2024, almost two years ago. The government just released a study of over 600 of those schools. And here's what they found. 75% of the schools said students concentrate better. Nearly 60% reported a better social climate. Kids are actually talking to each other again. And over a quarter saw improved academic results in less than two years. Even primary schools where phone use was already rare, reported calmer learning environments. And then there's Sweden, and this one's fascinating. In 2009, Sweden went all in on digital learning. They removed books from classrooms and gave every kid a screen. Fifteen years later, they admitted it was a mistake. Reading scores dropped, kids couldn't focus. The Education Minister called it an experiment without scientific basis. So they reversed course. They're spending over 100 million euros to bring back textbooks. National tests are no longer Digital. And in 2026, a nationwide phone ban takes effect. Sweden tried the digital future, but they've gone back to paper. And here in the US the momentum is growing. 35 states have now enacted phone restrictions in schools. 22 of those laws passed in 2025 alone. Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the country, started their phone ban in January 2025. New York, the largest state with a ban, allocated over $13 million for schools to buy phone storage. And it's spreading across Europe. France is running a trial with 50,000 students before they implement a nationwide ban. Italy has just banned phones from classrooms. Spain has multiple regions with restrictions. Belgium started banning phones in French speaking schools. This is good news and real progress, evidence that change is possible. If you've been feeling like the fight is hopeless, it's not. Schools are taking action, countries are reversing course, and the data says it's working. What's the phone policy at your kid's school? Leave a comment and let me know.