(C) Iowa Capital Dispatch.
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House bill proposes social media limits in schools

['Katie Akin', 'More From Author', '- January']

Date: 2022-02


Rep. Garrett Gobble has a Snapchat problem.

“I can’t tell you the number of times I, in any place I’ve ever taught, have seen the kids on Facebook or Twitter or Snapchat,” he said. “And it’s just obviously not an academic purpose.”

Gobble, R-Ankeny, teaches 8th grade U.S. Studies at Northview Middle School in Ankeny. He said his students are often distracted by social media or phone games, like “Clash of Clans.”

“Instagram, Snapchat. They’re constantly on it… It’s a respect thing, and it’s a ‘are you actually learning?’ thing,” Gobble said.

In response, Gobble proposed House File 2052. The bill would give explicit permission for Iowa schools to limit internet access for social media sites.

Beyond just encouraging focus in class, Gobble noted the mental health impact of constant social media use.

“Giving our kids an eight-hour break during the school day to focus on school, be a kid, is kind of why I brought this bill forward,” he said.

The Iowa State Education Association registered in favor of the proposal.

“We do know that there are lots and lots of distractions in the classroom, and we don’t think that it would be a bad idea to have some consistent understanding of what existing policies are,” said ISEA lobbyist Melissa Peterson.

The Iowa Association of School Boards registered as neutral on the proposal. Lobbyist Emily Piper asked where schools should “draw the line” – would sites like YouTube, which hosts educational videos, still be accessible?

Members of the subcommittee responded that schools and teachers would have the flexibility to decide which sites to block.

Some Iowa schools already limit internet use or monitor students’ school-issued devices and nothing in Iowa law forbids it. Gobble said the legislation is meant to provide legal reassurance to districts who might be worried about backlash to restricting the internet for students.

“I believe there’s some out there that might have been worried about the censorship discussion… this provides them some cover,” Gobble said.

Rep. Ray Sorenson and Rep. Tracy Ehlert both voted with Gobble to move the proposal forward to the full House Education Committee.

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