When it comes to phones and social media in schools, Dr. Mark Levine isn’t ready to “just say no.”
The commissioner of the Vermont Department of Health on Wednesday spoke against S.284, a bill that would prohibit students from using cell phones and accessing social media on school property.
“We completely support the idea of minimizing and reducing exposure to social media while in school,” Levine told members of the Senate Committee on Education. But he said the bill felt “unrealistic” and a bit “heavy handed” — possibly even “accusatory” and “disempowering.”
Sponsored by Rutland’s Senate delegation, as well as Sen. Andrew Perchlik, D/P-Washington, S.284 is an effort to combat Vermont’s youth mental health crisis, particularly suicide — one of the leading causes of death for young people in the state. Research has linked poor mental health among kids and social media use, and the topic has become a special focus of U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.
Lawmakers intend the legislation to prohibit the “use of personal digital products and social media” in schools with few exceptions, and create an opt-out option for students who don’t wish to use the internet or even school computers. Schools and districts would also be prevented from communicating with students and families over social media.
Leaders of both the Vermont Principals’ Association and Vermont Superintendents Association testified against the legislation earlier this month.
Jay Nichols, the VPA’s executive director, said the organization thinks banning cell phones outright is “a bridge too far,” in testimony before the Senate education committee, adding that the bill could impair the ability of Vermont’s students to prepare for the digitally saturated present.
While Vermont’s youth may experience negative impacts due to social media, Dr. Levine said the most marginalized youth — who experience social isolation at “much higher” rates than average — can find “hope and community” online.
Levine added that he would like to see a focus on “health education” that could give youth the skills to navigate the complexities of the digital world, and that state officials could develop sample policies related to using phones and social media in learning environments.
In an interview, Laura Derrendinger, a Middletown Springs mother and nurse who helped inspire S.284, sought to offer a “bigger perspective” than Dr.Levine gave legislators.
“The addiction to the phone is too strong. If it’s in the backpack, the children will check,” she said, pointing to schools in Vermont that have already successfully prevented the use of phones.
“Those times when kids need to connect and learn how to socialize and learn how to talk and all of the communication skills that are not digital communication skills, those aren’t going to develop” without intervention, Derrendinger said. “The school day is a really great place to foster that environment. There are no drawbacks to having a phone-free school. There are really only benefits.”
On brand, Derendinger came equipped with piles of paper print-outs featuring research and op-eds supporting prohibiting the use of phones and social media in schools. Some even had the blue font that indicates hyperlinks. Alas, nobody could click on them.
— Ethan Weinstein
In the know
Some unhoused Vermonters sheltered in hotels and motels on the state’s dime are worried they might lose their rooms earlier than anticipated. As part of a mid-year budget adjustment bill, lawmakers could extend some of those Vermonters’ stays — and establish a daily rate cap.
Lawmakers have proposed capping the nightly rate the state pays hotels and motels participating in the state’s emergency housing program at either $75 or $80, a stark departure from the average of $143 a night the state paid in 2023.
Legislators say implementing a cap – which would go into effect March 1 – could generate savings, Gov. Phil Scott’s administration argues a cap could provide leverage for the state to eventually lease or purchase the buildings for longer-term shelter or housing.
Some hotel and motel owners have signaled that they may drop out of the state shelter program under the proposed rates, arguing the amounts are too low to adequately cover operating costs.
— Carly Berlin
Regular readers of this newsletter will be familiar with our commitment to mushroom-related content. So we would not miss a chance to note the first walk-through of a bill that could open the door to the wider use of psilocybin — aka magic mushrooms.
Last year, lawmakers introduced legislation to decriminalize the substance, and on Wednesday morning, lawmakers in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee took it up for the first time.
The bill, S.114, would remove criminal penalties for possessing psilocybin and convene a working group to make recommendations for therapeutic psilocybin use.
A wave of recent research on the drug has raised hopes nationwide that it could prove to be an effective treatment for some mental illnesses, such as depression, PTSD and substance use disorders.
“I’m interested in putting all of the tools that we have out on the table to try to solve the problems that we’re facing,” Sen. Martine Gulick, D-Chittenden Central, the Senate bill’s lead sponsor, said.
— Peter D’Auria
On the move
Like school leaders from Alburgh to Wilmington, Colchester Superintendent Amy Minor thought her district had finalized budget plans for voter consideration this March Town Meeting season. Then the Vermont Legislature surprised everyone last week by proposing eleventh-hour changes to the state’s education funding system.
School boards that drafted budgets under a current state act promising a 5% cap on property tax hikes have learned that lawmakers may drop that for a different, untested formula just weeks before scheduled public votes.
“This event and its consequences have created immense challenges for local school officials,” Minor said at a recent meeting of the House Ways and Means Committee.
The House passed the bill, H.850, late Wednesday afternoon on a voice vote, sending it to the Senate and, if approved, to Gov. Phil Scott for his signature.
— Kevin O’Connor
The House on Wednesday afternoon passed H.649, a bill that would allow the Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission to limit public access to its meetings if panel members determine there is a safety threat.
The public would still be able to watch a livestream of the proceedings, and the bill includes an exception for members of the media to attend, regardless. Commissioners have told lawmakers that the option to curtail in-person participation is necessary because they’ve already faced such threats — including at least one death threat — with their work barely underway.
But the bill has raised questions about how the panel ought to balance its work — which is expected to include taking deeply personal testimony on how people have faced racism and discrimination in the state — with the sunlight required by Vermont’s Open Meeting Law.
A successful amendment by Rep. Anne Donahue, R-Northfield, from the House floor on Tuesday would require the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to take public comment during a limited access meeting. The amendment also tasks the commissioners with producing occasional public reports on their deliberations, which the underlying bill otherwise allows to be exempted from Open Meeting Law requirements.
H.649 also gives the commission more time before it is due to report back to the Legislature and creates a mechanism to fill the position of one of its members who resigned last fall.
— Shaun Robinson
Visit our 2024 Bill tracker for the latest updates on major legislation we are following.
Junk mail Love letters
Love is in the air — or, my inbox. And when I say love, I mean Valentine’s Day-themed press releases. Here is a rundown of just a few pitches I received, ordered from most sane to the most cursed.
- According to online gambling site Jeffbet.com, Vermont’s favorite rom-com, measured by monthly Google searches, is 10 Things I Hate About You. A solid pick!
- For our ~available~ Final Readers: DKcasinospot.com analyzed the most-used emojis in Tinder profiles. The male shrug emoji took the cake. I’ve been out of the dating scene for a hot minute, but I question: Is ambivalence really the best vibe to put out there, guys?
- Vermont ranks the second-best state in the nation for a romantic night, based on restaurant and hotel Tripadvisor ratings. That sounds innocuous enough, except the “experts” who determined this ranking work for Bedbible.com, which, ahem, reviews adult toys.
- Outdoor service provider Lawn Starter dared to ask: “Do Americans like to keep their personal lawn (body hair) trim and neat or au naturel?” According to their survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, 52% “prefer a neat or smooth appearance,” while 48% “prefer to let nature take the wheel.” Please, say less!
What we’re reading
The untold story of Montpelier’s Valentine’s Day phantom, The Montpelier Bridge
In a race dominated by public safety, where do Burlington’s mayoral candidates differ, VTDigger
Vermont’s sole Olympic-size ski jump finds its future increasingly tied to snowmaking, VTDigger
