Kids and Tech: Responses to Jonathan Haidt

These four contributors, one in high school and the others on faculty, offer different responses to the challenges raised by AI and modern tech, including those explored in Jonathan Haidt's recent book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.
 

Should AI Be Banned at School?

Lilly Labowitz, Tenth Grade, deToledo High School, West Hills, California

As AI can do anything from making pictures to writing college essays, many people have mixed feelings about it. When used for the right purposes, it’s extremely helpful, giving people the creativity and freedom to do whatever they like. In contrast, when it’s used to cheat and cause damage, it’s harmful to the individual exploiting it. 

Because teachers can’t tell who will use it for good, they have become extra strict about using screen time during class. Many teachers have voiced complaints about ChatGPT and other AI use as they view it as destructive and detrimental to the students and their learning. Conversely, students love AI and all the problem-solving ideas it has to offer, and many rely on it to help understand difficult concepts in their classes. Should teachers and schools ban AI use and ChatGPT altogether? 

As a teenage girl, I feel inclined to love and support ChatGPT. I am surrounded by AI usage, such as friends asking it to check answers for their chemistry homework since the teacher gives them an answer key, and myself asking to paraphrase and recommend synonyms for essays when I've repeated a word too much. My dad even uses it to take celebrity voices and have them sing songs. All these uses are both fun and beneficial, leaving the person in awe of what AI created and stunned by how it was able to do it so flawlessly. In these ways, AI is used for the greater good and does not negatively impact the individual and their learning. This guides them to use the tools around them to help succeed without hurting their education. 

Of course, everything AI can do is remarkable considering it is fairly new technology, but let’s face facts: The person asking the question merely gains the answer. AI does not contribute to the person’s development and is essentially the easy way out. Especially in a school environment where students are being taught to think in broader and more complex ways, a tool like AI discourages figuring out the answer by problem-solving. 

Our brains are still growing, and as students, we need to learn the different mechanisms for solving complications we will run into in our future. ChatGPT does not let the students think for themselves, preventing them from developing their skills at thinking and creating. It hinders students from blossoming into independent problem solvers. 

To answer the question: I think teachers and schools should consider banning AI use. As a ban is a little extreme, teachers and schools should explain why students shouldn’t use it to search up all the answers and take the easy way out. By explaining how big the impact of not thinking for yourself is, students will see how it affects their learning and hopefully choose to stop. 

If the habit of using AI to cheat continues, no one can dream of reaching their fullest potential. Knowledge is power; there’s no shortcut for acquiring the skills to think for ourselves.

A Phone-free School Day Positively Impacts High School Culture

Dr. Lisa Vardi, High School Principal and Upper School Head of Campus, Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, Rockville, Maryland

At the end of each school year, I hold a half-day retreat for our high school leadership team to reflect on new initiatives implemented in our division and operational policies and practices that might need tending. At the June 2023 retreat, I raised the issue of cellphone use in the high school and whether we should consider restricting its use. I was surprised with the group’s answer—a resounding yes. Such restrictions in high school seemed unthinkable at the time with expected pushback from students, parents and teachers. 

Our discussion centered around the research and recommendations emerging at the time, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health and Jonathan Haidt’s Atlantic article “Get Phones Out of Schools Now.” In addition, many of us had been observing decreased socialization among students during their free time, when phone use was allowed, and increased infractions of phone use during class time, when phone use was restricted. 

After sharing the retreat results with Rabbi Mitch Malkus, our head of school, he decided to expand the discussion to include the schoolwide leadership team. We spent the 2023-24 school year doing so, grounding the conversations with additional research by Jonathan Haidt, including The Great Rewiring - Jewish Parents Forum and his book The Anxious Generation. 

At the end of the 2023-24 school year, the evidence and our internal discussions compelled us to make a change: We would implement a phone-free school day in the fall. After spending time researching the best methods to implement this new policy, we decided the Yondr phone pouch would be best for our community. 

As our next step, we sent a letter in June 2024 to the CESJDS community, including new families, to share our intention to move to a phone-free campus at the start of the new school year. At that time, we noted that cellphones in schools were causing distractions, impeding socialization and a sense of belonging, and may be contributing to general depression and anxiety. In the letter, we surveyed our parents asking what factors we should consider as we implement this new policy. Our goals then and now are to improve the lives of our students and to better support their learning in school while promoting a love of learning (Torah Lishmah). 

The phone-free policy went into effect at the start of the 2024-25 school year. Within the first few weeks, we witnessed a change in our student body and the entire campus. It was quite remarkable. The CESJDS Upper School campus began to blossom in ways in which we were not accustomed. The senior alcove became a place of laughter, social connections, and intellectual engagement. 

Between classes, the sound of loud, joyful chatter filled the hallways. During lunch, the dining hall tables were filled with cheerful, talkative students engaged in direct eye-to-eye contact and not looking down at their phones. The most notable change for me was that the pile of collected phones normally found on my desk at the end of a school day had disappeared!

During a recent professional development day, I anonymously surveyed our faculty to check in on how the year was progressing. I asked them what had gone well so far and what we, as a division, were doing well. 

The survey feedback was overwhelmingly positive, noting a calmer, more engaged student body: 

• My classes are a real pleasure. The students are positive, motivated, eager and focused.
• Good participation among students. Students at the end of Q1 are more comfortable with trying new things.
• My students are delightful: earnest, engaged and well-behaved.
• Atmosphere on campus seems calmer.
• Students are engaged. No cellphones have been great!
• Like the phone policy! As always, great academic program and extracurriculars.
• Phone pouches are a big win.
• My students are engaged and progressing.
• Cellphone policy—much better student acceptance than I thought it would be.

Students have noticed the benefits of our phone-free campus for their learning and the building of our community. Senior Zev Mendelson recently remarked, “I think the phone policy has done great things for the student population, both academically and socially. People are talking to each other and having real conversations, which is super nice to see and be a part of because there had been a lack of it in the past few years. I feel like I have made better connections with my peers and friends because I have not been using my phone, especially during lunch when I’m eating in the dining hall.”

Not all students, however, have been happy with the change. A recent editorial in our student newspaper, The Lion’s Tale, “Switching Off: Students debate the new phone policy,” authored by Sophia Leinwand and Penelope Terl, put forth the arguments for and against our new policy. Terl notes that phones can be useful tools during the school day, and that the school should teach students how to use technology responsibly rather than simply banning it. 

Leinwand espouses the benefits of the phone-free day, including the ability to focus more on academics and social connections because technology is no longer such a distraction. The editorials were balanced and researched-based while also taking into consideration the personal student experience.

I know we will continue these conversations as a community allowing for students, faculty and parents to share their perspectives. I encourage all high school principals, if you have not done so, to take the leap to a phone-free school day.

Balancing Faith, Tradition and Technology with an Anxious Generation

Jason Touvi, English and Journalism Teacher, Scheck Hillel Community School, Miami

As digital technology continues to permeate daily life, Jewish teenagers—both religious and secular—face unique challenges with cellphones in educational settings. For many Jewish teens, who balance school commitments and social obligations, managing cellphone use becomes a complex task. In environments where focus and community engagement are highly valued, the constant presence of smartphones can interfere with academic learning and spiritual growth. If left unchecked, this digital distraction could impact their future in unexpected ways. There is certainly a distraction factor in academic and religious learning. The issue, plain and simple, is navigating digital mindfulness and netiquette.  

In both secular and religious educational settings, cellphones introduce a layer of distraction that can disrupt focus. Jewish teenagers who attend secular schools already face the academic distractions that most teens encounter: social media notifications, gaming and texting. This is compounded for religious Jewish teens, who may also have additional hours of religious study. In religious learning environments, cellphones not only interrupt academic focus but also spiritual concentration. The continuous interruptions of a buzzing phone can disrupt reflection and prayer, central components of Jewish tradition. 

For Jewish teens, community is a cornerstone of both religious and cultural life. Jewish teachings emphasize the importance of personal interactions and contributing to a community’s wellbeing. However, the pervasive use of cellphones can disrupt face-to-face interactions. Instead of engaging in real conversations with family members and friends, secular and religious teens often find themselves caught in the digital world.

This decline in in-person communication can also weaken ties to the Jewish community. For those who are secular, the lack of in-person involvement can make it harder to develop a sense of cultural identity. The rise of smartphones and social media have also led to a mental health crisis among young people. The decline of real-world interactions and the addictive nature of digital technology have contributed to increased anxiety and social fragility in Jewish Gen Z adolescents. 

For Jewish teenagers, these mental health impacts can also interfere with spiritual wellbeing. Religious practice often emphasizes mindfulness, self-reflection and inner peace—qualities that are difficult to cultivate when one is continually connected to the digital world. The constant barrage of information and stimuli can leave Jewish teens feeling disconnected from the spiritual practices that provide a sense of grounding and purpose.

While cellphones present challenges, they can also be valuable tools if used thoughtfully. For example, Jewish teens can access resources for learning Hebrew, explore Jewish history or connect with Jewish youth worldwide through social media groups or virtual events. Some Jewish educational programs have embraced apps and online tools to engage teens in religious studies creatively and interactively. Technology, therefore, offers opportunities for Jewish teens to strengthen their identity and learning when managed appropriately.

To help Jewish teens navigate these challenges, parents, educators and community leaders can guide them toward responsible phone usage. Schools and religious organizations can establish policies that limit cellphone use during school or family time. Teaching Jewish teens the values of balance, mindfulness and self-discipline can empower them to use technology without letting it dominate their lives. Encouraging regular participation in Shabbat observance, which traditionally involves abstaining from phone use, can also reinforce these values and offer a weekly respite from digital distractions.

In addition, Jewish youth organizations can organize workshops on digital citizenship and netiquette, helping teens understand the benefits and limitations of cellphone use in academic and spiritual contexts. These programs could also emphasize the importance of face-to-face connections, teaching young people that building a vibrant Jewish community requires active and present members.

The future for Jewish teens will depend on their ability to harmonize tradition with technology. If they learn to manage cellphone use wisely, they can strengthen both their academic and spiritual lives, preparing themselves for success in an increasingly digital world. Cultivating this balance allows Jewish teens to honor their heritage, engage meaningfully with their community, and stay resilient against the pressures of digital culture. Encouraging real-world interactions and limiting screen time are absolutely vital to improve the mental wellbeing of today’s Jewish youth.  

While cellphones provide many advantages, the key lies in balanced usage. For Jewish teens, responsible cellphone use can allow them to thrive academically and engage deeply with their community, setting a strong foundation for a future where they can remain connected to their heritage while navigating a rapidly changing world.

The Rise of Anxiety in Generation Alpha

Yael Jaffe, Upper School Judaic Studies Teacher, Maimonides School, Brookline, Massachusetts

Students and teachers today are too familiar with the eruption of jitters and panic that accompanies a test announcement. The increase in frequency and intensity of this experience is only one small manifestation of the “new normal” that developed as part of the 2012 rise in anxiety among teens. 

To try to explain and alleviate this concerning trend, many schools have rallied around Jonathan Haidt’s theory that social media is to blame for this increase. I am hesitant to put all our eggs in one basket, and act as if this is the only possible cause. Since Haidt’s evidence is correlational, it is wise to consider other factors that correlate with the rise in anxiety and address those as well. I propose that educators consider another change that accelerated at this time, changes in parenting, as a second potential cause of the anxiety surge.

As a teacher and student-advisor, I have noticed that parenting has changed in recent years, from offering support in character and skill building to providing direct, material help in achieving success. Parenting experts say that the use of intensive parenting, defined as “curating [a] child’s life in hopes of maximizing the child’s future success,” increased in the 2010s. This parenting style is interventionist and works to build children’s achievements while minimizing hardships. It deviates from an earlier approach of child-rearing that facilitated children’s development through advice, encouraging skill development and providing guidance in learning from past choices, in place of solving children’s problems for them. Some explain that this change in parental attitude stems from a fear of one’s children falling down the social class ladder. Others say that the lack of clear criteria for success in university acceptance and job offers is the impetus that has led parents to conclude that their children cannot attain success independently.

Below, I will share anecdotes that illustrate how this new parenting focus plays out in the lives of high school students, and why it is worthwhile to pay attention to this shift in emphasis. Though I will draw from my own experiences as a teacher, conversations with colleagues make it clear that these stories are happening broadly in the United States. I am sharing them because they give rich texture to what is happening, and not because they are unique in any way.

A Focus on Short-Term Success

I encountered this new parental anxiety and advocacy several years ago amid a personal family celebration. As I was enveloped by joy and pride at my daughter’s bat mitzvah, urgent text messages from parents suddenly interrupted my delight, as one parent after another shared how their children needed a reduction in the material that would be on the upcoming test. This moment clarified for me the angst parents felt at even the chance of their children being less than perfectly successful. This fear led them into crisis mode to assure failure avoidance, instead of allowing their children to fail and ultimately build new skills from the experience. Though it was clear that they had no intention to interrupt, impose or be argumentative, they reached out because of the deep worry that overwhelmed them.

In my first decade of teaching, parents would end conversations about their children’s learning at a parent-teacher conference or an email exchange with the words “I will speak to my child about this.” Parents gestured that they saw themselves as coaches in the learning process and were intent on equipping their children with the skills to adapt in response to feedback and setbacks; in follow-up conversations with their children, they encouraged the development of flexibility, metacognition and a growth mindset. With a long-term outlook, parents were willing to let their children ride out the bad waves as part of a worthwhile journey. 

In my second decade of teaching, parents increasingly respond to obstacles by manipulating the environment to ensure children don’t encounter those obstacles anymore: moving to a class with lower standards or asking to change the standards in the current class so a child can succeed. Adam Grant, a teacher and organizational psychologist, observed this same approach at the college level: Students negotiate to change a bad grade, instead of asking what they can learn from it. Grant expresses concern that students miss the opportunity to learn better study habits and search for more effective strategies that would help improve their future performance on similar tasks.

Values De-emphasized

Other anecdotes highlight that the greater focus on immediate success crowds out strong identification with other values. One area in which I have observed a decline in values commitment is regarding academic integrity. Years ago, I would ask advisory classes about honesty, and only a few students responded in the affirmative to the question, “Would you be willing to cheat on an exam if you wouldn’t get caught?” In recent years, attitudes seem very different: more than 80% of my advisees say yes. National surveys indicate that this level of cheating in high school is the norm. Colleagues note that the rampant use of artificial intelligence across our schools without attribution further demonstrates the decay of academic integrity.

Commitment to chesed, kindness, has similarly changed. In my initial years of teaching, many conversations with students revolved around the activities they participated in to give back to others. Inundated by so many students deeply involved in acts of chesed, it was challenging to narrow down whom to nominate for the chesed award. Today, students talk more about their fun and enjoyable activities and do not appear to invest as much in helping others when not required to do so.

It is reasonable to conclude that changes in parenting at least partially explain this reduced commitment to values, because one of the most significant influences on children’s attitudes towards values, such as honesty and altruism, is parental communication. The reason parenting is affecting this process, however, is not due to the reason many would assume: a change in parents’ values. Polls actually show that the vast majority of parents continue to feel strongly that their children be honest and kind. 

Instead, the transition seems to reflect a failure to communicate those values. Perhaps when parents emphasize the pursuit of success in conversation with their kids, children mistakenly interpret that success matters more than honesty and chesed, and they never internalize them as core values. This theory is supported by findings that an emphasis on individualism inversely correlates with altruism.   

These observations are not meant to critique the current parenting approach that is widespread, but to raise awareness of its impact. Interestingly, parents are the first to admit that they intervene more than is best. Action is needed because students will only be prepared to withstand future challenges if they practice adapting in response to obstacles and develop coping skills to build resilience. Students’ identification with a wider set of values and goals is essential as well to protect them from the impact of a failure in one area.

As a community, if we notice how parenting has changed, and appreciate the way it impacts students, we can seize the opportunity to improve students’ wellbeing. Educators can help guide parents in more intentional parenting that will empower their children to competently and confidently navigate all curveballs that come their way. Though taking away phones may be simpler and more concrete, educating parents about value communication may be needed to enable our students to live less anxious and more balanced lives.