FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders made several key stops around Northwest Arkansas Thursday alongside Dr. Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation.
One stop was John L. Colbert Middle School in Fayetteville, one of the schools participating in Sanders’ phone-free pilot program.
The program, inspired by ideas from Haidt’s book, aims to address excessive phone use among students and promote a healthier learning environment.
Sanders said she was honored to have Haidt in Arkansas to share some of his expertise, particularly when it comes to getting kids “off of screens and back outside.”
"I actually sent his book to every single member of the Arkansas legislature, as well as every governor in the country because I think it's one of the most important issues facing our country right now. Actually, facing the world,” Sanders said.
During the early stages of the pilot program, Haidt noted that school leaders across Arkansas have shared positive feedback.
“I had a meeting with about 20 superintendents of districts here in Northwest Arkansas, and almost all of them had the same story, which is we got some pushback. At first, we weren't sure, but within two or three weeks, everybody loved it,” Haidt said.
Sanders, Haidt, and Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva agreed Colbert Middle School is one of the schools doing well with the program.
“Just what I saw at this school today, if kids are coming through from the time they're in elementary school all the way through high school, and they're not on their screens all day long, they're engaged, and they're doing things together, and they're excited,” Haidt said. “They're excited about what they're learning.”
Oliva said with a formal study underway and students, parents, and districts participating in pre-surveys and post-surveys, this pilot program is just the beginning of a larger initiative.
“At the end of this pilot program, we're going to have real data on Arkansas students and the impact of what limiting screen time has done for them, and we'll be able to use that to make future informed decisions,” Oliva said.
The Fayetteville school district was one of the first in the state to implement the program and is working to gradually phase it in over two semesters this school year.
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