Iowa Lawmaker Files Bill Seeking to Block Social Media Access in Schools

An Iowa lawmaker, who is also an eighth-grade teacher, has introduced a bill that will allow schools to limit their public internet access to block the students from accessing social media.

Rep. Garrett Gobble said that social media and phone games that require internet access, such as "Clash of Clans," are distractions for the kids. He has witnessed the students in his American History class at the Northview Middle School in Ankeny paying more attention to their Snapchat and other social media accounts instead of their school work.

So, Gobble filed House Bill 2052 on Thursday, January 20, 2022, which has earned support from the Iowa State Education Association. The lawmaker also said that his bill seeks to highlight the impact of social media use on children's mental health.

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

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Some Schools Already Have the Restrictions

Before Gobble's proposal, some schools in Iowa had been limiting the students' internet access and monitoring the devices officially issued to the students. However, there is no existing law to give schools the legal legroom if restricting the kids' internet use could become an issue.

Gobble realizes that some of the kids, or their parents, could raise censorship concerns. However, the representative said that this had been covered in his proposal.

Rep. Tracy Ehlert, who also works in an elementary school, said Gobble's proposal could help curb cyberbullying. She acknowledged that the children may still have bad experiences online or on social media when accessing the internet at home. However, when they are in school, and some internet sites are blocked, that's "one less thing" the children will have to deal with during the day.

Ehlert also said Gobble's proposal gives teachers the flexibility on which social media sites to block. Teachers could use software or apps to check every student's computer screen during class. Depending on their own judgment, they could facilitate the block from their end.

On the other hand, the Iowa Association of School Boards said it's adopting a neutral position on the bill because sites like YouTube host education materials that could help the kids. The group wonders if the bill should also underscore where the line has to be drawn on what sites should be blocked.

House Bill 2052 will be up for a debate at the state's House of Representatives in the coming weeks.

The Children's Internet Protection Act

In 2000, the U.S. Congress enacted the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) that allows federally-funded schools and libraries to block or filter access to contents, pictures, and materials deemed "obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors." In 2011, the ACLU filed for public high schools to remove any block or filtering software for LGBTQ-related content on the internet. Major schools took heed, eliminating the restrictions or sorting for most LGBTQ content.

By 2013, the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Education issued guidance on the students' use and access to Facebook, YouTube, and similar platforms. While the agencies said these sites do not have to be filtered, school districts across the U.S. have gone ahead and blocked the websites according to the CIPA.

This has remained an ongoing debate between schools and the school community. Some believe that overthinking which contents to block will limit the opportunities for students to discover their passion, talents, and strengths.

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