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Arthur Brooks says schools should ban phones, blaming weak political will

Big Think · Depression has tripled in the last 15 years. Arthur Brooks says he knows the real cause · August 7, 2026
Arthur Brooks says schools should ban phones, blaming weak political will
Big Think
Big Think
Depression has tripled in the last 15 years. Arthur Brooks says he knows the real cause
"There shouldn't be a school from kindergarten through PhD that allows phones at any time during the school day, especially during lunch. And it's crazy that they still have more than half the states in the United States that allow unfettered access to phones. That's simply a lack of courage and knowledge at this point. It's insanity."
Arthur Brooks argues schools should prohibit phones throughout the school day, including lunch, and says US states allowing broad access are failing to act despite evidence of harm. He says the main obstacle is political and moral reluctance driven by parent and student pushback.
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Big Think
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Depression has tripled in the last 15 years. Arthur Brooks says he knows the real cause

August 7, 2026 · 1h 53m · 3 Egleze moments
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