BRISTOL, CT – Gov. Ned Lamont outlined the state’s priorities for education funding, student mental health, and the role of technology in schools – emphasizing the need to limit distractions in classrooms – during the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents spring conference on Thursday.
Speaking over breakfast at the Bristol Events Center, Lamont acknowledged the challenges facing national education policy, referencing recent travels during which he observed how other countries approach education, artificial intelligence, and social media regulation.
“There is uncertainty coming out of Washington, D.C.,” he said. “Other countries are already implementing national policies on artificial intelligence and social media regulation. Meanwhile, here in the U.S., our leaders are debating whether to eliminate the Department of Education.”
He stressed the importance of preparing students for a competitive workforce: “We need to ensure that we have the best-trained workforce in the world. We’ve got to make sure that we’re thinking about our kids, not just in terms of school today, but in terms of preparing them for the world they’re going to enter tomorrow.”
Reflecting on the challenges schools have faced in recent years, Lamont noted that student struggles extend beyond the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Coming out of COVID, I thought all this anxiety and isolation were just related to the pandemic,” Lamont said. “But years later, we’re seeing these issues persist. Something deeper is going on.”
He pointed to the growing body of research linking screen overuse and social media to rising rates of anxiety, stress, and depression among young people.
“We started seeing a rise in anxiety, stress, and depression long before COVID,” he said. “It’s clear that the overuse of screens and social media is playing a role.”
Lamont also spoke about efforts to reduce distractions caused by smartphones in schools, highlighting districts that have already begun limiting phone use during the school day.
“More and more of you are getting phones out of schools, and I’m hearing from teachers that things are enormously different. Students are able to concentrate and engage in class again.”
He acknowledged that some parents are hesitant about such policies.
“Some parents feel like they need to be in contact with their kids 24/7,” he said. “But even now, I’ve found there’s a lot more relaxation going on, and I think parents are starting to appreciate what it means for their kids.”
Following Lamont’s remarks, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt spoke about the long-term effects of smartphones and social media on child development. Haidt, author of “The Anxious Generation,” has studied the impact of digital habits on mental health, citing data that shows a sharp increase in anxiety, depression, and self-harm among teenagers after 2010.
“There was no trend before 2010,” Haidt said. “Then social media exploded, and everything changed.”
He described what he calls the “great rewiring” of childhood, in which in-person socialization has been replaced by digital interaction.
“The play-based childhood that previous generations experienced has been replaced by a phone-based childhood, and we are seeing the consequences in rising rates of anxiety, depression, and social anxiety,” he said. “If you take a child’s ability to explore, take risks, and problem-solve away from them and instead give them an endless stream of curated digital content, their brain is going to develop differently.”
Haidt recommended delaying smartphone use until at least middle school, prohibiting social media access for children under 16, and implementing phone-free school policies statewide.
Connecticut Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker emphasized the importance of addressing student well-being through policy and data-driven decisions.
“More and more students are struggling with anxiety, depression, and stress,” she said. “They watch the same news as we do, they see the same social media trends. This is impacting every zip code in Connecticut.”
She pointed to ongoing legislative efforts, stating that “we have over 50 bills in the legislature right now that could shift the education landscape. We must stay engaged and ensure that policies serve the well-being of every student.”
Lamont reaffirmed the state’s commitment to supporting educators and students.
“We can’t afford to lose a generation to distraction and depression,” he said. “Our kids deserve better – and we’re going to give it to them.”
