California Governor Gavin Newsom has called for schools to restrict students’ smartphone usage, and some California schools are setting those plans in motion. Could this develop into a broader movement that spreads around the country, or is it limited to just California?

On Monday, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy argued that smartphones should be required to have warning labels similar to those on cigarettes and alcohol. He claims that they negatively affect the mental health of young people in the United States and that their use should be more controlled than it is now.

One major way to restrict the usage of smartphones, Newsom points out, would be to take them out of schools. In an interview with POLITICO, he argued that “social media is harming the mental health of our youth.” He promised to craft legislation before the end of the legislative period in August that would restrict the use of smartphones during the school day.

Besides the Biden administration and Governor Newsom, other Democratic politicians have geared up to take action against the influence of technology companies on young Americans. In Los Angeles, a school board put these plans into action and, on Tuesday, approved a motion to ban cell phone usage while students are on campus.

These policies have long been popular with some Republicans in the United States, who have been railing against ‘Big Tech’ for years. Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida, passed similar legislation to block students from using smartphones during class hours. However, many of these policies are least popular with the people they will affect the most: students and parents.

Many of these smartphone bans continue even during break periods, lunch, and recess. This could cause issues for a number of students, including those with complicated home lives, those who work part-time jobs after school, those who are responsible for younger siblings, and many others whose lives depend on being reachable during the school day.

Regardless of student concerns, these bans are spreading across the country. Students should prepare for a return to a smartphone-less school.

Following weeks of pro-Palestine protests on college campuses, the academic year is wrapping up at universities across the United States. However commencement ceremonies, which have traditionally been a place for students to celebrate their accomplishments over the previous four years, have this year turned into a venue for protest over university policies surrounding Israel.

At Duke University, students walked out of a speech featuring actor and comedian Jerry Seinfeld. They chanted “free free Palestine” as his speech was announced in protest of his pro-Israel views. Seinfeld has been very supportive of Israel in months following October 7th.

UC Berkeley also experienced their own protests at the undergraduate graduation ceremony, which was interrupted by pro-Palestinian students. The ceremony was halted as students waved flags, before the protestors made their way outside of the stadium to continue their demonstration.

These are not isolated incidents, they have spread around the country. Students at Virginia Commonwealth University walked out on a speech by Governor Glenn Youngkin. University of Wisconsin students turned their back on the school chancellor in protest.

Other schools, like Arizona State, have been forced to ban students from their ceremonies in an attempt to avoid disruption at their ceremonies. While still more schools have been forced to cancel their commencements and graduations altogether.

This is a developing story, check back with The Youth Insight for updates.

In a press briefing on Monday night, Columbia University Vice President of Communications Ben Chang announced that students participating in the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” would be suspended.

Earlier in the day, the university had warned students that they had until 2 P.M. to clear the area and turn themselves in to the school if they wished to avoid punishment. That deadline has now passed.

The school rejected a number of student demands, stating that they would not divest from Israel, and that they could not come to an agreement with students on continued protests.

Suspended students will lose access to campus properties and facilities, including “all academic, residential and recreational spaces.” This would prevent them from finishing the semester, leaving many students unable to graduate. Students will also reportedly lose access to their dorm rooms.

Columbia has previously suspended more than 50 students who have participated in protests at the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment.”

The protests have continued well after the deadline, so it does not appear as if many students were motivated to leave. It is still unclear if Columbia will call back in the NYPD to clear their campus again. A group of students has remained at the site of the protest, and has told the press that they will not leave willingly.

The University reportedly has plans to begin construction for their commencement ceremony on May 15th, and would likely need to remove protestors by force well in advance of that date.

This is a developing story, check back in with The Youth Insight for more updates on the state of pro-Palestinian protests across United States university campus’s.