Educators hope cell phone ban reduces cyberbullying

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) —Research shows cyberbullying is on the rise. Many experts attribute the increase to children having cell phones and more access to a wide variety of social media platforms. The question remains whether or not the statewide cell phone ban in schools will reduce those numbers.

Sylvia Gamboa, Director of Guidance and Counseling at Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District, says her experience in the district keeps with the trend.

“We have seen an increase in cyberbullying and a lot of that does have to do with the increased screentime of our students,” Gamboa said.

She added, "It's not just a problem Harlingen is facing but rather a growing concern across the United States, and indeed, the world."

“It’s important for us to monitor the data that’s out there, so that we can put systems in place and have a process where we’re able to provide those resources. Providing education for digital citizenship or whatever it is that we need to do to ensure that our students are safe, but also remain connected," said Gamboa.

A study from the Cyberbullying Research Center published in 2024 shows that nearly 60% middle and high school students reported being cyberbullied in their lifetime. More than 25% of 13 to 17-year-old respondents said they have experienced cyberbullying in the past 30 days.

Numbers from the Pew Research Center, published in 2023, show that almost 30% of students experienced multiple forms of cyberbullying.

“It can be an individualized type of bullying, where students are specifically targeting a student, and they’ll be sending them texts or messages that are affecting their mental health. Anything that might be negative, or have negative connotations toward that student,” Gamboa said.

Gamboa explained that each incident of cyberbullying is unique. Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all punishment. The district has set up different consequences for various offenses. They range from just a warning to possibly being removed from campus and placed in an Alternative Center.

More research still needs to be done on the effect cell phone bans may have on cyberbullying in schools. Some districts report seeing great success, while other studies, particularly from Europe and Australia, have found little impact.

Gamboa says this is the first year the cell phone ban is in place, and she hopes cyberbullying incidents decrease, for the numbers to reflect that downward trend.

“We’ll look at a percentage, as far as metrics, to see the impact that the cell phone ban has with regards to cyberbullying, even with just discipline issues as well," Gamboa said.