On March 22, 2025 the Braver Angels Southeast Pennsylvania (SEPA) Alliance and the League of Women Voters (LWV) of Bucks County will host the first-ever local community debate on the issue of cell phones in schools. The event will be held from 10 AM to 12 PM at St. Andrews’s Lutheran Church, 20 Dill Avenue, Perkasie, PA. The event is open to the public and there is no charge to attend.
Julianne O’Neil, Braver Angels SEPA Alliance co-chair and debate organizer, explained the format for the event, “This event is unlike a traditional debate where points are scored and someone declared a winner. Instead, we follow a tightly moderated and modified form of parliamentary procedure where any attendee can be invited to share their opinion on the question of whether student cell phone use should be banned all day during school. Our debate format offers an opportunity to convene citizens to have a community conversation around a complex topic by facilitating information sharing from a variety of viewpoints.”
Lee Rush, a member of both the LWV of Bucks County and the Braver Angels SEPA Alliance will serve as the debate chair. “This event is sure to draw notice as this question is being considered nationally in many communities,” said Rush. “My own interest in the issue grew after reading much of the current research on the impact of social media and youth development, along with my decades-long career as a youth advocate and adult educator.
After attending a different debate last fall sponsored by the Braver Angels SEPA Alliance, Rush, who is also a member of the Education Advocacy Committee for the League of Women Voters, approached the League to see if they would be interested in co-sponsoring this event. “This topic is sure to generate a wide range of opinions on the matter from both youth and adults alike.” Rush said.
Jean Weston, chair of the Program Committee for the LWV of Bucks County said, “This will be an opportunity for Bucks County residents to participate in a civil debate on an issue that could affect many students in the county. By hearing all sides of the issue, we have a chance to consider the pros and cons of student’s cell phone use during the school day.”
For more information on the March 22nd debate and to register click here.
For more information on Braver Angels click here.
For more information on the League of Women Voters of Bucks County click here.
Recent Comments