Usha Vance backs books over phones as more schools implement no-cell policies

America's students should put down their phones and read a book or embrace other activities instead, second lady Usha Vance urged this week as she shared an "eye-opening" personal revelation about "how literacy is faring in the United States." 

She chose reading as her summer initiative, Vance told Fox News Digital, after she was inspired by her middle child's interest in reading from watching his older brother. 

"He wanted to read, and he wanted me to teach him to read," she said in an interview. 

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"That took me down a rabbit hole of trying to understand how one teaches reading… and it was really eye-opening," she added. She and her husband, Vice President JD Vance, have three children.

At Cherokee Classical Academy in Canton, Georgia, on Thursday, the second lady encouraged students to put down their electronic devices and engage with a book instead. (See the video at the top of this article.) 

"It's wonderful to pick up things that are just a little harder and that require you to focus just a bit more… so later you can focus on what really matters," she said. 

"I think it's a pretty hard time right now for a lot of people because we all have these iPhones and iPads - all these things that kind of draw your attention away," she added.

Her comments came during her latest event in her 2025 Summer Reading Challenge. The Cherokee Classical Academy is a "low-tech learning environment" that enforces a strict no cellphones during the school day policy, a school official told Fox News Digital. 

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In May, Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia signed the Distraction-Free Education Act into law, prohibiting the use of phones and electronic devices - including smartwatches, tablets, laptops, and headphones - on school grounds, according to numerous sources. 

The law, which takes effect in July 2026, will impose penalties if students from kindergarten through eighth grade use their devices during school hours - from the first bell until dismissal.

By its actions, Georgia has joined other states - now totaling 20 - that have passed a school-day cellphone ban, while a number of other states are banning usage during instructional and class time.

Many states are recommending or requiring schools and/or districts to set their own tailored policies, according to multiple reports. 

The second lady visited three different classrooms this week, watching lessons on writing and math. She greeted dozens of students along the way. 

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Reading is a way to "counteract" the time children spend on electronic devices, she told reporters. 

"Whether that's spending time outside, whether that's engaging in the kinds of activities where you just can't be distracted - you really have to commit to build strength or skill or whatever it might be."

Seventy-two percent of teachers believe cellphones have had a negative impact on their students' mental health, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. 

American Medical Association President Bobby Mukkamala, M.D., told Fox News Digital that parents should be aware of, and oversee, their children's screen time. 

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"Too much screen time for young people can interfere with healthy sleep, increase risks for anxiety and depression, and reduce physical activity."

Mukkamala said it's important for children to take "intentional breaks from screens" by creating routines sharing reading as an example.

Ms. Vance shared that her family enjoys spending time outdoors - and that she likes to build things. 

"I built my kids a whole kitchen out of cardboard boxes and recycled materials. I'm building them a dollhouse right now," she said. 

The dollhouse will be similar to their own home, she said. 

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The second lady's 2025 Summer Reading Challenge, which began in June, has been encouraging America's schoolchildren to read books all summer, keep track of their progress and reap the benefits of reading.