Gov. Mikie Sherrill (in orange) told guests at Cherokee High that the nation is failing its kids online, an issue she addresses in her 2027 budget.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill visited Cherokee High School on March 18 to highlight ongoing progress with her kids’ social media safety agenda.
Sherrill was joined by Assemblywoman Andrea Katz; Jacqueline Gibbs, president of the New Jersey Parent Teacher Association (PTA); and representatives from the Lenape school district.
Speakers at the visit noted data that shows the nation is facing a youth mental-health crisis – including surging rates of depression and anxiety among children and adolescents – that has been compounded by unrestricted social media use and predatory, addictive algorithms.
Sherrill emphasized that it is her priority to better understand the issue and that she has taken action to ensure the state has the tools necessary to improve youth mental health and protect children.
“Across the nation, we are facing a stark reality,” the governor told the audience at Cherokee, where a school-wide cell phone ban is set to go into effect next school year. “Our kids are struggling with an unprecedented mental-health crisis, and social media is playing a big part. As a mom of four, I can tell you with certainty that our country is failing our children when it comes to protecting them online.
“We have a responsibility to do better,” she added. “My administration is committed to counteracting the harms of social media and supporting youth mental health, and I am proud to put forward a plan that reflects these values.
“Big tech isn’t just the big tobacco of our era – it’s worse.”
Sherrill said she aims to do something about that in her state. On her first day as governor, she signed an executive order to create the Office of Youth Online Mental-Health Safety and Awareness within the state Department of Health to coordinate government efforts for keeping kids safe online. The order also directs all state agencies with jurisdiction over issues pertaining to children and their interaction with technology platforms to prioritize mental-health outcomes.
The governor’s 2027 budget includes a $125,000 investment to support the new office. It also includes $500,000 to fund the state’s first Social Media Research Center, which will be housed in one of New Jersey’s public colleges and universities and will focus on the relationship between digital technology and children’s well-being.
“As a mom of three teenagers, I have a front-row seat to just how central social media is to young people’s lives,” Katz noted. “It plays a role in all of our lives, and it’s not going anywhere, but we also know the consequences of spending too much time online. Now is the time to prioritize the mental health of New Jersey’s youth. Now is the time to make online spaces safer for minors in an ever-changing digital landscape.
“Now is the time,” she added, “to warn users about real mental-health risks and equip families and educators with the knowledge they need to keep minors safe online.”
“The core of our mission, ensuring safety and advancing student achievement, cannot be fully realized unless students feel safe,” Lenape Superintendent Matt Webb pointed out. “That is why mental health has been a sustained priority for us over several years. As educators, we believe in lifelong learning, and that philosophy extends to mental health and safety.
“You are never truly finished,” he added. “Just as physical health requires consistent care, one healthy choice today does not sustain you for the future. In the same way, mental health demands ongoing attention, maintenance and a continued commitment to meaningful supports.”
