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By: Ilana Siyance
New York State may move towards becoming the next state to ban students from using cell phones during school.
As reported by the New York Times on Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her intent to limit student’s access to cellphones during school for kindergarten through 12th grade. The initiative would be part of her recent effort to help curb children’s reliance on electronic devices. As part of the same initiative, last year the governor had passed legislation designed to protect youth from addictive algorithms on social media apps. Gov. Hochul cited a Pew Research poll which indicated 72 percent of high school teachers said students being distracted by cellphones is a “major problem.” The governor said in a statement that she would include the new cell phone legislation in her proposal for next fiscal year’s budget.
“Young people succeed in the classroom when they’re learning and growing — not clicking and scrolling,” Gov. Hochul said Monday. “My upcoming budget proposal will put forth a new statewide standard for distraction-free learning in schools across our state.”
She acknowledged that the cellphone ban might make her “very unpopular” among students.
As per the information provided in the New York Times report, last year Los Angeles Unified became the biggest school district in the country to ban cellphones. Other states that have taken the step include Virginia, Ohio and Minnesota. Some of New York City’s over 1,500 public schools individually have opted to restrict cellphone use. In some middle schools, students are required to put their phones in cubbies set up along the classroom walls. Some high schools hand out locked fabric pouches that students need to put their phones into and carry throughout the school day.
In August, New York City Mayor Eric Adams shied away from a bid to ban cellphones in city schools, saying they weren’t “there yet.” In September, the New York State teachers’ union, known as New York State United Teachers, called for a “bell-to-bell” policy which would restrict cellphone use from first period to dismissal. The union’s president, Melinda Person, said the union was collaborating with the governor to make a plan.
Opponents to a student cell phone ban include some parents, particularly those who experienced the Sept. 11 attacks, worry about not having the ability to contact their children in the event of an emergency. Principals and school administrators have questioned who would pay for equipment to collect phones. Also, the question remains as to how teachers would discipline students who broke the cell phone rules, as was indicated in the NY Times report.
A spokeswoman for the United Federation of Teachers, NYC’s teachers’ union, said their organization would also support state and city ban on student cellphone use in public schools—provided that a number of conditions are met. Conditions included stipulations that teachers should not be on the hook for enforcing the restrictions; school districts should pay the cost of equipment; and schools should have emergency contact lines set up for parents.
“As a parent of a 14-year-old daughter, I understand how phones are an obstacle in the learning environment,” said Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who represents much of Manhattan’s West Side, and who is an active proponent of cell phone bans in schools. “At the same time, I appreciate that parents want their children to have phones when they’re on the subway or on a bus. So I hope the governor’s proposal embraces both of those needs.”
