Hochul: More Than Half of NY School Districts Ready for Cell Phone Ban

All 731 school districts in New York are required to have plans in place for a cell phone ban by the end of this week. So far, more than 400 districts have finalized plans for the new Distraction-Free Schools law, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul, speaking after a roundtable Monday with central New York educators.

“I know that we’ll be looking forward to full compliance this Friday,” said Hochul. “And again, I was reporting 300 on Friday, and now it’s 400. So the numbers are going up exponentially.”

Hochul said that, in addition to letting teachers teach again, it will allow students to start communicating again with each other in person.

“That’s when they should be getting the opportunity to develop interpersonal relationships and friendships and to be able to, without that distraction, actually speak to other students again,” Hochul said.

The North Syracuse School District in central New York published its plan a month ago. It’s using one of the more common strategies schools across the state are turning to, called YONDR. The district will give students locking, magnetic pouches for their phones. They’ll be able to have possession of them, but won’t be able to use them.

North Syracuse School District Superintendent Terry Ward shows one of the YONDR pouches that students will use to keep their cell phones in during the school day. (Credit: Ellen Abbott/WRVO)

So far North Syracuse Superintendent Dr. Terry Ward said most parents are on board.

“It seems to me that most of the parents that I’ve talked to are saying, I think this is going to be great,” said Ward.

Hochul said the number one question she gets from parents is what if there is a crisis on school grounds. She said law enforcement has told her that during a crisis, you don’t want a child distracted by their cell phone.

“The phone may go off, or they’re trying to video it,” she said. “They need to be laser-focused on the adult in the front of the classroom who is a trained professional on how to get them to safety. Get that message out to anxious parents, and they’ll understand that their child is far better off safety-wise.”

Hochul said she wants parents to know that districts also have a plan so parents can stay in communication with their children throughout the school day.

Brigid Gill, who will be a senior in North Syracuse in September, said students might be more anxious when the ban goes into effect at the start of this school year.

“I was concerned when it was first introduced to me,” Gill said. “However, I think at the end of the day, after a few couple rough months, some disciplinary issues, I think it’ll become commonplace. It’ll turn out just fine and I think it will truly benefit our students.”

WXXI’s Alex Crichton contributed to this story.

Story by Ellen Abbott/New York Public News Network

Image: Brigid Gill, a soon-to-be senior in the North Syracuse school district, speaks during a roundtable discussion on implementing a ban on cell phone use in schools. To her right are Gov. Kathy Hochul and North Syracuse School District Superintendent Terry Ward. (Credit: Darren McGee/Office of the Governor)