Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget for 2025 includes a new mandate to ban student smartphone use during school hours, aiming to reduce distractions and promote a better learning environment. This proposal, which would require school districts to create policies for phone restrictions, has been framed as an effort to combat issues like bullying, distractions from social media, and learning difficulties caused by students’ reliance on their phones. Exceptions would be made for educational purposes, medical needs, translations, and emergencies.
This proposal comes as part of a broader national trend, with at least eight states having already passed laws limiting or banning cell phone use in schools due to concerns about academic focus and mental health. For instance, California and Indiana have enacted similar policies, while Florida became the first state to prohibit phone use during class time entirely.
Surveys show that a majority of parents support restrictions on phone use during class, with 65% favoring a ban for middle and high school students. However, opinions on the issue vary among teachers and teens. While many teachers express concern over phones as distractions, especially in high schools, a large portion of teens view phones as beneficial to their academic success, with 45% saying phones help them perform better in school.
The debate over phone use in schools reflects broader discussions on balancing digital technology’s role in education with its potential for disruption.