New York Governor Kathy Hochul sent a joint letter to state legislators on March 11, urging them to pass legislation she strongly advocates for, which requires all schools in the state to implement a “Bell-to-Bell” no-cell-phone environment. The letter was co-signed by “Common Sense Media,” the largest organization dedicated to helping children and families have a healthy digital life, along with its representatives of 80,000 New York parents, children, and educators.
During the ongoing school hours, digital distractions are harming our children – that’s why New Yorkers know that students should be learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling,” said Hochul in a statement. “Experts and advocates agree that the uninterrupted school program from bell to bell will ensure optimal results, and I will never stop fighting to protect our children.”
Hochul participated in a roundtable discussion on adolescent mental health on Tuesday. She emphasized that students should be focused on listening in class, communicating with classmates, rather than being glued to their phones all day. These disruptive factors have significantly impacted children’s childhood and classroom environment. Many teachers and parents have reported that students are unable to concentrate on their studies at school and are instead on their phones, browsing social media, affecting their academic performance and classroom order.
Hochul’s proposal has received strong support from “Common Sense Media.” In 2024, the organization released a research report showing the serious impact of phones and social media on students’ academic performance and mental health.
The research indicates that nearly 70% of teenagers admit that social media distracts them at school, making it difficult to focus on their studies. Phone use is negatively correlated with academic performance – the more time students spend on their phones, the worse their grades. Additionally, prolonged phone use among teenagers increases anxiety, depression, and suicide risks, affecting their mental health.
Hochul emphasized that these research findings highlight the necessity for schools to prohibit phone use on campus, ensuring students can focus on their studies during school hours without being disrupted by social media and phones.
The governor’s proposal also includes: (1) No unauthorized use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on campus throughout the entire school day, including classroom time as well as lunch and other occasions during K-12 schools. (2) Allowing schools to develop their own daytime smartphone storage plans – giving managers and teachers the flexibility to choose the best way for their buildings and students. (3) Proposing $13.5 million in funding for schools that need to purchase storage solutions. (4) If necessary, requiring schools to provide ways for parents to contact their children during the day. (5) Allowing students to use simple phones without internet capabilities and school-provided internet-accessible devices for classroom teaching, such as laptops or tablets used as part of the curriculum. (6) Providing reasonable exemptions for the restriction plan, including personalized education plans (IEPs) for students, students who need internet-accessible devices to manage medical conditions or for translation and other academic purposes. (7) Requiring schools to track and report on enforcement of the ban and any discrepancies that occur during the implementation process.