In order to address the issues of students’ excessive use of smartphones on campus, impacting their learning and mental health, New York Governor Hochu launched a statewide listening tour on July 15th. Over the next few months, he will hold roundtable meetings with teachers, parents, students, and relevant groups to gather suggestions.
Hochu held the first roundtable meeting at Guilderland High School in the state capital region, attended by education experts, school district superintendents, teachers, and teachers’ union representatives. Hochu expressed concerns that addictive social media algorithms significantly affect the mental health of children and teenagers, leading to increased suicide, depression, and anxiety rates.
According to a Pew Research Center survey released last June, 95% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 use smartphones, and receive an average of over 250 messages per day. 72% of high school teachers nationwide indicated that smartphones are the primary factor preventing students from focusing in class. In response, Hochu plans to propose a statewide policy to restrict smartphone use in schools, to be announced later this year. To develop an effective and comprehensive proposal, he will embark on a listening tour over the coming months, holding multiple roundtable meetings with teachers, parents, students, and relevant groups to gather diverse opinions and suggestions.
Last month, New York passed two strict social media regulation bills and allocated $100 million in adolescent mental healthcare costs in the new fiscal year budget. Hochu also initiated the “Get Offline, Get Outside” campaign this summer, urging students to refrain from social media addiction. Starting from January next year, New York City has decided to ban public school students from using phones in classrooms, and Hochu is considering taking statewide action.
Following the roundtable meeting on the 15th, Hochu stated that restricting students from using phones in schools will be the next step after enacting strict social media regulations. She mentioned that allowing each school district to decide whether to ban phones is not feasible, and the state government will establish a statewide policy. Hochu had previously proposed restrictions on student phone use in schools, emphasizing the need to ensure that parents can contact their children, especially in emergencies.