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New York City bans phones, tablets, smartwatches in all public schools starting this fall
NYC public schools will ban phones, tablets, and smartwatches during the school day starting this fall, with exceptions for medical or caregiving needs.
Starting this fall, kids in New York City public schools won’t be allowed to use phones, tablets, or smartwatches during the school day, according to New York Post report.
The city’s Panel for Education Policy approved the new rule on Wednesday night with a 14-1 vote. Each of the city’s 1,600 public schools will determine how to implement it.
Following the voting, Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said, “I am proud to be introducing a policy that takes input from unions and advocacy groups, families, community members, and our students into account.”
The new rule follows a push by Governor Kathy Hochul to ban phones and other devices in schools. Students can still use them while commuting, but not during school hours.
Which students are exceptions?
Exceptions will be made for students who need to use devices for medical reasons, like monitoring insulin, or for those who are responsible for caring for a family member. Teachers may also let students use phones for specific classwork.
Also Read: School phone bans do not improve grades or mental health: Report
Aviles-Ramos said, “This is going to be a dynamic regulation. We will have periodic checks on how implementation is going.”
Each school can set its plan for how students store their devices during the day. Some may use special magnetic pouches that cost about $30 each.
The city is spending $25 million to help schools set up the new policy..
All about new phone policy
Mayor Eric Adams called the policy another step toward improving learning. “The state cell phone ban was the first step in putting our kids back on track to learn and thrive in safe, nurturing environments, and this new cell phone policy is the next step in ensuring students are given the best shot to succeed in school,” the Mayor said.
Meanwhile, the Schools Chancellor mentioned that students won’t be suspended right away if they don’t follow the rule. “We want to make sure equity is the heart of it,” she told the panel.
