New York school cellphone ban one step closer to reality. Here's what Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing.
NEW YORK -- New York's school cellphone ban is one step closer to a reality. Gov. Kathy Hochul officially proposed the ban in her budget address Tuesday.
The governor's announcement had been anticipated for some time, but we now have the first details on how the bell-to-bell restrictions would work.
During her speech, Hochul said she knows all too well about the distractions cellphones can cause. She added teachers across the nation report that cellphones in classrooms are a major disruption because 95% of students have access and are receiving on average 250 notifications a day.
"As a mom, these aren't just statistics to me. I know how hard it is to get your kids' attention. My kids used to text each other underneath the kitchen table, meaning they weren't talking to each other. It started back then. It's happening in our classrooms," she said.
Hochul said students are not developing the skills they need because they are distracted by technology. She said it's also very hard on teachers trying to present lesson plans on complex subjects like algebra and geometry.
"How do you pay attention to the subject at hand when this is going on? It didn't happen when we were younger," Hochul said.
She said she held roundtables across the state with educators and students, which helped pave the way to her proposal.
What to know about New York's school cellphone ban
Hochul's proposal would ban the use of smartphones and other internet-enabled devices on school grounds during the school day. That includes classroom time, lunch and study hall periods.
It would let individual schools come up with their own ways to implement the ban and store the devices, and it proposes $13.5 million in state funding to help schools buy storage options. Schools would be able to decide whether to have students leave their devices in things like pouches, lockers or cubbies.
The plan would also require schools to make sure parents have a way to contact their children during the day, if needed.
Which devices fall under the cellphone ban?
The ban would include smartphones and other personal "smart" devices, like smartwatches.
Simple cellphones without internet capability would still be allowed. Devices that are officially provided by the school for lesson plans would also be allowed.
Exemptions could be made by the school or a teacher for specific educational purposes, or if a student requires a device to manage a medical condition or for translation purposes.
Why Gov. Hochul changed her mind on a cellphone ban
The governor told CBS News New York's Marcia Kramer she wasn't always in favor of the ban, then input from law enforcement started to change her mind.
"Police officers, sheriffs, law enforcement told me if there is a shooter in the building, the last thing you want your child to be doing is fumbling for their cellphone, texting their friends, maybe videoing it, contacting you. They need to be laser focused on the adult in the room to lead them to safety. And when I heard that, and if more parents heard that, they would understand," Hochul said in an exclusive interview on "The Point."
She now believes the ban will make schools safer and alleviate concerns about students being distracted.
"A bell-to-bell ban, morning until the day is over, is not going to hurt your kids. It's going to help them emerge with stronger mental health and resiliency," the governor said.
The New York state teachers union said it supports a ban, saying cellphones and other electronic devices are distractions. The New York City teachers union said it wants safeguards, like state funding and teachers not being the only line of enforcement.
Here's how some NYC parents, students feel about a ban
Many of the city's public schools already restrict cellphone use. CBS News New York spoke to some high school juniors who said they're not allowed to use them, and they're OK with it most of the time.
"It's good to not have it on your side all the time because it takes a way distractions," one student said.
Most parents we spoke to view a ban as a win.
"It steals kids' attention and they're made to be addictive and kids live inside their phone and they don't know how to connect with the real world," Hannah Taylor said.
"With all the distractions, and social media, and email and everything they get bombarded with, [a ban] a good thing," Nick Pachetti said.