As of May 2025, New York will be joining 26 other states that are restricting or banning phone use inside schools. Referred to as a “bell-to-bell” restriction, this policy bans the use of cellphones on school grounds. Come September 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul explained, there will be “…no cellphones in a child’s hand from the moment they enter school until they leave.”
“I want our kids to make eye to eye contact again. I want them to enjoy the experience of real human connection, not just through a screen,” Governor Hochul explained.
The state has given each school district until August to create their own plan for restricting phone use, the plans ranges from racks of numbered pockets to the infamous Yondr pockets. Many Curtis students are already familiar with the rack system, and students from Eagle Academy already know how to live without their phones. At that school, the phones are surrendered upon entrance and only returned at the end of the day.
According to Chalkbeat the ban allows some exceptions for students who use their cellphone as a translator, for family caregiving, as a medical device, or as a disability aid. The response to this policy has been mixed. Some teachers and students have raised concerns of safety. While many agree that cellphones are distractions, they also allow students to contact family, friends, and other loved ones in case of an emergency. But these situations, where parents absolutely have to contact their children and vice versa, are few and far between.
According to a 2022 pediatrics study from the University of Maryland, at least 95 percent of all teenagers (13 to 17) have cell phones. In fact, one stroll through Curtis can tell you that almost every student has one. Establishing and enforcing such a system, especially for larger schools, could prove to be costly. One Yondr pouch alone is about 30 dollars, and schools in other states are asking that parents foot the bill. For 2,000 students, that’s 60,000 dollars. Even if some districts don’t opt for Yondr pouches, collecting phones from students requires staff hours and organization that schools may not be able to spare.
