Governor Kathy Hochul has launched a website that provides resources for New York school districts as they prepare to implement a bell-to-bell cellphone ban. Touted as the “distraction-free” policy, the website includes a policy FAQ, toolkit and examples that school districts can use to design their distraction-free policy.
Several schools in Western New York have started drafting their distraction-free policies; however, those drafts have not come without backlash. Williamsville Board of Education members Stuart Bulan and Michael Buscaglia heavily criticized their district’s proposed policy during a May Board meeting.
"This is putting a ton on the teachers plate. And how that is going to work in the classroom I can only imagine," said Bulan.
"Let's say kids keep going to their lockers, is there a plan for that? As a teacher are we going have to be watching the hallway?" said Buscaglia.
David Evans, new superintendent at Cleveland Hill, said implementing the state mandated cellphone ban would be one of his biggest challenges going into next year.
“Yeah, I would say that first, immediate, biggest challenge we're going to have is the cell phone ban that I think is very misunderstood. I think parents and communities across the state are attributing that to the schools. That's being pushed down from the governor's office, and that's law."
The law does make exceptions for emergencies, healthcare management, translation services, specific educational purposes when allowed by a teacher, and for a student caregiver.
School districts across the state must have their plans finalized and published by August 1st.
