Another win for Gov. Kathy Hochul in the state budget talks is her “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban — even if it comes with a ridiculous $13.5 million giveaway to school districts to “help implement” it.
The prohibition restricts students (caregivers exempted) from using their smartphones and other mobile devices during the school day; schools are to develop alternative ways for parents to contact their children in an emergency, just as they did before cell technology existed.
Indeed, many schools (including roughly half of Gotham’s) already have no-cost to low-cost bans in place.
Which makes the funding a waste all too typical of Albany, albeit barely a drop in the $254 billion budget bucket, for a measure so sensible that this page and the state’s teachers unions support it.
Research shows that outlawing the devices during the school day would help prevent cyberbullying, reduce disciplinary problems and improve kids’ mental health.
We applaud the gov for standing up for the vast majority of parents who want their children off their phones, paying attention and achieving.
And if your school has serious trouble implementing the ban, you’re absolutely right to see it as a blaring sign of complete dysfunction.
