New York's newly enacted 'bell-to-bell' cellphone ban mandates that all public and charter schools in the state develop individualized plans for cellphone storage and enforcement by August. The policy includes nuances such as exemptions for students needing phones for translation or caregiving. It also permits non-internet-connected devices in schools. City officials acknowledge the challenges of enforcing such a ban across the diverse landscape of NYC's public school system, given existing lunchtime practices allowing off-campus freedom.
Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said during a January interview with the radio station WBAI that she supports collecting student cellphones and did so when she was a high school principal, but enforcing a citywide ban is complicated. "The journey between a great concept and implementation is sometimes a long one," she said.
Among the asterisks in the state policy: Students who need their phones for language translation or caregiving responsibilities may qualify for exemptions. Phones without internet access are still allowed.
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