Senate Dems slammed for trying to water down Gov. Hochuls school smartphone ban: Almost meaningless

Backers of Gov.Kathy Hochul’s proposed “bell-to-bell” ban on the use of smartphones in schools are calling out Democrats in the state Senate for pushing to “water down” the proposal.

Hochul’s plan would forbid students from using smartphones during the entire school day, but the Senate’s proposed budget resolution would only ban cell phone usage during classroom or “instructional time.” The Senate’s proposal would leave it to school districts to determine whether or not they want to outlaw cell phone usage outside the classroom or during non-instructional periods.“We are very disappointed by the NY State Senate watering down the Governor’s cell phone proposal to make it almost meaningless,” said Phone Free NY founder Raj Goyle.“The kids of New York desperately need protection from screens to protect their mental health and learning at school.We will work tirelessly to advocate for a bell to bell ban that is the only way to truly help our kids.” Many schools in the state already have a policy forbidding cell phone use during class time only, according to those who support the more extensive all day school ban.Supporters of a bell-to-bell ban on mobile phone usage plan to ramp up their advocacy to persuade senators to get on board, sources said.Hochul, too, said Tuesday she is “committed to fighting for a bell-to-bell” smartphone ban.“This is what the experts say, this is what the parents want, this is what the teachers want,” Hochul said during a press event in Albany.Allowing students to use their phones outside class will cause disruptions in the classroom, the governor said.“If the student had it banned during the class, then they have it during recess, and then they come back and the next teacher has to be the enforcer.

And then the next teacher after gym class has to be the enforcer,” Hochul said.“It’ll be wildly, wildly distracting,” she said, “even more so for the teachers.”But Sen.John Liu, who ch...