ALBANY, NY (AP) – New York state bans public school mobile phones. “Belle to Bell” will begin in the next school year under a contract announced late Monday by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“We’ve been protecting our kids from smoking, alcohol and drunk driving, but now we’re protecting them from addictive techniques designed to hijack their attention,” Hochul said in announcing the plan as part of an interim budget agreement with state lawmakers.
Democrat Hochul did not immediately elaborate plans for the ban. Her office previously said the school has some flexibility in how it can be implemented, and the district has decided how to store student devices during the school day. She said there is an exemption for students who need access for medical reasons, students who support learning disabilities, or for not speaking fluent English.
If approved, New York will participate in at least eight states: California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia. The measures established Prohibit or restrict the use of mobile phones at schools. Nationally, most schools say they prohibit the use of mobile phones except for academic purposes, but educators say the rules are difficult to enforce when students are allowed to have devices in hallways or at lunchtime.
The “bell to bell” ban, as explained by Hochul, aims to completely remove distractions over the objections of parents who often want to say they want to be able to reach their children by restricting access during school hours. Emergency.
New York City, home to the country’s largest school district, waived discussions last year for a mobile phone ban due to concerns from parents.
Lawmakers are scheduled to begin voting for the $254 billion state budget this week.
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