With technology continually changing the landscape of education and presenting unprecedented challenges, New York State United Teachers is calling on the governor and Legislature to provide consistent, statewide restrictions on cellphone use during the school day.
On Monday at the state Capitol, NYSUT gathered a coalition of partners in education, healthcare, child and family advocacy, and law enforcement who support safeguarding students’ authentic learning and mental health through distraction-free schools.
“Research has shown that adopting a phone-free school policy is one of the most impactful steps you can take to enhance student educational outcomes, behavior, and well-being,” said NYSUT President Melinda Person. “We have an opportunity to provide children with an average of seven hours each school day to be fully present and free from the pressures and harms of phones and social media. Now is the time to act on it.”
“It’s going to make your school safer,” said Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple. “This is legislation that should be a no-brainer. We want our kids to go to school and thrive.”
“Students are attached to devices and using them in place of human connection,” said Lysa Mullady, President of the New York State School Counselor Association. “There’s a false sense of belonging coupled with a craving to view, post, repost, like and comment as part of a number of ‘followers.’ The constant fluctuation of inclusion and exclusion creates tremendous anxiety. In order to reverse this trend, it is imperative to limit cellphone use in schools.”
Educators and administrators in districts where phone restrictions have been put in place shared the incredible transformation they’ve seen in their classrooms, halls and cafeterias where students are reconnecting with their peers and teachers.
“I’ve been teaching for 30 years and one of my favorite things was to stand in the hallway and just talk to kids as they walk by—until cellphones became popular. Then all I saw was the top of their heads,” David Rounds, Bethlehem Central Teachers Association President. “But that’s not the case anymore. Our halls are lively again, conversation has come back, and it’s like the old days where I see their smiles, I see their eyes, and I have witnessed firsthand their engagement improve almost immediately.”
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with nearly 700,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.
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