(ConservativeHub.com) – The country’s largest school district is reportedly planning to follow the lead of other cities in the U.S. and ban cell phones in classrooms. New York City may soon no longer allow students to have their devices in the classroom.
David Banks, Chancellor of New York City Public Schools, explained that he and NYC Mayor Eric Adams expect to have the issues regarding the plan “worked out” in the coming weeks.
Banks suggested Kids aren’t simply distracted by their phones, but “fully addicted,” announcing the city would “ban” using phones in the classroom.
New York City’s plan, which could, according to Banks, go into effect as soon as January 2025, follows a fledgling trend among school administrators who have observed that rampant phone usage aligns with kids’ poor attention spans and diminishing social skills.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is reportedly considering state-level action to address the use of smartphones in schools.
This comes after the Los Angeles Unified School District revealed that its board voted in favor of a ban on the use of smartphones by students in school.
A few days later, California Governor Gavin Newsom joined the movement, calling for a statewide ban.
New York’s efforts follow a similar pattern to legislation Republican-led states have passed. Florida passed legislation banning cell phone usage during class time in 2023, and Indiana passed similar legislation restricting the action earlier this year.
On June 17, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for social media platforms to include a warning label.
Murthy noted that people are aware of the surgeon general’s warnings that appear on alcohol and tobacco products. He said he believes the office has long been a trusted source regarding concerns “related to public health.”
After Murthy’s statement, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) called for Congress to pass their Kids Online Safety Act.
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