Renaenia Pangan

No more smart phones in the cafeteria, according to new regulations.

In late July, NYC Public Schools adopted changes to a regulation that governs the use of electronic devices in schools. The changes, made in response to the “distraction-free schools” law passed in New York State, clarify that students are not to use “personal internet-enabled electronic devices” during the school day. These devices include phones, smart watches, laptops, tablets, and portable music players. 

According to an official page on the NYC Public Schools website, the policy applies to all schools while school is in session; however, the regulation states that students may be able to use devices “if authorized by the school principal/designee for a specific educational purpose.” Each individual school administration will create policies that work for their individual schools, but all policies must be consistent with this regulation.

“As an educator and a parent, I have seen firsthand how constant access to cell phones in the classroom distracts from learning, divides attention, and significantly impacts our students’ mental health, inside schools and at home. I am proud to be introducing a policy that takes input from unions and advocacy groups, families, community members, and our students into account,” said Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos in a press release published by the mayor’s office. “This policy is designed to be responsive to the diverse needs of schools, individual students, and families, and I am grateful to all of our partners for their hard work in moving this policy forward.”

With most media reports describing the law as a statewide “cell phone” ban in schools, the announcement that NYC schools would also limit access to personal devices like laptops and tablets came as a surprise for some students.

“I don’t mind the cellphone ban during school hours,” said rising sophomore Meagan Yang. She said banning laptops was a different story: “My laptop is something I use every day.” 

Rising freshman Olivia Yhun described the policy as “unfair,” saying that these devices are “part of [students’] daily lives.”

In an interview with The Classic this past spring, math teacher Sara Liu said she welcomed the coming policy. “Even though I tell students to stop using their devices when it’s class time, and I confiscate phones and call parents, students continue to do so,” she said. 

Rising junior Yahan Zhang said that students will likely need to use personal electronic devices during class, “The use of devices at times does help enhance the learning experience as reading a book on your tablet allows you to easily take notes and search up words you don’t understand.”

School-issued electronic devices do not fall under the “ban.” While some schools provide all students with a Chromebook or a tablet, THHS does not, leading many students to bring in personal devices (or use smartphones) as digital notebooks.

With the city’s policy now clear, it’s up to the THHS administration to make a new THHS-specific policy. 

According to the NYCPS website, “[School-specific] rules will be communicated to parents and students at the beginning of the school year.”

Additional reporting by Michael Chen