Call Blocked: New York’s Cellphone Ban Rings in

Ever since Governor Hochul enacted a “bell-to-bell” ban on cellphones on August 1st, students all over New York have been anticipating, some even dreading, the first day of school.  Despite the general consensus among students being that the phone ban is completely unnecessary, the effectiveness of the ban has been a topic of debate among students and teachers alike.

Sewanhaka is also a rare case since students fresh out of elementary school and students about to head to college roam the same halls. The varying experiences in Sewanhaka made it the perfect place to ask a diverse group of students of their experience with the ban so far. Though we may not have the notorious Yondr pouches, students are required to leave their phones in their lockers before the day starts.  Many seniors have expressed frustration with the fact that the ban was enacted the year they graduate. Josh Lariosa, a senior, expressed that there are good and bad sides to this ban since most students don’t want to give up their phones. However he had admitted “absolutely, my grades have been getting better” after being asked about how the ban has impacted his academic performance.

Though there is nuance when it comes to discussing the effectiveness of the ban, some students are adamant on their position that cell phone bans cause more harm than good. Mahnoor and Jasmine, students disapproving of the ban, believe that not having access to phones during the day could become an issue if students can’t contact their parents immediately during an emergency. Naturally, some students will want to disagree when asked about the effectiveness of the ban, but what do teachers think? Mr. Premisler, the U.S. History teacher of Sewanhaka, believes that “the cellphone ban is a great first step in helping students succeed in schools” and in his classrooms, students seem to be embracing the positive learning environment. There are a multitude of opinions regarding the cell phone ban but only time can determine how this ban will impact our school.