New York Governor Kathy Hochul says banning phones in schools will make kids smarter, safer, and more socially connected — even if it’s not popular with everyone.
Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Hochul said she understands the concerns from parents, but insisted the policy is already showing early signs of success. “Change is hard,” she said. “But I want kids who know how to make friends, who can make eye contact, who can be thoughtful individuals.”
A focus on mental health and safety
Hochul said the decision to ban phones wasn’t rushed. She spent a year and a half holding roundtables with teachers, parents, students, and school leaders before launching the policy. The ban went into effect statewide last week.
She framed the move as a response to the growing mental health crisis among kids. Teachers told her they’re struggling to hold students’ attention, with many glued to TikTok videos during class. Hochul cited a stat: 74 percent of teachers said they can’t teach effectively because phones are such a distraction.
The governor believes that limiting phone use during the school day will help children re-engage socially and emotionally. “You’ll see a huge difference in them and their mental health — and that’s what I’m going for here,” she said.
Responding to safety fears
Some parents have raised concerns about losing contact with their children, especially during emergencies. One told the New York Post she worried her child wouldn’t be able to call her during a school shooting.
Hochul addressed that fear directly. She said law enforcement convinced her that phones can actually make things more dangerous during a crisis. A ringing phone, she explained, could reveal a student’s location to a shooter. “They need to be 100 percent focused on the adult in the room — that teacher — who’s been going through countless hours of training.”
She also mentioned Yondr pouches — lockable phone cases that some schools are using to give students a sense of security while still enforcing the ban.
Teachers pushed for clear rules
Hochul said the ban came partly in response to what teachers asked for. Before the policy, some teachers enforced phone rules while others ignored them. That left educators stuck in an uneven system, playing “good cop, bad cop.”
Now, she said, every school is expected to enforce the policy under its own discipline plan. She emphasized that no student should be suspended just for bringing a phone, but repeated violations would come with consequences.
“So the teachers helped me lead the charge to do this,” Hochul said. “They want a uniform policy.”
A national model?
Hochul hopes New York’s example will inspire other states. She praised Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders for taking similar steps and encouraged other governors to act if the federal government doesn’t.
She said kids today face constant pressure from social media — bullying, exclusion, and addictive content — and deserve a break. “They came through the pandemic, they came through so much stress — let them be kids again.”
No endorsement yet in NYC mayor’s race
In the final minutes of the interview, Hochul declined to say whether she’ll endorse Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race. “There’s been so much speculation,” she said. “Let the voters of New York decide.”
Still, she made it clear she expects whoever wins to work with her on priorities like public safety, affordability, and economic growth.
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