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<\/p>\nNew York Governor Kathy Hochul says banning phones in schools will make kids smarter, safer, and more socially connected \u2014 even if it\u2019s not popular with everyone.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Hochul said she understands the concerns from parents, but insisted the policy is already showing early signs of success. \u201cChange is hard,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I want kids who know how to make friends, who can make eye contact, who can be thoughtful individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n
A focus on mental health and safety<\/p>\n
Hochul said the decision to ban phones wasn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
She framed the move as a response to the growing mental health crisis among kids. Teachers told her they\u2019re struggling to hold students\u2019 attention, with many glued to TikTok videos during class. Hochul cited a stat: 74 percent of teachers said they can\u2019t teach effectively because phones are such a distraction.<\/p>\n
The governor believes that limiting phone use during the school day will help children re-engage socially and emotionally. \u201cYou\u2019ll see a huge difference in them and their mental health \u2014 and that\u2019s what I\u2019m going for here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Responding to safety fears<\/p>\n
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\u2019t be able to call her during a school shooting.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s location to a shooter. \u201cThey need to be 100 percent focused on the adult in the room \u2014 that teacher \u2014 who\u2019s been going through countless hours of training.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also mentioned Yondr pouches \u2014 lockable phone cases that some schools are using to give students a sense of security while still enforcing the ban.<\/p>\n
Teachers pushed for clear rules<\/p>\n
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 \u201cgood cop, bad cop.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the teachers helped me lead the charge to do this,\u201d Hochul said. \u201cThey want a uniform policy.\u201d<\/p>\n
A national model?<\/p>\n
Hochul hopes New York\u2019s 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\u2019t.<\/p>\n
She said kids today face constant pressure from social media \u2014 bullying, exclusion, and addictive content \u2014 and deserve a break. \u201cThey came through the pandemic, they came through so much stress \u2014 let them be kids again.\u201d<\/p>\n
No endorsement yet in NYC mayor\u2019s race<\/p>\n
In the final minutes of the interview, Hochul declined to say whether she\u2019ll endorse Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race. \u201cThere\u2019s been so much speculation,\u201d she said. \u201cLet the voters of New York decide.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, she made it clear she expects whoever wins to work with her on priorities like public safety, affordability, and economic growth.<\/p>\n
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