Governor seeks to end ‘excessive smartphone use’ in schools

This summer, Gov. Hochul launched the “Get Offline, Get Outside” campaign to promote physical and mental health.

The first-in-the-nation law is aimed at combating “addictive social media feeds; expanding school-based mental health clinics and other resources.”

Discussions of cell phone usage in school settings have expanded into September as well as ongoing discussions with educators and parents to discuss youth mental health and well-being.

This past July, she also kicked off a statewide listening tour focused on addressing smartphone use in schools in hopes of launching a statewide policy proposal on smartphones in schools that will be announced later this year.

“We can help our young people succeed in the classroom by ensuring they’re learning and growing—not clicking and scrolling,” Hochul said. “That’s why I’m working with all stakeholders across the state to develop effective solutions on smartphones that help protect our kids’ mental health and deliver the best results for our schools.”

According to Pew Research, 72 percent of high school teachers nationwide say that students being distracted by cell phones is a major problem in their classroom.

In an effort to tackle “excessive smartphone use in schools,” she said she plans to gather detailed successes and challenges on current policies from New York State schools.

In June, Hochul also signed two pieces of legislation to help create a safer digital environment for New York’s young people:

The SAFE For Kids Act requires social media companies to restrict addictive feeds on their platforms for users under 18. Unless parental consent is granted, users under 18 will not receive addictive feeds. Notably, the SAFE For Kids Act was the first law of its kind to be signed in any state across the nation.

The New York Child Data Protection Act will prohibit online sites and connected devices from collecting, using, sharing or selling personal data of anyone under the age of 18, unless they receive informed consent or unless doing so is strictly necessary for the purpose of the website.

LOCAL SCHOOL POLICIES

Center Moriches School District

The current policy states that students are not allowed to use their cellphones during instructional times.

Eastport-South Manor School District

According to the ESM Policy Manual, Student Use of Personal Technology: “The Board of Education seeks to maintain a safe and secure environment for students and staff. Advances in technology have made it possible to expand the learning environment beyond traditional classroom boundaries. Using personal electronic devices/technology during instructional time can enable students to explore new concepts, personalize their learning experience and expand their global learning opportunities. Additionally, the use of personal technology devices is ubiquitous in today’s society and standards for student use during non-instructional time should adapt to this change.”

The policy defines the use of personal devices/technology during instructional and non-instructional times and reinforces the standard that all use, regardless of its purpose, must follow the guidelines outlined in the Student Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), the District’s Code of Conduct, and the Dignity for All Students Act.

Instructional purposes include, but are not limited to, approved classroom activities, research, college admissions activities, career development, communication with experts, homework and other activities as deemed appropriate by school staff. 

Personal Devices/Technology - includes all existing and emerging technology devices that can take photographs; record audio or video; input text; upload and download media; and transmit or receive messages or images. Examples of personal technology include, but are not limited to, cellphones, smart watches, earbuds and other wired or wireless electronic devices. 

All personal devices/technology use by students is permitted during the school day for educational purposes and/or in approved locations only. Teachers will indicate when and if classroom use is acceptable. Students are expected to act responsibly and thoughtfully when using technology resources. Students bear the burden of responsibility to inquire with school administrators and/or teachers when they are unsure of the permissibility of a particular use of technology prior to engaging in such use. 

However, the board of education prohibits the use of personal devices/technology in locker rooms, restrooms, health offices, and any other areas where a person would expect a reasonable degree of personal privacy. 

The superintendent and/or building administration are authorized to develop building-level rules to limit the use, or restrict devices/technology for students during non-instructional time. 

Appropriate use of personal technology during non-instructional time is also allowed if students follow the guidelines in the AUP and Code of Conduct. Non-instructional use includes texting, calling and otherwise communicating with others during free periods and in the common areas of the school building such as the hallways, cafeteria, study halls, buses and student lounges. Other non-instructional uses may include such things as Internet searches, reading, listening to music, and watching videos. This use during non-instructional time must be conducted in a safe and unobtrusive manner. Devices must be in silent mode to avoid disrupting others. 

Students will not be permitted to use personal technology devices in school or at school functions until they have reviewed the AUP, the applicable sections of the Code of Conduct and associated technology guidelines and signed the Student Use of Personal Technology Permission Form with their parents.

Additionally, the district reserves the right to restrict student use of district-owned technologies and personal technology on school property or at school-sponsored events, at the discretion of the administration. 

Liability

The district shall not be liable for the loss, damage, misuse, or theft of any personal technology brought to School. The district reserves the right to monitor, inspect, and/or confiscate personal technology when administration has reasonable suspicion to believe that a violation of school policy or criminal law has occurred. 

The Board expressly prohibits use of personal technology in locker rooms, restrooms, Health Offices and any other areas where a person would reasonably expect some degree of personal privacy. 

Prohibition during State Assessments 

All students are prohibited from bringing electronic devices into a classroom or other location where a New York State assessment is being administered. Test proctors, test monitors and school officials shall have the right to collect prohibited electronic devices prior to the start of the test and hold them while the test is being administered, including break periods. Admission to any assessment will be denied to any student who refuses to relinquish a prohibited device. 

Students with disabilities may use certain devices if the device is specified in that student’s IEP or 504 plan or a student has provided medical documentation that they require the device during testing. 

Permissions 

Students will not be permitted to use personal technology devices in school or at school functions until they have reviewed the AUP, the applicable sections of the Code of Conduct and associated technology guidelines. The district reserves the right to restrict student use of District- owned technologies and personal technology on school property or at school sponsored events, at the discretion of the administration. Students must follow the guidelines for use set out in the District Code of Conduct and the Acceptable Use Policy at all times. Consequences for misuse will follow guidelines in the District’s Code of Conduct. The district will develop regulations for the implementation of this policy that shall include, but are not limited to, instructional use, non-instructional use, liability, bullying and cyberbullying, and privacy issues.