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Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent proposal to ban cellphones in New York schools has sparked a heated debate. Advocates argue that phones are a major distraction, pulling students away from learning and exacerbating mental health issues. 

On the surface, it seems like a simple solution: remove the distraction, and students will focus. But as someone who has spent decades in public education at the K-12 and college level, I see a far more complex issue at play.

Distraction in the classroom is not just about phones—it’s about engagement. The truth is, many students aren’t glued to their screens because they’re addicted. They’re disengaged. 

If a student finds their coursework relevant, meaningful, and motivating, they won’t be on their phone. The best teachers — the ones who truly engage their students —don’t have phone problems in their classrooms.

One of my greatest concerns with this ban is that it applies a one-size-fits-all solution to a diverse population. Schools are not factories; every student is different, and every learning environment is unique. There are schools in New York that have embraced technology in innovative ways — using phones to enhance instruction, conduct research, and facilitate real-world learning. This policy could strip those schools of a valuable tool rather than supporting effective teaching practices.

We should be asking: What are the schools that don’t struggle with phone distractions doing right? What can we learn from their engagement strategies? Instead, we’re resorting to blanket restrictions that fail to address the root of the problem.

The idea that taking away phones will somehow fix students’ mental health struggles is both misguided and oversimplified. Mental health is about relationships, support, and the ability to feel safe and heard. Strong school communities provide students with counseling, peer support, and environments where they can openly discuss their challenges. A policy that removes phones without addressing these fundamental issues is unlikely to yield the results its proponents hope for.

In fact, when I asked students in my college classrooms what they would say to Gov. Hochul or other leaders about this policy, their top concern was safety. The announcement came shortly after the Nashville school shooting, and they told me: “Until schools are truly safe, we need our phones.”

For many students, phones aren’t just a social tool; they’re a lifeline in uncertain situations.

Others brought up an interesting point: Some students use their phones in class to double-check their answers before speaking up. In classrooms where participation can feel intimidating, a phone can be a confidence booster — allowing students to verify information before contributing to discussions.

And then, of course, there’s the practical reality that students will always find a way around bans. My students laughed when I brought up the idea of strict enforcement and shared all the creative ways they already sneak phones into classrooms. Simply banning devices won’t eliminate the behavior — it will just push it underground.

The bottom line is this: Students in highly engaging classrooms aren’t on their phones. They are immersed in project-based learning, tackling real-world problems, conducting research, and developing solutions. They are in environments where they feel seen, where their voices matter, and where their education is relevant to their lives.

We need to focus on these types of classrooms. Let’s study what the most effective teachers are doing and bring those practices into more schools. Let’s invest in instructional design that excites students rather than assuming that taking away a device will force engagement.

A cellphone ban is an easy policy to announce, but a much harder one to enforce. And more importantly, it doesn’t solve the real issue. If we want students off their phones, we need to give them a reason to put them down—not by force, but by making their education something they want to engage in.

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