Yes, Chancellor Banks: Ban phones in school ASAP
New York City Department of Education Chancellor David C. Banks speaks at a press conference on building a more equitable future for NYC public schools at the Samara Community School on June 24, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Michael Nigro
Hurray!
Chancellor David Banks says he’s “very much leaning” toward banning cellphone use during the school day starting this September.
“We’re working out the kinks on this, and we want to make sure that we do it right,” he hedged, even as he teased an official announcement within the next two weeks.
The sooner the better, we’d say: This isn’t rocket science — phones were prohibited for years before Mayor Bill de Blasio un-banned them in 2015.
And any delay in making it official gives the naysayers more chance to gum up the works.
This should be a no-brainer, and not just because of the growing evidence that social-media use is toxic for many kids.
Phones need to be kept out of class because they’re an unnecessary distraction: The data show that when students have in-school access to their smartphones, it can have devastating effects on learning.
That’s why Gov. Hochul is already talking about imposing a statewide ban on smartphones in school, albeit not before the Legislature’s next session in January.
Los Angeles has already done it.
As did, again, Gotham under former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who now argues, “Let’s do students the great service of taking that problem out of their hands.”
Right: Between many apps’ addictive algorithms and peer pressure, kids find it hard to resist phones; don’t give them this choice, at least during school hours.
Reversing the ban was just one of many ways Blas compromised city public education; Banks has been hesitant about reversing all too many of those mistakes — he ought to be bold on this one, at least.
And the rest of the nation should follow.