As the 2025-2026 school year comes to a close, it’s important to look back and reflect on the new policies that shaped the school year. One of the most talked-about policies entering the school year was Governor Kathy Hochul’s phone-free school policy. This policy required all New York State schools to implement a bell-to-bell cell phone ban. Governor Hochul promised that the statewide ban would increase productivity by eliminating distractions, but in practice, was this policy as effective as it was promised to be?
At Mamaroneck High School, this new policy varied in its enforcement and, as a result, its effectiveness. Despite the variation in enforcement, the framework for the policy throughout the school remained the same. Teachers in each classroom would require students to stow cell phones daily to prevent in-class use, and phones would be banned in all other public spaces, such as the overpass and the library. Most teachers chose to use the given numbered cell phone holders to keep track of them.
Students across all four grades shared similar experiences of inconsistent enforcement throughout the school year. Some teachers have insisted on collecting phones since school began in September, using the numbered holders to take attendance or deduct points from grades. Other teachers trusted their students to place their phones in the holders each day, while others seemed to stop enforcing the policy after only a few weeks.
Students also shared mixed opinions about the policy’s effectiveness this year. While many did not understand the need to put their phones away in the hallways and the library, they appreciated being able to focus in class without distractions. Several explained that they felt more present during class and while completing work, as they were no longer constantly interrupted by notifications. With less access to phones, students were more likely to pay attention in class.
Some students, although not completely against the phone-ban policy, suggested that it was not the school’s job to regulate cell phone usage. Since cell phones are personal devices, students argued that they should be managed individually, just as they are away from school. A shared idea was that everyone of high school age should be able to discipline themselves regarding cell phone usage during school hours, and to know the appropriate times and places for phones. Maggie Lanza (’27) claims that the policy was somewhat unnecessary because she “wouldn’t go on her phone during class anyway,” knowing that she would miss valuable information.
Whether or not the new cell policy was effective or helpful ultimately boils down to individual interpretation and personal experience. Despite it being an irritation to hear “Put your phone away!” each time you enter the overpass, the cell phone ban has seemed to produce more positive than negative results.