Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Buffalo Public School District sent a letter to parents and caretakers of students on Thursday, laying out the plans for a bell-to-bell cell phone ban to take effect starting with the upcoming school year this September.
As part of this plan that reflects New York State’s new distraction-free, no personal smartphones/electronics policy, students will be required to store their internet-capable personal devices from the first bell to final dismissal in a secure designated storage area at their school.
Each school will also have a process for students to contact a parent or caregiver during the school day, if needed, and vise versa.
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As a parent to two children in the Buffalo Public School District, School Board member Larry Scott is happy to see this announcement sent out now rather than later.
"It's giving parents advanced notice that this change is coming, and it is being mandated by New York State. So I think parents, at least, can mentally begin preparing themselves for this change," said Scott in an interview with WBEN.
One aspect of this planned cell phone ban within Buffalo Public Schools that Scott sees as beneficial moving forward is the opportunity to provide a consistent learning field for students without distraction.
"I think BPS, over time, has had a fairly restrictive policy on access to cell phones. It loosened up a bit this year, but having kids in two different Buffalo Public Schools, there's not consistency on how we're restricting access. And I think now, with the state mandate, the superintendent's letter, enforcing these mandates and expectations around it, I think we're going to have more consistency in ensuring that the learning environment will be free from cell phone distraction and social media distraction from bell-to-bell," Scott said.
One thing Scott believes is still to be determined with this cell phone ban is how students will be asked to keep their phones away throughout the day. He admits it may be something that is handled differently in each school.
"My expectation from a higher level, and as a parent is that it'd be kept in their lockers. I don't want to see much, if any investment in having to purchase pouches and any type of equipment to enforce this," Scott noted. "It should just be a very clear expectation among staff, parents, community members and our students that their phones are off and away throughout the school day. Unless they qualify for a medical exemption or their IEP (Individualized Education Program) as a result of a disability requires that they have access to a device."
One of the main talking points against this cell phone ban since it came up for discussion was some parents' concerns about being unable to directly communicate with their kids over the course of the school day. Scott reminds parents and caretakers that all schools in the district still have landlines, and it should be expected that adults in the school will allow for that line of communication to continue to happen.
"We need, I think as adults, to realize that our children, our adolescents need the opportunities to socialize and learn, and cope on their own without parents constantly hovering over everything they're doing," Scott said. "The research is finding that it's actually causing more harm for our students, for our youth, their mental health, and as they develop into adults. Because we're not allowing them the full opportunities - like years ago when I was a kid - to freely play, take risks, have that in-person interaction, and let them work out their challenges, conflicts on their own with their peers."
Riverside High School teacher Marc Bruno says he's very much in favor of such a ban on cell phones in the classroom. However, he says the devil is always in the details with any such plans.
"I think it's going to come down to the enforcement of the policy. If you have a policy and have no consequences when the policy is broken - when I say consequences, I'm all about calling home, I'm all about talking to the parents, taking all those steps - after a while, if that does not work, what do you do?" said Bruno with WBEN. "I think having clear consequences, and kind of progressive consequences, 'Hey, the first time, we're going to remind you of the policy. It's a new law.' We want to get people familiar with the law. But if students violate that policy and if it's just call home, call home, call home, call home, and there's never any other consequence, that exhausts a lot of resources in the school and a lot of time away from actual education of students. So I hope the Board of Education really develops a clear and concise, 'If you do not follow policy, this will be the consequences.'"
Cell phone distractions have been a serious problem at Riverside High School, according to Bruno, adding it's very hard to compete with social media and apps like TikTok from keeping students concentrated on learning.
"If I have to stop every two minutes to tell someone to put their phone away or give me your phone, it's exhausting after a while, if you don't have support," Bruno said. "If your administrative team is walking around the building and they pop in, 'Hey, does anyone need their cell phone removed?' That's important. So administrative support is huge for implementing this new law. But it'll all come down to consequences, and having a system in place. Will the students walk in and hand in their cell phone when they come in, or put it in a special location? And what if they don't do that? What if they don't comply? Then what?"
Many teachers like Bruno did not become teachers to suspend students, if they are not following the rules. However, Bruno is hopeful that parents understand that if their children don't follow the rules, there needs to be a consequence, that could eventually lead to suspension.
"The reason you have suspensions is because you put it on the parent after you've exhausted everything possible in the school. So this idea that parents don't really have a responsibility to encourage their son or daughter to follow the rules in school, I think we've gotten away from that in Buffalo, and we need to come back to logic, reason and common sense," Bruno said.
"If you don't want your son or daughter to get suspended eventually, after we've exhausted everything else in the school - calling home, whatever you want to do, a circle to try and work things out - if they get suspended, that's eventually on you, and you have to impose consequences at home."
Another thing Bruno asks parents to consider is just how poisonous too much activity on cell phones and social media can be for their kids.
"We're seeing some students who are on their devices all day long at school, and then they go home, they're playing video video games all night, etc. That is so damaging to their brain, to their social and emotional wellness," he said. "I would ask parents, would you give your son or daughter poison? And every parent would say, 'Of course not!' But that's what you're doing when you allow them to have an electronic device all day long.
"When social media first came on the scene, if you look at the number of students self-harming themselves - social and emotional, horrible issues happening, suicides going up - it all correlates to the introduction of social media to young people. You would not give your son or daughter poison, then you should support this law, and you should back us up - teachers and administrators - in holding your son or daughter accountable to follow the new law. We have to follow the law, we don't have a choice, so please support us in doing so."