With attention spans falling and teacher and staff irritation rising, New Jersey is starting to implement the frightful phone ban. Following New York’s governor, Kathy Hochul’s proposed ban, the phone ban was introduced on October 17, 2024. Governor Murphy referred Assembly Bill 4882 to the Assembly Education Committee, included in this bill are limitations and prohibitions on student use of cell phones and social media platforms during classroom instruction. With six sponsors such as local Assemblywoman Rosaura “Rosy” Bagolie and Assemblywoman Aura K. Dunn, this bill will press schools and their DOE (Department of Education) to adopt a policy that requires a cell phone and social media suppression during classroom instruction.
Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, NJ, has already started to carry out the phone ban by having “test days” on February 4, 11, 12, 20, and 21 before officially executing the “Off and Away” cell phone policy on March 3, 2025.
When asked how the phone ban has been affecting students at Ridge High School’s education so far, Alex Luther ‘28 from Ridge High School said, “Yes, the phone ban has been positive but also has been negative during the whole thing. I have found that I’ve been more patient with schoolwork and overall less overstimulated. Some negative aspects are that finding my friends in the Halls to walk with or get to lunch has been harder, and communication and socialization have also been obstructed.”
With the possibility of a phone ban, there comes some concern for emergencies happening during the school day and students are incapable of reaching their parents or guardians. Dr. Neigel says that he is worried that a possible emergency could happen while having a phone ban in place “ is a potential safety insecurity” to students and parents.
Dr. Neigel also says that students having their phones on them is important to parents because “they know where their kids are and can get in contact with them if necessary”.
Letting students have their phones present with them at certain points throughout the school day is beneficial. Dr. Neigel said “I believe that cell phones should be off and away during instructional time, which is our current school procedure. That being said, I am not sure that phones should be banned during unstructured times like lunch and study hall. Some students rely on their phones to relieve stress and anxiety during unstructured times, for better or for worse, and that helps them get through the day. I do believe that there are potentially positive aspects to a full-day phone ban, but I do not believe it is a panacea.”
To look further, a phone ban could prevent students from not only coordinating and communicating with their parents but also coordinating with their friends. When the lunch bell rings, a phone provides a way for students to communicate with their friends.
Brady Stevinson ‘27 said, “You can text your friends like are we going to the media center or upper gym or cafeteria for lunch if you don’t have a class with them you know where to meet up with your friends”.
Students, staff, and parents are still divided on a phone ban in the school setting as it could positively and negatively affect education and students’ social lives. Although the phone ban is a relatively new topic in the State Legislature, the ban has already been taken into exertion in different school districts such as Ridge and other districts could ensue in the following months and/or years.
