Benefit or detriment? Staten Island students weigh in on cell phone use in school

Editor’s Note: The author of this article is a St. Joseph Hill Academy student who participates in the Advance/SILive.com High School Journalism Immersion program. The initiative is designed to help young people explore the world of community journalism.

Student journalists Nicholas Acquilano (Staten Island Academy), Gabriella Alvarez (Curtis High School) and Daniela Diaz (Staten Island Tech) contributed to this report.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- If you ask an average teenager which two factors in their life take up most of their time, the answers are likely universal: their school and their phone. But how do different schools view the use of cell phones? Are they detrimental or beneficial to students?

As New York state is currently debating a cell phone ban in all public and charter schools, the Advance/SILive.com recently spoke to members of both private and public school communities about whether the devices should be kept out of classrooms.

At Staten Island Academy, which is an independent private school on Todt Hill, cell phones are allowed during the school day. Yet cell phone use in the classroom is limited, at the discretion of the teacher.

“As a teacher who regularly asks students to conduct research on their phone, I also understand that it is a major source of distraction for some students that have not yet managed to determine when it is appropriate to use versus when it distracts from the learning environment,” said Franklin Davison, a teacher at Staten Island Academy. “I do not think it would be realistic to eliminate phones entirely, especially when other electronic devices have the same utility of phones. But, it should definitely be limited for students who do not demonstrate the ability to determine for themselves when it is appropriate to use.”

The issue is divisive, since phones could both hinder and help learning. Students may be tempted to scroll endlessly rather than pay attention to their academics, and more opportunities for cyber bullying may increase with phone usage in the classroom. Yet, phones could be used for the more visual learners and could be implemented for research purposes. The cellular devices could additionally foster communication among peers for group projects, study help and more.

“I think phone usage during school cannot be restricted completely, as they are used as educational tools as well,” said Luke Mullins, a junior at Staten Island Academy. “Students from around the world can use phones to benefit their learning experiences and global connections, but that is all dependent on the accessibility of phones to students in varying regions. As a big population of students do have access to phones and technology in schools, they would rather use them in as many situations as possible than not. More specifically, phones can create more distractions from learning and make in-person interactions less common.”

Earlier this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a proposal to ban cellphones in classrooms to create a “distraction-free” environment in public and charter schools across the state. If the legislation is passed, by the start of the 2025-2026 school year every public school student will be required to disconnect from their device during school hours bell-to-bell.

While each school district’s cell phone policy would have to include a way for parents and guardians to get in touch with their child during the school day, some Staten Island students emphasized the role phones play in providing students easy access to communicating with their family.

“My phone is the device that I use to coordinate plans and to solve problems. I have to talk to a lot of people throughout the day. I have to text my dad to see if he’s picking me up or not and a bunch of other technical things,” said a sophomore at Staten Island Technical High School, who asked that her name not be used.

Allowing cell phones during the school day lets students be in the loop on what is happening in their life outside school. Dismissal plans, necessary things to do after school, and other important information could be conveyed from parent or guardian to child through texts. The same student added: “If I didn’t have my phone, there would be no other opportunity to do that, and it would be an eight-hour-long gap in my life where I cannot plan anything.”

Phones could offer opportunities to calm down from stressors due to school, while they could also add more stress to an adolescent’s life.

“It’s a source of comfort for me. My phone is much more convenient for me. There are certain apps I have on my phone that I don’t have anywhere else,” said another sophomore at Staten Island Technical High School, who also asked that her name not be used.

Similarly, Randy Moran, a student at Curtis High School, said his feelings are mixed regarding the possible ban of cell phones at school.

“I would experience a range of emotions,” he said, “including anger and happiness. Being on my phone has become a habit for me, but I would also feel pleased because not having it would reduce distractions and help me focus better on my studies.”