In New York State, starting in the month of September 2025, something unheard of happened. A bell-to-bell phone ban was put in place. The new law, in effect in Galway and all NY schools, expects children to lock up their phone in a box when they arrive at school and retrieve them when they are about to leave school. The purpose of this is to provide students with uninterrupted learning, and to help them get used to not always having a device on them. However, some questions may arise. Is this effective? Is it worth all the trouble? Is this really helping? Are students and administrators following the rules and putting this into practice? 

Different answers may be given depending on who you ask, but in my personal opinion, I have seen a difference. Of course, there are always going to be students who do not want to listen to the rules. They will sneak their phone into the bathroom and doomscroll on Tik Tok, but for the most part I have witnessed students comply, mostly because they are too scared of the consequences if they do not. Most students keep their phones locked in their lockers, not in the lockboxes, just simply because it is comforting to know your phone is right in your locker just in case. 

For the most part I have not necessarily noticed a difference in how much students pay attention during class time. Teachers had always previously enforced not being on your phone during class and in past years they would get taken away from us if we were caught. The same students who would go against this rule and choose not to further their education, are still the same students who stare off into space, talk when the teacher is talking, or even do other work that is not related to the current class that they are in.

I have noticed a social difference. During lunch times, study halls, and moments where class gets done early and we have a few minutes of free time, my classmates have actually started to talk to each other. In lunchrooms kids were playing board games, and even going homework, because they did not have their phone to look at during that time.

Overall, I believe that this phone ban is effective. There may be times when I wish I had my phone, but for the most part I agree with this ban. Humanity is more connected now in the school setting, making all the difference!

Leave a comment with your opinion of the ban!