As many of you are aware, New York State has recently enacted a sweeping ban on student cell phone use during the school day. While I understand and respect the intentions behind this legislation — namely to reduce distractions, foster face-to-face interaction, and improve focus — I believe it’s important to acknowledge the challenges, unintended consequences, and lost opportunities this ban may create for our school community.

First, I want to be clear: we have long worked to balance responsible cell phone use with the learning environment. We’ve implemented guidelines, taught digital citizenship, and intervened when technology became a distraction. Many of our students have proven that they can use their phones responsibly — researching in class, communicating with parents, or documenti

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