Governor Kathy Hochul appeared on NY1’s “In Focus” with Lori Chung to discuss her administration’s distraction-free learning policy for New York schools. The policy requires all K-12 public, charter, and BOCES schools to implement plans ensuring students are phone-free throughout the school day.
During the interview, Governor Hochul described a year-long process of engaging with students, parents, educators, and administrators to understand the impact of cell phones in classrooms. She noted that teachers face challenges competing for students’ attention due to constant cell phone use. Hochul stated that this environment negatively affects educational outcomes and contributes to mental health issues among teenagers.
“So, a couple things occurred. I learned that teachers are enormously frustrated because they’re trying to teach a math class and they’re competing with a TikTok dance video — and they know they lose every time,” Hochul said.
She also highlighted concerns about the effects of social media algorithms on young people’s mental health, including increased feelings of sadness and depression. The governor recounted conversations with students who felt pressure to remain constantly connected through their phones out of fear of missing out or being excluded socially.
“One girl told me, as I was sitting in her high school library, she goes, ‘I have to keep an eye on my phone because sometimes they mock out my clothes and sometimes the girls are meeting in the restroom to make plans for Friday, and they’re not including me — and I need to know what people are saying about me.'”
Hochul explained that her administration has invested $1 billion in mental health services for youth in schools across New York State. This includes providing more therapists and counselors at both elementary and secondary levels. She emphasized efforts to reduce stigma around seeking mental health support.
“I realized as a new governor a few years ago, enough has not been invested in mental health services. I put $1 billion out there to have everything from mental health supports in schools — which we had not needed in previous generations, even in grade school.”
The new phone ban will take effect during the upcoming school year. Hochul cited feedback from districts that have already implemented similar policies: after an initial adjustment period, students began forming stronger interpersonal connections and engaging more actively during lunch periods and between classes.
“They actually had gone to this a few years earlier. I wanted to ask them what the experiences were, and they said there’s a tough transition at first. But what each one told me is that they’re making friends in person; they’re having conversations in real time with the person sitting next to them at lunch; they’re engaging.”
Hochul acknowledged parental concerns about safety but referenced law enforcement input indicating that limiting cell phone use can be beneficial during emergencies by preventing distractions or accidental sharing of sensitive information.
“And when I learned from law enforcement, police chiefs, and sheriffs and others who said, ‘If there is something going on the school campus or in the building,’ an active shooter, for example — worst nightmare, ‘the last thing you want is for that child to have their cell phone go off and reveal their location…'”
The governor encouraged parents to model healthy behavior regarding device usage at home. She also promoted initiatives like “Get Offline, Get Outside,” which aim to increase outdoor activities among children as part of broader efforts supporting youth well-being.
“Start weaning your kids, get them engaged in other activities — like our whole initiative ‘Get Offline, Get Outside’ is about promoting the great outdoors…”
The distraction-free learning policy reflects growing concern over student engagement and mental health issues linked with pervasive technology use within schools nationwide.
