Excitement and nerves filled the air as students across Brooklyn returned to school for the first day of classes on September 7, 2023. In neighborhoods ranging from Bushwick to Park Slope, families embraced fresh beginnings and reflected on the changes that the new academic year brings. A significant point of discussion was the rollout of New York State’s new “bell-to-bell” cell phone ban, aimed at creating distraction-free learning environments.
At M.S. 582, The Magnet School for Multimedia Technology and Urban Planning in Bushwick, New York Governor Kathy Hochul welcomed students at 08:45. She emphasized the importance of reducing distractions in classrooms. “We want to make sure you can keep learning,” Hochul stated. “Kids from all over the state will see this change, but you are among the very first to have this. Your teachers will have a better experience teaching you and getting to know you better.”
The cell phone ban elicited a range of reactions from parents and students alike. At P.S. 321 in Park Slope, parents Khalea and Austin dropped off their daughter, Leilani, who was excited to start her final year of elementary school. “Because I’m going to sixth grade next year,” she said with a grin. Her mother, Khalea, expressed mixed feelings about the ban. “I’m 50-50 because I understand,” she remarked. “But a lot happens in schools these days, and it’s nice to know that there’s communication throughout the day.”
Austin, on the other hand, felt unfazed by the ban. “I didn’t have a cell phone in fifth grade myself. A lot of kids in the school don’t have a phone yet. People forget there was a time when nobody had cell phones. I think everybody will be fine. They’ll cope,” he stated.
Opinions on the ban varied among students as well. Fifth-grader Geneva Martina-Morrison expressed her opposition, stating, “I hate it. It’s to communicate with your family if you are in an emergency. If there’s an intruder, my first instinct would be to call my mother.” In contrast, her cousin, Hesron Morrison, supported the policy, arguing that phones can be distractions. “When they can put that away and engage in class, it is very important as students,” he said.
Some parents were firmly in favor of the cell phone ban. Carrie Schulman, whose daughter Genevieve began middle school at M.S. 51, called the ban “brilliant.” She explained, “It puts the focus on learning and not the stress of who’s snapping you or taking your picture without your permission. I just think all of that stress is removed, and I’m very grateful for it.”
Not everyone shared her perspective. A parent involved with the PTA expressed concerns, stating, “I actually disagree with the ban. I believe that the kids should have them in case of a medical emergency.”
For some families, the first day of school represented not just a new grade but a new chapter in their lives. Siblings Rose and Thomas began fourth and second grades at P.S. 321 after relocating from Curacao. Their parents, Bram and Clara, highlighted the importance of finding a home within the school zone. “We have friends in the neighborhood who pointed out that [P.S. 321] was a very good public school,” Bram noted. “Once we got the house, which is just around the corner, it felt like a double win. So, I’m very happy and very excited.”
As students filled the classrooms across Brooklyn, the first day of school marked not only the end of summer but the beginning of new opportunities, challenges, and discussions about the policies shaping their educational experiences.
