AMBE Banning Cell Phones at All Schools

On September 19, 2024, the Ahkwesahsne Mohawk Board of Education (AMBE) released a letter to the community of Akwesasne stating, “After careful consideration and consultation, we have decided to implement a new policy regarding cell phone use at our three elementary schools.”

This policy reflects similar school district policies in New York State and the province of Ontario. The AMBE policy went into effect on Monday, September 23, 2024.

“Students will not be permitted to have cell phones at school. This decision has been made due to an increase in incidents where phones have been used in harmful ways, such as:

Bullying and harassment of other students

Filming without consent

Posting videos of incidents that occur during school hours

We believe that by removing cell phones from the school environment, we can better protect our students and support their learning and social development.

The AMBE policy details:

Students are not permitted to bring cell phones to school.

If a student is found with a cell phone, it will be confiscated immediately by staff.

Confiscated phones will only be returned to a parent or guardian, who must come to the school to retrieve it. The phone will not be returned directly to the student.

Understandably, AMBE families have concerns about this policy, especially if the their child (chdilren)relies on cell phones to communicate with their parent before or after school hours. AMBE assured that “the school office remains available for any necessary communication between parents and students during the school day.”

In Ontario, students in kindergarten to Grade 6 will be required to keep phones on silent and out of sight for the entire school day, unless explicitly permitted by an educator. For students in Grades 7 to 12, cellphones will not be permitted during class time unless explicitly directed by the educator. Moreover, social media websites will be removed from all school networks and devices, and report cards will include comment on students’ distraction levels in class. The government will provide mandatory training for teachers and new supports for students and parents.

The government is also strengthening the rules around students caught using or carrying vapes or cigarettes. Students will be required to surrender these products, along with parents being notified immediately of the situation. The government also officially announced $30 million in the 2024 Budget to install vape detectors and other security upgrades in schools.

In contrast to New York State, Ontario is providing support for these initiatives – the Ontario government is investing $17.5 million in new wrap-around supports for student mental health and parent engagement. This will include:

$15 million to provide supports for students at risk of addictive behaviors

$1 million to partner with School Mental Health Ontario to develop webinars and resources targeted to parents and students across the province to learn how to talk about the adverse effects of vaping and excessive cellphone usage

$1.5 million to Parent Involvement Committees and students to run local prevention campaigns to help deter vaping and cellphone distractions

In New York State, the state’s largest union – the New York State United Teachers met on September 20, 204 and issued this resolution.

“The resolution specifically supports a statewide law or policy requiring “bell-to-bell” restrictions on these devices – from school opening to dismissal – with exceptions allowed for instructional purposes and student health and safety needs. This would allow students to remain fully engaged in their educational and social experiences. 

Additionally, the resolution specifies: 

Such restrictions should be designed locally, with input from parents, educators, unions, and other stakeholders, specifically addressing alternative communication methods and systems for parents and caregivers.  

Educators should not bear the sole or primary responsibility for the implementation or enforcement of these policies. 

State resources should be available for implementation costs so that individual schools or districts are not financially burdened by any required investment. 

The resolution was passed unanimously by the 83-person Board that represents members in every region of the state, and it will guide NYSUT’s advocacy and policy positions moving forward.”

NYS Gov. Hochul is in favor of a state-wide policy for the use – or banning of cell phones in NYS schools.