Dive Brief:

• A ban stopping New York City students from bringing cell phones to school will be lifted by Mayor Bill de Blasio.
• The policy was put in place by former mayor Michael Bloomberg, but it was widely criticized by parents, who complained that it made it difficult to get in touch with students during emergencies and during the periods before and after school.
• Under the new policy, it will be up to principal and teacher discretion to decide what appropriate cell phone use looks like, according to the New York Daily News.

Dive Insight:

This is a tough one. We live in a modern era where phones have been integral for how we keep in touch. Parents want to be able to coordinate plans with their children and relay information, but at the same time, cell phones can cause distractions and more behavioral issues in the classroom.

Currently at most schools, the unspoken rule is cell phones are allowed as long as they are not seen. Unfortunately, this can open doors for something of a "broken windows" form of school management that is inconsistent. Having clear rules helps eliminate frustrations and confusion on campuses. The New York Times lists a few options schools can take with the new policy: "They can require students to store phones in backpacks or in a designated place; allow use of phones during lunch or in designated areas; or allow phones to be used for instructional purposes."