New Haven Schools' Cell Phone-Free Policy For All District High Schools Celebrated Monday

NEW HAVEN, CT — Monday the city and schools "celebrated the districtwide implementation of its new cell phone-free schools policy for all New Haven Public Schools’ high school students."

Mayor Justin Elicker, schools' Superintendent Madeline Negrón, New Haven Federation of Teachers President Leslie Blatteau, Alder Carmen Rodriguez, and Metropolitan Business Academy Principal Ann Brillante, students, and teachers held a news briefing on the new policy.

Watch that here:

New Haven Public Schools has 10 high schools serving over 5,800 students. Metro is one of nine schools implementing the cell phone-free policy this fall, and New Haven Academy piloted the program last spring. All middle schools implemented the policy last school year.

"It has been well-documented that the use of smartphones by students causes serious learning disruptions and distractions in schools, resulting in negative effects on students’ education, social interactions, mental health, and overall well-being," the Mayor's office noted in a news release.

Following the U.S. Surgeon General advisory and subsequent guidance from the Connecticut State Board of Education on the impact of social media and cell phones on youth, New Haven adopted a new districtwide policy covering the use of cell phones and other personal technology devices during the school day.

Under the new policy, students are required to secure their cell phones in locked pouches upon arrival at school and not permitted to access them until the end of the school day, barring certain preapproved and discreet usages.

Complementing this initiative, Elicker proposed, and the city Board of Alders approved, $375,000 in city funds to purchase Yondr pouches for the school district to ensure proper cell phone storage. The school district also provided interested students, parents, and other stakeholders with opportunities to learn about, discuss, and provide input on the new cell phone-free schools policy in advance of its implementation.