Hornell High School boots student cell phones from classrooms as 'major distraction'

Hornell High School students will return to classrooms in September minus their smart phones and devices.

Hornell city schools are among the latest Southern Tier districts to prohibit cell phone use by high school students during the instructional day and require the devices to be in lockers.

Hornell students and parents have been alerted to the change. At the end of the last school year, current Hornell high school students and students headed to the school in September brought home a primer on what the new policy entails.

And the language, guidelines and rules for cell phone use, or non-use, will be clearly explained in the school board-approved Student Handbook, according to Superintendent Jeremy Palotti. 

The new cell phone policy has no practical effect on the other buildings in the district because they have never permitted student use of cell phones/smartphones during the instructional day, Palotti said.

For the 2023-24 academic year that concluded last month, Hornell High School students had "red" and "green" zones where phones and devices could and couldn't be used. 

That policy is being replaced by a total ban.

“Phones, devices and their connection and use for taking videos and connection with various social media platforms during the day make them problematic, a major distraction to the learning environment, and the root of many social issues in and among students,” Palotti said Thursday in an email to The Evening Tribune.  

Palotti said, "There have been several studies over the past few years that support this move. In particular, the studies indicate a high level of distraction, lack of academic engagement and the creation of many social problems." 

What to know about Hornell High's new student cell phone policy

According to the district, students’ phones must be turned off and in lockers from 8:05 a.m. until 3:03 p.m.

The same goes for headphones and ear buds, which must be in lockers during the school day.

Phones are not allowed during lunch, which the district said is part of the “instructional day.” Eliminating access to phones during lunch allows students to have face to face conversations or engage in other activities, the district said.

Parents and guardians who want to contact their child should call the high school main office. Likewise, students who are ill or have an emergency should report to the nurse or main office and they will get help.

The district and parents will create a plan for students who require a smart phone for medical reasons.

More:Graduation photos: Hornell City School District celebrates 2024 commencement

How Hornell decision fits local, statewide push

Hornell's move comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul started a "listening tour" about the effect of smartphones in classrooms. Hochul described the phones as a clear distraction to students, and the governor indicated she favors a statewide ban.

"It seems to me that a district-by-district approach does not work," she said.

Many schools across New York have policies addressing cellphone use.

Wellsville, Andover and Whitesville schools put student cell phone bans in place ahead of the last academic year. Bolivar-Richburg Central School, another district in Allegany County, did the same thing a year earlier.