New York City mayor working to allow cell phones in public schools

NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says his office is preparing to implement changes to the cell phone policy in the city's public schools.

The mayor said he wants to allow students to have phones, which were banned during Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration.

De Blasio says his office is working on a strategy that would be consistent and not allow the phones to be a distraction for students.

Parents we spoke with were split on the idea of a change.

"As far as this school's policy, I agree with it 100 percent," one parent said. "Kids' cell phones should be off, in their book bags, 2 o'clock, they turn them on, they can get in touch with their parents."

"How is a teacher going to teach when you have gonna have kids, and kids is going to be kids, they're gonna be pulling out their cell phone," another parent said. "They're gonna be texting, playing games, things like that."

The mayor says his office will come up with a timeline for the new strategy in the coming weeks.