Hochul sounds off on cellphones at NYSUT's 'Disconnected' conference: 'I want kids to be kids again'
NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York Governor Kathy Hochul continued her statewide listening tour on cellphones in schools, listening to teachers concerns at the New York State United Teacher's "Disconnected" Conference.
This is a continuation of the tour that has already included stops with parents across the state.
Gov. Hochul continued to state her opposition to students' cellphone use in schools during a question and answer session on Thursday.
"When it comes to our kids on an issue like we're talking about today, doing nothing is simply not an option. When I took office, I vowed change. I had seen that our mental health system here in the State of New York had languished from neglect. Forgotten. No one talked about it. But yet, New Yorkers were suffering. And you know who was suffering the most? Our kids," Hochul said.
The governor says that children are being robbed of the ability to develop social skills during childhood that they will need later in life.
"Our job is to raise adults, fully functioning adults who emerge from childhood with the social skills that they develop in school settings. They're being denied that now, because the cellphone has taken over human interaction. We can stop this now. We can work with the kids who've already had to deal with the stress and the anxiety and all those pressures. We can help them."
Hochul simply wants children to have a childhood.
"When it comes to the school day, I want our kids to be kids again. I want them to talk to each other in the hallways. I want them to yell and talk to each other in the schoolyard, I want them to communicate during lunchtime," she said.
While many are in support of Hochul's plan, some parents and students say in today's world where school shootings happen, students should be able to contact their parents or police.
Last week, there was a report of a gunman on campus at Brandeis High School on the Upper West Side.
It's not yet known why, but the unfounded threat was never communicated to parents. They only learned of it through their students, who had phones.
Hochul called last week's concerns about the situation at Brandeis High School "a shortcoming" in communication between the school and parents.
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