TRENTON, NJ — On January 14, 2025, NJ Governor Phil Murphy (D) gave his last State of the State address before his term-limit for the New Jersey governor’s seat ran out in 2026. Among the slew of promises he is seeking to implement, one made headlines more than the others: Governor Murphy called for a state-wide cellphone ban for students in public K-12 schools.
On paper, this ban may seem great. However, students weren’t asked about this ban, at least I wasn’t. So, what do I think about this plan? It shows a complete disconnect between Murphy and the youth who would be affected by this ban for numerous reasons.
First of all, the main reason for this ban is grades. Grades! Grades! GRADES!!! It’s the majority of what those who advocate for a ban like this talk about. But the fact is, students still use their phones and get good grades. For example, occasionally I use my phone during class, and I have never had a grade drop below a B- in my high school career. Now, yes, I do understand that students can fail classes because of their phones. However, the students who fail classes because of their phones will just find other ways to distract themselves from learning. So, why don’t we focus on how to improve education instead?
Second of all, many others say the ban will help prevent cyberbullying. Well, the fact is, most of the time cyberbullying happens at home. The idea that students are insulting each other through Instagram during tests is baffling. The fact is, a lot of the time these insults are thrown after school or, even if they are thrown during school, they are seen at home. So, why don’t we focus on improving anti-bullying programs instead?
Third of all, and most importantly, banning phones takes away a crucial device, one that allows for emergency communication. Look, we have to be honest; attacks on schools happen, it is a terrible thing, and the idea of not being able to access my phone to call for help or even say to my family that I love them is sickening. So, why don’t we improve gun safety instead?
Overall, there are many ways we can improve NJ and its schools without banning phones, and frankly, Murphy’s phone ban shows just how little he understands the students of NJ.
