New Jersey teachers enforce statewide phone ban, recount first day without devices

In the final weeks of his term, Governor Phil Murphy approved legislation that obliges every New Jersey school district to bar non-academic use of internet-enabled devices on campus. The Department of Education warned that unrestricted phone use can lower grades, damage emotional well-being, and erode a positive climate. At a small public high school in the state’s northwestern region, the principal instructed students to lock phones away for the entire day, citing consistency with other districts and the need for teachers to model the rule.

On the first day, classrooms were quieter, hallways less crowded with devices, and students engaged more directly with one another. Reactions varied: some pupils felt bored, while others appreciated the chance to think more deeply. The experience echoed earlier bans on beepers and radios, suggesting a broader historical trend of schools curbing technology to improve focus.