New Jersey’s School Cellphone Ban Shows Early Promise, Students and Educators Tell Governor Sherrill
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By Adam Rizvi | Editor, The India Observer (TIO): CHERRY HILL, NJ — New Jersey’s statewide ban on cellphone use during the school day is beginning to change classroom experiences, with students and educators reporting fewer distractions, stronger engagement and more face-to-face interaction, according to accounts shared during Governor Mikie Sherrill’s visit to Cherry Hill High School East on October 22.
Sherrill met with students to hear how the state’s new bell-to-bell restrictions are affecting their academic routines, classroom participation and relationships with classmates. The policy took effect with the 2026–2027 school year following legislation signed by former Governor Phil Murphy in January 2026.
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The law requires New Jersey public school districts to establish policies restricting students’ use of cellphones and other internet-enabled devices throughout the school day, including lunch periods, study halls and time between classes.
For students accustomed to checking messages and social media throughout the school day, the change represents a significant adjustment.
Giovannina Viglietta, a junior at Cherry Hill High School East, said she had experienced two years at the school when phones were permitted throughout the day. In the first two months under the new policy, she noticed improvements in her productivity and stress levels.
Without the constant temptation to check messages or social media updates, Viglietta said she was better able to concentrate on classwork and felt less pressure to remain connected.
Her account reflects one of the central arguments behind cellphone restrictions: reducing digital interruptions may give students more opportunities to concentrate on learning and interact directly with their peers and teachers.
School districts have flexibility in determining how to enforce the restrictions. Options include locked phone pouches, lockers, classroom storage or requiring students to keep devices switched off and secured in their belongings.
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At Cherry Hill High School East, students must keep their devices turned off and out of sight during the school day.
According to the district’s approach, violations are addressed through a graduated process emphasizing student responsibility and positive decision-making. Depending on the circumstances, a student may be required to secure a device in a phone locker for the remainder of the day.
New Jersey Education Commissioner Dr. Lily Laux said educators and administrators across the state have reported more focused classrooms, greater student engagement and fewer disruptions associated with social media following an initial adjustment period.
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Laux cautioned that no single policy can solve every educational challenge, but said the restrictions are helping schools establish better conditions for teaching and learning.
Dr. Kwame Morton, superintendent of Cherry Hill Public Schools, said smartphones have dramatically changed the school environment over the past decade.
He cited concerns about student attention, anxiety and online conflicts spilling into schools, as well as the effects of social media on sleep and physical activity.
Since the restrictions took effect, Morton said, staff and students have reported greater engagement and more face-to-face conversations. Teachers, he added, no longer have to compete with phones for their students’ attention to the same extent.
Sherrill said the policy is part of her administration’s broader effort to protect young people’s mental health, support parents and address harmful and addictive features of digital platforms.
“When kids put down the screens,” the governor said, their mental health and academic performance can improve, emphasizing the importance of creating opportunities for students to learn, build friendships and connect with teachers without constant digital distractions.
The cellphone restrictions are one component of New Jersey’s wider effort to address the effects of social media and online platforms on children.
On her first day in office, Sherrill established the Office of Youth Online Mental Health Safety and Awareness within the New Jersey Department of Health to coordinate the state’s efforts to improve online safety for young people.
In August, she signed three bills intended to strengthen protections for children online, including measures addressing age-appropriate digital design, privacy safeguards and platform features that can encourage prolonged engagement.
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Earlier this week, Sherrill announced that Rutgers University had been selected through a competitive grant process to host New Jersey’s dedicated Social Media Research Center. The center is intended to study social media’s effects, addictive features and emerging risks to children. Work is expected to begin immediately.
The policy has drawn support from state lawmakers, education organizations and parent advocates.
Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald said teachers should not have to compete with phones for students’ attention, particularly as schools continue addressing learning loss associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
State Senator Paul Moriarty said reducing classroom distractions could help students succeed academically while supporting their overall well-being.
The New Jersey School Boards Association and New Jersey PTA also voiced support, emphasizing the importance of focused learning environments, meaningful peer interaction and student well-being. The PTA stressed that parents, students and educators should have a voice as districts implement the policies.
The early accounts from Cherry Hill offer a favorable initial picture of the cellphone restrictions. However, determining their lasting impact will require more than individual observations from the first months of implementation.
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Student achievement, classroom engagement, social interaction and well-being will be important measures as schools gain experience with the policy. Districts will also need to balance restrictions with legitimate needs, including emergency communication and appropriate educational uses of technology.
For now, New Jersey’s approach reflects a growing effort to establish clearer boundaries between students’ digital lives and their time in school. Whether the reported improvements continue over the full academic year will be an important measure of the policy’s success.
Source: New Jersey Governor’s Office press release, October 22, 2026.
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Source: New Jersey Governor’s Office press release, October 22, 2026.
