Although New York’s statewide smartphone ban has been largely successful in helping students focus in class and socialize more at lunch, it has also exposed an unexpected skill gap among students: Many struggle to read traditional clocks.
As of a June 2025 EdWeek tracker, New York is one of 21 states, as well as Washington D.C., that have banned smartphones ‘bell to bell’ in schools.
But, according to Gothamist, multiple teachers have stated that while the smartphone ban has been helpful, it has also exposed that many of their students can’t read analog clocks…