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Former New York Metropolis Chancellor David Banks on Friday urged Mayor Eric Adams to take “decisive motion this 12 months” on a systemwide college cellphone ban, in a few of his first public feedback since his abrupt exit final October.
“As Chancellor, this was one of many initiatives I deeply believed in,” Banks wrote on LinkedIn Friday, referring to a New York Day by day Information op-ed entitled “Ban smartphones in public colleges.”
“Whereas Mayor Adams determined to take extra time to contemplate this coverage, I hope that we see decisive motion this 12 months,” Banks continued.
Banks’ feedback Friday have been his clearest effort but to distance himself from the choice to not transfer ahead with a systemwide college cellphone ban this college 12 months.
Adams put the kibosh on that proposal final August after Banks spent months hinting about an imminent plan. Disagreement over the cellphone ban was reportedly a part of a rising rift between the longtime associates within the remaining months of the college chief’s two-and-a-half 12 months tenure. Banks departed in dramatic style final October amid escalating federal investigations into Adams’ internal circle.
Banks’ push additionally comes as conversations about college cellphone bans are heating up once more in Albany. Gov. Kathy Hochul has repeatedly expressed her issues concerning the function of telephones in colleges and is mulling issuing statewide coverage within the coming weeks.
Adams mentioned in a press convention final month that town would adjust to state coverage.
The thought of a systemwide college cellphone ban within the nation’s largest college district gathered vital momentum final college 12 months in a matter of months.
Banks expressed skepticism concerning the thought as lately as final March, however rapidly turned an ardent supporter. Banks credited the ebook “The Anxious Technology” by NYU professor and New York Metropolis public college father or mother Jonathan Haidt and conversations with college principals for altering his thoughts.
“The proof is obvious,” Banks mentioned Friday on LinkedIn. “Limiting cellphone use in colleges improves security, reduces distractions, and addresses the rising psychological well being challenges our kids face, together with on-line bullying.”
Roughly 90% of colleges throughout the nation reported incidents of cyberbullying final college 12 months, in keeping with federal schooling division survey knowledge.
Banks signaled early final summer time that he supposed to implement a systemwide ban beginning this college 12 months.
However Adams threw chilly water on that concept in late August, saying town was “not there but” and that he didn’t need to introduce a coverage he would later must roll again. “We need to make certain we have now mother and father on board,” Adams mentioned.
Training Division officers in the end inspired colleges to contemplate cellphone bans however didn’t mandate it. Officers mentioned firstly of the college 12 months that they anticipated some 850 of town’s roughly 1,600 colleges to have a ban in place this 12 months.
Training officers additionally mentioned they deliberate to work with the Well being Division this college 12 months to check the perfect practices for cellphone use in colleges. A spokesperson informed Chalkbeat that examine is underway however didn’t share any findings or say when will probably be achieved.
A spokesperson for Adams didn’t instantly reply to questions Friday about Banks’ feedback or town’s plans for college cellphone coverage.
Lower than two weeks after Adams introduced he was pumping the brakes on the college cellphone ban, federal officers searched the house of Banks and his spouse, former First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. Investigators have been reportedly wanting into whether or not Banks’ brother Terence improperly leveraged his household relationships to attempt to safe metropolis contracts for shoppers of his consulting agency. Quickly after, Adams was charged with violating federal bribery and marketing campaign finance legal guidelines as a part of a separate investigation. Neither Banks nor Wright have been accused of wrongdoing.
Banks introduced his retirement in late September, saying he had been planning to step down for months and denying that the choice had something to do with the investigations.
He initially deliberate to remain in his place by means of the tip of December, however Adams accelerated that timeline amid an effort to show to Hochul, who has the ability to take away the mayor, that he may proceed governing. That prompted a vital assertion from Banks, who mentioned the sooner departure date undercut his capability to conduct a “accountable transition for our employees.”
Banks didn’t reply Friday to a request for remark.
Michael Elsen-Rooney is a reporter for Chalkbeat New York, overlaying NYC public colleges. Contact Michael at melsen-rooney@chalkbeat.org