Webutuck discipline referrals drop by half after cellphone ban

AMENIA — The Webutuck Central School District’s cellphone ban has led to a 50% drop in office discipline referrals compared with the same period last year, administrators said.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul required school districts statewide to implement cellphone bans beginning with the 2025-26 school year. Implementation was left to individual districts, with Webutuck requiring students to store their phones in lockers during the school day. Supporters of the policy argued that cellphones created distractions and contributed to student conflicts.

New York State’s action is part of a nationwide movement that now includes 20 states with outright bans in schools. In Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont announced in a press conference on Monday, March 2, a similar proposal to Hochul’s that would require schools to limit access to cellphones during school hours.

Webutuck Superintendent Ray Castellani said he initially doubted the ban would work.

“I would be the first to say that I thought it was going to be a complete nightmare,” Castellani said.

Instead, he said, he was proven wrong, and the school has seen measurable improvements in student behavior.

Lauren Marquis, the district’s Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Technology, provides reports on the school’s status to the board of education. She said early disciplinary data show office referrals — when teachers formally send students to administrators for discipline — fell by roughly 50% during the first half of the school year compared with the same period in 2024-25.

“That’s across everything, but it’s very telling,” Marquis said.

Castellani and Marquis said only a small number of students have faced discipline specifically for carrying a phone. Many students self-report or comply when reminded by teachers, they said.

Castellani acknowledged that a few students — a number, he said, he could count on one hand — have had phones confiscated for repeat violations. In those cases, he said, both students and parents were cooperative.

“I think having New York State do it as a whole helped,” Castellani said.

Castellani attributed the success to the strong relationships Webutuck administrators and staff have with students. He said there’s a trust within the school that’s unique.

“There has always been a trust of them with us, I believe, more so than any other school district I’ve worked in,” Castellani said. “Once in a while, you’re going to make a mistake. We’ll deal with it — we’re not going to throw the book at you.”

Marquis said the benefits extend beyond the drop in office referrals.

“They’re interacting,” Marquis said. “We’re like ‘there’s noise in the cafeteria, it’s loud again,’ which is a good sign.”

She also described the district’s digital hall pass system, which tracks students’ movements outside class during instructional time. Students are leaving classrooms less frequently and spending less time in hallways, she said.

Students offered a more measured view of the policy. Seniors Evan Bremmer, James Singleton and Evan Hood said they understood the reasoning behind the ban but felt its impact varied.

“It didn’t really change much for me,” Bremmer said. “I feel like it’s the same.”