Shelter Island students survey students on cell phone ban

Recently, The Inlet, the Shelter Island School newspaper, published a survey it had conducted on a new policy passed by New York State in May 2025, which requires a “bell-to-bell” ban on internet-enabled personal devices in all public, charter, and BOCES schools.

Under the direction of The Inlet’s co-editors-in-chief Jackson Rohrer and Rosie Hanley,  Makayla Cronin, a sophomore staffer on the paper, created the survey and wrote a story on the findings:

“This September, a new phone ban law went into effect, and Shelter Island High School is taking it seriously. Every morning, students must place their phones in special pouches that block all internet and Bluetooth signals. No texts, no calls, no notifications. Students put the pouches with their phones in their lockers and can only take them out for lunch or at the end of the day. Parents who need to reach their child during the school day can call the school office or send an email to their child.

“If anyone tries to sneak their phone, Mr. Brigham, a teacher at Shelter Island High School, has a device that detects phones not in pouches. If it goes off, or if you’re caught using your phone, it gets taken away. After multiple offenses, parents are contacted. Students are also not allowed to use their phones during school hours even if they step outside — they must be completely off-campus to use them.

“The Inlet interviewed nearly 50 secondary students this month to see how they are dealing with the new phone ban — and opinions are split.”

The survey found:

• Two weeks into the ban, 37.2% of secondary students support the new law, while 62.8% oppose it. 

• Nearly half of students — 48.8% — say the policy benefits the school, compared with 51.2% who say it does not. 

• And under the assurance of anonymity, 14% admitted to sneaking phone use past the regulations, while 86% said they had not.

If overall compliance falls below 80% by Oct. 15, the district will shift to a centralized device check-in system for all students.

The Inlet’s co-editors-in-chief, Jackson Rohrer and Rosie Hanley, together with advisor Devon Treharne, launched The Tide Report last school year. The survey and story were published in The Tide Report, a free, bi-weekly district-wide email newsletter sent to every parent, student, and faculty member in the Shelter Island School District, with the option for out-of-district subscribers to join as well.

Created as a complementary outlet — not to compete with The Inlet — The Tide Report provides an additional news source that reflects the voice of the student body while covering school and community life.