Starting September 2026, New Jersey classrooms will go quiet—at least on the cellular front.
On Jan. 8, former Gov. Phil Murphy signed a sweeping new law that mandates all public school districts ban student cellphones the entire school day, from “bell to bell.”
Response has been mostly favorable. For example, The New Jersey Education Association and various school officials applauded the move, stating it will reduce distractions, improve academic focus, classroom management and boost mental health.
Opposition has been centered largely on safety. Parents worry that in an age of health issues and school emergencies, a ban severs their only direct lifeline to their children.
While the law may be a step in the right direction, it’s certainly no panacea. I believe that proponents are overstating the benefits and opponents are misdirected.
The law focuses on what we take away, but ignores what we’ve left behind. In the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, the ‘replacement’ is already on every desk: the Chromebook.
As research, I called a friend’s son who is a freshman in high school. His reality confirms a frustrating irony. While phones may migrate to lockers, the screens remain wide open. In the majority of his classes, his Chromebook is out and often connected to the internet.
When you remove the phone but keep the laptop, you haven’t solved the distraction problem; you’ve just moved it to a larger screen.
The district rolled out a 2016-2019 Technology Plan that laid the groundwork for a digital future by implementing a 1:1 initiative designed to put a laptop in every student’s hands. The goal was ‘blended learning’ that used technology to augment the classroom experience with new tools for research and collaboration. Then Covid-19 hit in early 2020 and the pandemic fundamentally shifted the role of the device.
Almost overnight, the laptop moved from supporting the classroom to replacing it entirely.
In a June 2020 statewide op-ed, I warned that leaders were overly reliant on technology as an academic solution and instead suggested a pivot toward imaginative solutions—specifically nature and the outdoors—to prevent the anxiety and depression caused by e-learning isolation.
Predictably, the mental health crisis intensified. While returning to school brought temporary relief, symptoms of anxiety and distress remain at record highs.
To address this crisis, we must stop debating which screen is less harmful and look toward the one environment where notifications are replaced by the focus of the natural world.
Since 2017, my Hopewell Express columns have advocated for improving well being by replacing screentime with time outdoors. From promoting “forest bathing” to echoing Richard Louv’s warnings of “nature deficit disorder,” a term that perfectly captures the cost of our digital isolation.
Study after study confirms the physical, spiritual, and mental health benefits of nature.
At a local level, I worked to ensure there are outdoor classrooms and green spaces at every school. New Jersey is called the Garden State for a reason. We have significant access to nature and understand it should be a solution and not an afterthought.
Let’s contrast what happens when you replace screens with nature.
Physical. Screens heavily contribute to the sedentary lifestyle associated with obesity and disease. Further, children suffer a higher risk of myopia—a condition the outdoors actively helps prevent through natural light and varied focal distances. The outdoors is movement based and being outdoors provides Vitamin D, which is crucial for immune function and bone health.
Sensory. According to Harvard Health, blue light emissions from screens can disrupt sleep, cause eyestrain and potentially cause disease. Conversely, natural light and fresh air are essential for regulating circadian rhythms, improving mood, and enhancing overall physical health.
Mental. Excess screen time is linked to increased anxiety, and stress. Exposure to natural light increases serotonin, helping to combat depression and reduce stress. Natural settings lower cortisol levels and aid in treating Seasonal Affective Disorder.
The new cellphone ban is a recognition that our children are in trouble, but a policy of subtraction is only half the battle. If we want to truly heal the ‘Nature Deficit,’ we must pair these bans with a commitment to the outdoors. New Jersey’s legacy shouldn’t just be about what we took out of our students’ pockets, but about the green spaces we put back into their lives.
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