Just under a year ago, headteachers at primary schools in St Albans told families their learning environments would be smartphone free and urged parents not to give their children the devices until the age of 14.

Gov. Kathy Hochul argued that the “bell-to-bell” ban — which restricts the devices during class, lunch and other parts of school — would help prevent disruption and cyberbullying.

New York will ban the use of smartphones and other internet-enabled devices (like smartwatches) during school hours, as the state aims to shield students from addictive technology and improve their mental health.