With the new ban on internet-enabled personal electronic devices in New York public schools, we are not taking anything away from our students — instead, we are giving something back. We are giving them back their ability to focus, and we are giving them back the chance to have meaningful face-to-face conversations with their friends.

Adolescents’ thirst for texting, video streaming, TikTok scrolling, Instagram posting and other activities eats up an average of 1.5 hours during each school day, according to a recent JAMA Pediatrics research letter. That’s more than seven hours a week when these children could be engaging with educators, interacting with one another and taking a break from what for many is an addiction.

Phones are a major distraction. A single buzz or notification can pull students away from a lesson, and even the presence of a phone nearby reduces attention and retention.

Time away from social media and group chats is also expected to improve our students’ well-being and reduce bullying, fights and other behavioral problems.

Thanks to the bell-to-bell ban that the UFT fought for and won, educators will not have to give up instructional time to collect, return or confiscate cellphones. And by barring phones from the classroom, we are creating the best possible learning environment for our students.