ROCHESTER, N.Y. — New York may become one of the next states to ban smartphones in schools. Governor Kathy Hochul met with educators and parents in Western New York Wednesday as part of her listening tour focused on coming up with a policy to address this issue.

Hochul says we have to stop kids from scrolling their lives away. She wants to hear from stakeholders who will play a key role as she develops a statewide policy on smartphones in schools.

Stephen Fletcher and Andrew Dick look back on what they consider the good ole days when they didn’t have cell phones at all. Fletcher has a high schooler who is able to use her phone in the classroom depending on the teacher. His son in middle school in the same district is not allowed — they’ll confiscate it at the end of the day.

“I don’t think necessarily in the classroom it’s needed. In school when you are at your locker — if you needed to be in contact with family or parents it’s fine but in the classroom I think they can do without,” Fletcher said.

Abbey Graham, a middle school student in Brockport, says there’s a traffic light smartphone system in place. All the classrooms are red light — you can’t have your phone out. Bathrooms and lockers are red light also. Hallways and stairwells are green light.

“I’m kind of in the middle because I think you should be able to have your phone — if you need to call or text someone at home if it’s an emergency,” Graham said.

Dick believes there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to smartphone use in schools.

“They’ve got to be flexible. Those things are so prevalent now in society and people rely on them,” Dick said.

Jayden, a 10th grader at East High, says he walks through the metal detectors and hands in his cell phone. You get a pouch and a number. At the end of the day, students get it back. He’s not in favor of this or a ban but gets it.

“She’s kind of right but she’s wrong at the same time ’cause only kids who don’t want to learn and that don’t want to be at school go on their phone during the day. Obviously everybody does but there’s a time and place for it,” Jayden said.

His buddy Hudson Webster, a 10th grader at McQuaid, says high schoolers can have their phones in their pockets and at lunchtime they can take it out.

“Taking the phones away from schools should never happen because if you have an emergency if someone got hurt in your family how are you going to know?” Webster said.

Cora Meyer, an 8th grader, says a ban would be a hard pill to swallow.

“I think that it’s limiting a bit of the access they have to it and not taking it away completely,” Meyer said.

Hochul plans to announce her statewide policy proposal on smartphones in schools later this year.

A.I. assisted with the formatting of this story. Click here to see how WHEC News 10 uses A.I.