Neighborhood News: The Student You Are Trying to Call Is Not Available

Scenes from the first day of phoneless school.

- By Christopher Bonanos

TO KICK OFF New York State's school cellphone ban, Governor Kathy Hochul dropped by M.S. 582 in East Williamsburg on September 4. She brought along Frankie Focus, a hairy green spokescreature who (fittingly) does not speak. “You are going to be smarter because you'll be paying attention more,” Hochul told students. “Your teachers will have a better experience teaching you ... and ultimately, you're going to be better than anybody else.”