Lynnbrook board seeks policy language to implement state ban on student internet-enabled devices; administration given enforcement discretion

The Lynnbrook Board of Education on June 11 directed its policy committee to draft school-level language to implement a New York state law that bans the use of “internet‑enabled devices” on school grounds during the school day.

Superintendent Dr. Thomas Lynch opened the discussion by stressing the board has limited discretion: “There is now a law on the books that obliges this board and every board in New York State to adopt a policy that bans the use of all Internet enabled devices from K to 12, from the beginning of the school day to the end of the school day, everywhere on school grounds.” He told the board the state phrasing explicitly includes smartwatches and other devices beyond smartphones.

The discussion focused on how to reconcile the statutory ban with Lynnbrook’s open high‑school campus, parents’ safety concerns, and practical enforcement. Board members and administrators raised three recurring issues: (1) how to account for students who leave campus for lunch or other reasons, (2) how to enforce the ban consistently without creating disparate impacts on families with different work schedules, and (3) exceptions for students with health or disability needs.

Key points…