(Bloomberg) -- New York City is considering reinstating a ban on cellphone use by students amid growing nationwide concern that the devices distract children from learning and erode mental health.

Schools Chancellor David Banks said in an interview with NY1 Wednesday that an announcement about a ban, which would affect almost 1 million public school students, is coming in about two weeks. 

“We want you to be able to bring your phone to school because the minute that school is over you need to be in communication with your family, so you’ll be able to do that,” Banks said. “But we’re going to look to have a system where you can’t use it during the school day.”

A ban would mean the two biggest US school systems have taken steps to address the issue of mobile phone use. Last week the Los Angeles Unified School District approved of an all-day ban, which is set to take effect in January. 

Banks says the plan for New York schools has been met with widespread support across the system.

“Everyone has been saying, ‘Take the phones,’” the chancellor said. “It is a major problem. Parents, administrators, teachers and kids.”

About 70% of high school teachers and one-third of middle school teachers say that students being distracted by cellphones is a major problem in their classrooms, according to the Pew Research Center.

New York City’s ban would standardize cellphone policy across the system, which currently allows schools to set their own rules. Some require students to lock up devices during the day.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she also plans to propose a statewide cellphone ban in schools during the 2025 legislative session.

Two decades ago, before the widepread use of smartphones, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg instituted a cellphone ban in New York schools. It was lifted by his successor, Bill de Blasio, in 2015.

Bloomberg, in a Bloomberg Opinion column this week, renewed his call to ban the devices in New York schools, citing their “devastating effects on learning.” The former mayor is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent of Bloomberg News.

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