More 80% of New Jerseyans support school cellphone ban, poll finds

More than eight in 10 New Jersey residents support the state’s new ban on non-academic cellphone use in public schools, with overwhelming majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents backing the restrictions, according to a new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.

The poll found that 83% of residents support the ban on cellphone use during the school day in kindergarten through 12th grade, including 59% who strongly support it and 24% who somewhat support it. Just 13% oppose the restrictions, while 4% are unsure.

Support crosses nearly every demographic and political divide, although younger adults are considerably less enthusiastic. Nearly all residents 65 and older (94%) support the policy, compared with 72% of adults ages 18 to 34.

“There is very little in New Jersey politics that more than 8 in 10 residents agree on, and even less that Democrats and Republicans agree on this closely,” said Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University.

The ban took effect at the start of the 2026-2027 school year under legislation Gov. Phil Murphy signed in January. The law requires public school districts to prohibit non-academic use of internet-enabled devices during the school day, allows certain exceptions, and gives districts discretion over implementation.

Republicans are slightly more supportive of the policy than Democrats, 87% to 85%, while 79% of independents back the restrictions. The differences fall within the poll’s margin of error.

Support also increases with household income, although it levels off among the highest earners. The ban is backed by 72% of residents earning less than $50,000 annually, compared with 84% of those earning between $50,000 and $100,000, 89% of those earning between $100,000 and $150,000, and 86% of those earning at least $150,000.

White residents are more likely than Black residents to support the ban, 85% to 74%. Support ranges from 79% among residents with a high school education or less to 88% among those with graduate degrees, and from 80% in suburban communities to 90% in exurban areas.

The generational divide is even more pronounced when measuring support intensity. Among residents 65 and older, 77% strongly support the ban, compared with just 39% of adults ages 18 to 34.

“The one stark divide here is generational,” Koning said. “Older residents back this almost unanimously. The youngest adults who are the closest to having lived it, however, are the most hesitant, and even they support it by 3-to-1.”

The poll found little difference between parents and non-parents. Eighty percent of parents and guardians of children under 18 support the ban, compared with 84% of residents without children under 18 in their households, a difference within the margin of error.

Parents are also slightly less likely to strongly support the restrictions, 55% to 60%. Overall support ranges from 78% to 85% among households with no children, one child, or two or more children.

The findings suggest broad public approval as schools begin enforcing the restrictions, although the poll measured attitudes toward the ban rather than its impact on classroom behavior or academic performance.

The Rutgers-Eagleton Poll surveyed 1,004 New Jersey adults from September 24 to 27 with a margin of +/- 4.1%.