If school smartphone policy videos could win awards, the Frisch School, a Modern Orthodox yeshiva high school in Paramus, New Jersey, should win all of them.
Seriously, I would give them an honorary Emmy if I could, because their super funny, “The Office” (or I suppose, “The Paper”) style video about their no cellphone policy is one of the best made and most hilarious things I’ve seen all year. It’s superbly written, impeccably produced and surprisingly well-acted. Seriously, 10/10, no notes, Frisch student body!
Unlike New York City, which implemented a K-12 phone ban policy this September, New Jersey does not yet have an official cellphone ban, though Governor Phil Murphy called for one back in January of 2025. But some schools and school districts are being proactive and implementing their own, including Frisch — and it seems like the students are using humor to cope with their cellphone withdrawal.
A video about this new ban, released this week, offers mockumentary style documentation of the students as they try to survive their seventh day with no phones. We see them relying on things that all their millennial and Gen X parents used to pass the time in an attempt recreate the joys of infinite scrolling and social media.
“Check out this app, it’s called ‘pencil,'” one student tells another as they doodle the logos of Instagram on paper.
“This is my For You Page now,” one student — who deserves an acting award — dryly tells the camera about a sheet of photography slides.
Another tries to use Siri on a bananaphone.
A group of girls dance in front of an old camera. One student imagines posting an achievement in his head, and laments getting zero likes and comments. An enterprising young man tries to illegally deal in dial up chords. One teen sadly refreshes her calculator, hoping to get messages instead of math, while a group of boys proudly use note-passing as a DM alternative.
The teachers and administrators are in awe. “It’s amazing, they’re communicating, like, with voices,” one says.
I’m obsessed with this video. Kol hakavod, Frisch School, on making lemons into lemonades (or apples into apple juice, as this is Rosh Hashanah season). You’ve definitely given this cellphone addicted mom some some (bananaphone?) food for thought — and hope for the future.
