A debate playing out throughout New York state is whether cellphones should be banned for students during the school day. The ban is considered to be a priority issue for Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Those in favor of doing so were at an event at the Crowne plaza in Suffern on Thursday to talk about why.

It was called "Disconnected," put together by the New York State United Teachers union, or NYSUT, it focused on the negative impacts of kids using cellphones during school.

This event comes days before the deadline for the state budget on April 1. The unions want it to include a ban on phones during the school day.

"It is all about creating an environment where students can be creative," said Melinda Person, president of NYSUT. "They can focus. They can learn."

"That is the purpose of school for kids to thrive," said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.

There were more than 200 educators and students in attendance.

"Personally, I always put my phone in the caddy because I don't want to get in trouble and I really want to focus on my studies," said Emily Garcia, a junior at Port Chester High School.

She puts her phone away but some of her classmates don't.

"They're like 'Why am I not getting good grades?' But they're not paying attention either.," she says.

"What we're seeing is what happens after they leave the class, right? And they're on their free time, lunchtime. To think they can come back to class and continue learning, right away, is getting to be harder and harder," says Ryan Odell, a teacher at Putnam Valley High School.

The other side of the argument is that there are many parents who want their kids to have cellphones for emergency situations.