Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office declined to disclose how much the state spent creating and promoting a fuzzy mascot — dubbed “Frankie Focus” — unveiled last week to promote a new “bell-to-bell” ban on cell phones in New York public schools, drawing criticism from educators and parents who say the character is mismatched to the policy’s target audience.
Supporters and opponents of the ban agree the rule aims to reduce classroom distractions, but several teachers and parents said the Sesame Street–style mascot is better suited to preschoolers than to middle and high school students and risks undercutting the campaign.
Queens high school teacher Moshe Spern called the mascot “completely tone deaf,” saying a cartoon character “insults their intelligence” and will not persuade teenagers to change behavior. A parent, Yiatin Chu, who supports the ban, said the mascot did not appeal to her and risked trivializing a serious issue.
The governor’s office said the mascot is part of a broader state public service campaign to promote distraction-free learning, and that the state has spent $13.5 million to help schools comply with the law, including $4 million to the New York City Department of Education. Spokesman Sam Spokony said the campaign is being funded with public funds and declined to provide a line-item cost for the creation, costumes or promotions tied specifically to Frankie Focus.
Hochul showcased Frankie Focus at MS 582 in Brooklyn on Sept. 4 as part of an event promoting the ban. The governor’s office has said the mascot maintains separate social media accounts and described the character as unaffiliated with commercial brands. A spokeswoman offered a lighthearted description of the mascot’s arrival, saying Frankie “just kind of showed up at our office last week and did this perfect double backflip,” and that the character “really, really doesn’t like smartphone distractions at school.”
Some advocates for the ban defended the policy while acknowledging the mascot has drawn attention for the wrong reasons. One supporter who requested anonymity said, “The law is more successful than the mascot,” and suggested most 13-to-18-year-olds would not be swayed by a cartoon character.
The push for the statewide ban has drawn support from a range of education advocates and, according to those backing the measure, involved consultations with high-profile figures. Sources who support the ban said former U.S. Sen. and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her camp were in discussions with Hochul about implementing the policy, though the governor’s office did not provide details about the talks.
Critics and some educators also pointed to real-world complications the law raises in secondary schools, where students and teachers debate access to laptops and phones during free study periods or for instructional needs. They said those operational questions are not addressed by mascot-driven messaging.
Supporters of the ban say it aims to improve learning by limiting in-class distractions; the state-funded compliance assistance includes funding, guidance and resources for school districts. The administration has emphasized that the campaign’s aim is to build public awareness about the benefits of uninterrupted classroom time.
The disclosure stand-off adds to broader scrutiny of how state governments spend public funds on communications and outreach. Without a breakdown of the mascot-specific expenditures, lawmakers, watchdog groups and the public lack the information necessary to assess whether the spending aligns with the campaign’s educational goals.
Hochul’s office said it would continue to promote the ban and provide support to districts implementing the policy. The office did not release further detail on whether additional promotional materials or figures were planned.
The debate over Frankie Focus underscores a central question for the administration’s outreach strategy: whether a lighthearted mascot will help broaden public buy-in for a policy aimed principally at adolescents, or whether it will distract from the substantive operational and educational issues surrounding classroom device use.