Politicians have plenty of skeletons in their closets. They hate nothing more than when they are exposed.
Now a Democrat Governor went completely off the rails and started burning receipts.
A Fuzzy Fiasco: Hochul’s Tone-Deaf Mascot Unveiled
Governor Kathy Hochul’s latest push to promote New York’s “bell to bell” school cellphone ban took a bizarre turn last week with the debut of “Frankie Focus,” a fluffy, Sesame Street-style mascot that’s flopping with its intended audience. Unveiled at a Brooklyn middle school, the cartoonish character was meant to rally support for the ban, which prohibits smartphone use during school hours to foster distraction-free learning.
Instead, Frankie has drawn eye-rolls from educators, parents, and students alike, who call it “completely tone-deaf” for targeting phone-savvy teens with a mascot better suited for preschoolers. Hochul’s refusal to disclose the costs of this misfire, funded entirely by public dollars, only fuels criticism that she’s dodging accountability for a campaign that’s missing the mark.
Missing the Mark: Teens and Parents Unimpressed
The cellphone ban, backed by many for its focus on improving learning, aims to curb distractions among middle and high school students, but Frankie Focus is striking out. Queens high school teacher Moshe Spern didn’t mince words, stating, “It’s completely tone-deaf.
We all agree that the cellphone ban would be great for students and learning. But having a silly cartoon character be the focus of the promotion loses the target audience: middle school and high school students.”
He added, “Having a cartoon character thrown in their face is not going to make them happy. It insults their intelligence.”
Parent Yiatin Chu echoed the sentiment, saying, “The use of a mascot doesn’t appeal to parents and certainly not high school students. It doesn’t appeal to me. I’m not sure the mascot helps her cause.”
Another supporter, speaking anonymously, noted, “The law is more successful than the mascot. I don’t know any 13- to 18-year-old who could be convinced with a mascot like that.” The ban itself, which has sparked debates over limiting access to phones and laptops during study periods, deserves serious discussion, not a cartoonish sideshow, critics argue.
Dodging the Bill: Hochul’s Lack of Transparency
While Hochul’s office boasts about Frankie’s social media presence and his “perfect double backflip,” as spokesperson Sam Spokony quipped, it’s conspicuously tight-lipped about the mascot’s price tag.
The state has allocated $13.5 million to help schools implement the ban, including $4 million to New York City’s Department of Education, but Hochul won’t specify how much went to Frankie’s creation and promotion, admitting only that it’s part of a publicly funded campaign.
“Frankie just kind of showed up at our office last week and did this perfect double backflip, which was pretty wild,” Spokony said, adding, “He’s not affiliated with any companies or brands, and he really, really doesn’t like smartphone distractions at school.”
Hochul defends Frankie as a tool to “spread the word” about distraction-free learning, claiming, “As the Governor’s always said, our kids succeed when they’re learning and growing, not clicking and scrolling.” Yet her refusal to disclose costs, coupled with reports of discussions with Hillary Clinton’s team on the ban’s rollout, raises questions about priorities and oversight.
By sidestepping transparency, Hochul undermines trust in a policy that supporters, like those in Clinton’s camp, see as vital, leaving critics to wonder if she’s more focused on gimmicks than governing responsibly.
