Board deadlocks on cellphone policy after vigorous student and board debate

Phoenix-Talent School District board members on Wednesday debated and ultimately failed to adopt a district policy that would implement a statewide directive limiting student cellphone use during school hours.

The policy under consideration—board policy JFCBE, "Personal Electronic Devices"—was discussed for more than an hour. Superintendent Brent Berry told the board the governor had issued an executive order requiring local school boards to adopt a cellphone policy by Oct. 31, with an implementation date of Jan. 1. "She passed the executive order that says we have to pass policy at a board level addressing cell phones," Berry said during the meeting.

Students and staff spoke at length during the discussion. Several student representatives described caregiving responsibilities and jobs that require them to check in with family members during the school day, and they warned that a strict ban at meal periods could create practical problems. "About 50% of students do care for younger siblings after school," a student representative summarized after a quick advisory survey of juniors and seniors; another student said some students rely on a phone to communicate about family health or transportation. Students urged the board to create flexible procedures for exceptions and to consider additional private spaces or phone lines in the office.

School administrators and board members expressed concern about classroom distraction and student mental health; board members and staff cited research and opinion on both sides of the issue. Multiple board members said they wanted flexibility to accommodate students with 504 plans or individualized education programs (IEPs) and other documented needs.

The board took multiple procedural steps during the meeting, including amendments and revisions to the draft policy. After debate and amendments, the board did not vote to adopt the policy: a motion to approve the policy as amended failed to achieve a majority. Because the motion did not pass, the district remains without a single board-adopted cellphone policy at this time.

Why it matters: The policy is intended to implement a state-level directive about phone use during the school day; adopting a local policy is legally and politically consequential. District administrators said they will continue working on local procedures and communications while monitoring any follow-up from state officials.

What happens next: Staff said the district can still adopt, revise or reintroduce a policy at a future meeting. Administrators also told the board they would continue informal accommodations for students with urgent needs and work to improve Wi-Fi, device access and other technical supports so students can complete classwork without relying on personal phones.

Quotes from meeting participants: "We have to pass a policy by Oct. 31, which is why we're going on it today," Superintendent Brent Berry said when announcing the timeline.

Student representatives urged practical solutions, including additional office phones and clear internal processes for documented exceptions. "If we were able to have another telephone in the office, the students could use to call home," one student said.

Board reaction and split vote: Board members who favored passage said they wanted to comply with the state directive and create a consistent rule; members who opposed the motion raised concerns about equity, unfunded administrative burden and potential harm to students with caregiving responsibilities. The vote did not carry, and the board left the policy unchanged at the meeting.

District officials said they will continue to refine options and report back. The board did not set a new adoption date by the end of the meeting.