Catalina Foothills board hears wide public support for stricter phone rules; first reading updates technology use policy

The Catalina Foothills Unified School District Governing Board on June 24 conducted a first reading of proposed revisions to policy IJNDB and its regulation IJNDBR, which would limit student access to social media during school hours and set districtwide expectations for personal wireless devices.

The proposal would restrict student access to social media platforms except when a teacher allows use for instruction; require K–8 students to keep personal devices “off and away” for the school day; require grades 9–12 to keep devices off and away “bell to bell” during each class period while permitting use during lunch, passing periods and before/after school; and retain narrow exceptions for medical needs, teacher-directed instructional use and emergencies. Cheryl Castro, the district’s executive director of curriculum and assessment, presented the policy changes and said the draft also adds a paragraph describing the district’s commitment to teaching…