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Glen Rock Board adopts updated cell-phone policy after debate over timing and classroom consistency
Summary
The Glen Rock Board of Education approved updated policy 5516 and its accompanying regulation on student cell-phone use after trustees debated whether to delay changes until summer; one board member voted against the specific phone policy and regulation.
The Glen Rock Board of Education on Feb. 10 approved updated policy 5516 and an accompanying regulation that codifies building-level practices for student cell-phone use, after extended debate over whether to delay changes until summer.
Board President and trustees said the policy is intended to reflect current classroom practice and to give administrators clarity and authority. The vote on the package passed on a roll call vote; Board member Michael Cohen voted no on policy 5516 and on the related regulation (G2 and G3 on the agenda), while other members voted yes.
The discussion began when a motion was made to pull policy and regulation 5516 from the consent voting block so the board could deliberate further. Board member Miss Parlamas moved to remove the items from the voting block, saying, “I would like to make a motion to pull policy and regulation 5516 from our voting block tonight, and we can vote on it again in the future.” Several trustees argued the changes should be delayed until the summer so any new regulations would take effect for the next school year and administrators and teachers would have time to prepare.
Trustees who urged delay said implementation mid‑year could place an immediate operational burden on building leaders and staff. Board member Ed Hayward urged prudence but also expressed a longer-term preference to reduce students’ everyday phone use: “That said, I hope cell phones eventually become not a part of every kid’s day to day life.”
Administrators and board members also said the regulation as written would largely codify practices already in place in many classrooms—for example, teachers who require phones for class activities or managers who use phone‑storage pouches to collect devices during instruction. Supporters said codifying current practice protects teachers and administrators by making expectations explicit.
Opponents cautioned that the policy as written still allows variation between buildings and teachers and urged additional stakeholder input. In the final roll call, Cohen recorded his opposition to the two phone items specifically: he announced, “Except for G2 policy 5516, I'm voting no. And then G3 regulation 5516, I'm voting no,” while voting yes on the rest of the consent block.
The board approved the consent block containing policy 5516 and the regulation on a roll‑call vote. Several trustees said that approving the regulation now would not preclude reworking it after soliciting faculty and community input this spring and summer.
Votes at a glance: the board approved the G items consent block moved by Karen Stevenson and seconded by Liz Calvez; the board later approved related B and P consent blocks by roll call. On the motion to affirm a closed‑session report concerning a GRMS HIB case (see separate article), the board voted unanimously to affirm the administration’s decision.
What happens next: Trustees said they expect additional discussion with building principals and faculty and that any substantive regulatory changes would be timed to start with the new school year. The board also signaled it will invite input from teachers and parents before changing enforcement practices districtwide.
