Public commenter raises concerns about proposed cell-phone ban and translation access

A speaker at the July 15 meeting asked the board for a status update on a proposed cell-phone policy and expressed concerns about implementation, medical exemptions and translation access for families who rely on phone-based translation apps. The speaker said the policy must be workable across multiple buildings and staffing configurations. Tracy Wallace addressed trustees during the non-agenda public comment portion and said she had asked about the district's forthcoming cell-phone policy at a prior meeting. Wallace said the policy must be decided before Aug. 1 and asked why it was not on the current agenda. She asked how the district would administer medical-exemption determinations when the policy listed only one staff role authorized to review requests, and she raised questions about contingency plans if that individual was unavailable. She also said Google Translate and phone-based apps are imperfect but are essential tools for some families and asked how the district would provide translation support if phones were restricted on campus or on buses. Wallace urged the board to provide clearer guidance about who can authorize phone use for medical reasons, how many staff across buildings could make determinations, and how students would communicate in emergencies or while on buses if phones were restricted. The meeting transcript records the public comment but shows no immediate policy vote or formal board direction on the record; the speaker's requests are entered in public comment for potential staff follow-up.