Board debates enforcement of cell‑phone policy; directs superintendent to consult principals and teachers

Prince Edward County School Board trustees discussed the district's cell‑phone policy Tuesday, declined to change the written rule and asked the superintendent to work with principals and teachers on consistent enforcement strategies.

Policy committee members told the board that the district policy currently prohibits cell phones during the day except in limited locations such as the cafeteria and that the policy aligns with the governor's executive guidance. "Our policy, actually, goes along with what the governor has recommended," one member said. The committee recommended maintaining the policy as written while addressing uneven enforcement at the school level.

A board member called for stronger deterrents, questioning whether the current progressive sanctions (device held in the office until the end of the day on a first offense, parent pickup on a second offense, and week‑long retention on further offenses) are effective. District staff responded that inconsistent classroom enforcement—some teachers strictly restrict phones and others do not—has hampered policy impact.

The board did not adopt a harsher policy at Tuesday's meeting. Instead, it asked Dr. Cox, the acting superintendent, to meet with principals and teachers to develop sustainable enforcement strategies and proposed bringing recommended steps back to the board. "If it is a teacher‑led initiative of how to enforce the current policy the way it is, then it might be more likely to succeed," a board member said.

Trustees also noted that state legislation has been proposed in some jurisdictions to limit disciplinary penalties for phone violations, and asked staff to consider legal constraints as they craft recommendations. The board directed the superintendent to return with practical, collaborative enforcement options that minimize disruption to instruction.