Wake County Board adopts revised cellphone policy after hours of amendments

The Wake County Board of Education on June 3 adopted Board Policy 43.18, governing student use of personal wireless communication devices, on its second reading after extended debate and several amendments.

The approved policy requires students to keep personal devices silenced and put away during instructional time; the board split rules by level, limiting device use most strictly in elementary schools and allowing more noninstructional access at high schools. The board also added explicit exceptions to protect students with documented needs: individualized education programs (IEPs), Section 504 plans, individual health plans, safety plans, documented translation or assistive-communication needs, and cases where school staff authorize brief, reasonable use to contact someone outside school.

Dr. Julie Crane, chief policy staff, presented the draft and walked the board through counsel’s recommended edits before debate began. “We are bringing to you tonight draft policy 4 3…