Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Policy Cellphones topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Jim Hill senior urges more flexible cell-phone rules; board members ask for parent input and pilot safeguards
Summary
A Jim Hill High School senior presented survey results and proposed revisions to the district cell-phone policy, suggesting earned privileges, use at lunch and during transitions, and limited in-class headphone use for independent work; trustees asked for parent feedback and cautioned about enforcement and misbehavior risks.
Charlie Porter, a senior at Jim Hill High School and the student board representative, presented recommendations for loosening Jackson Public Schools' cell-phone policy and shared survey results collected from students.
Porter said her team gathered 89 responses. She reported that 92.6% of respondents said they would be more motivated by increased device use as a reward, and 99.5% said listening to music while working independently would help focus. "The pros, in my opinion, I do believe it keeps learners from being distracted or off task in class," Porter said, adding that students wanted some flexibility during noninstructional time.
Porter proposed a set of policy revisions that would make some device use a privilege earned by good attendance and behavior. Key recommendations included: allowing personal electronic devices during lunch; allowing device use during class changes if the school's tardy rate is below 5%; permitting students with no discipline referrals and satisfactory attendance to use devices during homeroom before instruction begins; allowing headphones for independent practice when not disruptive; and granting devices to students who are proficient on state tests as an incentive.
Board members questioned the methods and scope of the survey, enforcement mechanics and whether parents were included in the outreach. Dr. Green and trustees thanked Porter for the work and asked that any wider policy changes be developed with parent input and careful pilot testing. Trustee Ms. Hilliard asked whether the team had tested any proposed changes; Porter said they had not piloted the revisions.
Trustees expressed interest in targeted pilots rather than systemwide immediate change. Concerns included how to prevent misuse, how to verify eligibility, and whether device privileges would create inequities. Porter said proposed privileges should be earned and revoked for students who break rules.
Ending: Trustees urged the student to continue engagement and recommended staff return with options that include parental feedback and enforcement guidelines before the board considers formal policy changes.
