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District moves to remove pagers from device policy and allow admins to require deletion or transfer of student images
Summary
The North Penn School District policy committee recommended forwarding a revision to Policy 3‑52 that removes outdated references to beepers and pagers and authorizes administrators to require staff to delete or transfer student‑related content captured on personal devices.
The policy committee voted to forward a revision to Policy 3‑52 that removes references to beepers and pagers and gives the superintendent or designee authority to require staff to delete or transfer student‑related content captured on personal devices when necessary to protect student privacy.
Solicitor Summers said the pager/beeper language is outdated. The added provision clarifies that staff who use personal devices at work — for example taking photos on a field trip — may be required by the district to delete that content or move it to district storage if administrators determine that action is necessary to protect student privacy or for retention purposes.
Administrators said the change is designed to reflect commonplace practice (teachers using phones to take photos) and to create a clear process when parents request removal or when content is no longer needed. The change does not, per the solicitor, change general employee rights or routine appropriateness rules for personal device use at work; rather it provides administrative authority to address privacy concerns.
The committee voted by voice to recommend the revision for first reading at the work session.
Provenance: Discussion of personal electronic devices and the rationale for removal of pager/pager references begins at about 35:18 in the transcript and continues through the policy motion.
