Committee debates stricter mobile-phone limits for students; administration to return with proposals

Summary

Committee members pressed for tighter restrictions on student mobile-phone use during school hours and asked administration to gather examples from other districts and provide implementation recommendations. Administration reported staff surveys and said principals and staff were already taking steps; no policy change was enacted at the meeting.

Committee members discussed updating the district’s mobile-phone policy amid growing concern about classroom distraction. Board member Juan Romero and Board member Tom Hankins both argued for stricter in-school rules, including keeping phones in lockers during instructional time and limiting use to before and after school or specifically permitted educational activity.

Dr. Bryan Garrison told the committee that staff surveys have been circulated and that principals have been discussing the issue at their schools; he offered to bring principals and survey results to the next policy meeting and to present possible implementation models.

Members cited models used by other districts and noted that some states have enacted statewide restrictions; the committee asked administration to research successful local and state policies, identify operational challenges, and return with recommendations and a plan for staff training and communication. No vote was taken on policy change at this meeting.