Durham schools debate device ban, smartwatches and smart glasses during first reading of draft cell‑phone policy

Summary

District staff presented draft policy 43.18 after a wide community engagement exercise; the board backed the draft on first reading and referred it to the policy committee for further work, while directing staff to poll middle‑school principals and expand outreach to non‑English speaking families for implementation guidance.

Durham Public Schools presented a draft policy (43.18) on student use of cell phones and personal wireless devices, citing a recent districtwide thought exchange that gathered 353 participants and 277 substantive comments. The policy committee moved the draft for first reading and asked staff to return with further guidance and principal input.

The draft, as described by staff, would prohibit personal devices during instructional time and allow a narrower set of exceptions — for example, devices documented in a student’s IEP or 504 plan or required for safety or translation. The policy also includes language about bus use (audio only with headphones) and enforcement steps that place confiscation authority with administrators, not teachers, and reserve device searches to the district’s student‑search policy (43.42).

"Both sides agree the policy should strike a balance between safety and learning," Dr. Giovanni said…

Durham schools debate device ban, smartwatches and smart glasses during first reading of draft cell‑phone policy

Summary

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