Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Policy Cellphones topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Conestoga student urges board to consider districtwide cell-phone ban; board says it is reviewing policy
Summary
An 11th-grade Conestoga student asked the Tredyffrin-Easttown board to add an item to the Sept. 23 agenda to restrict or ban student cell-phone use, citing distraction and a Texas district—s reductions in online harassment; the board said it is monitoring the issue and soliciting stakeholder perspectives.
Beau Phillips, an 11th-grade student at Conestoga High School, urged the Tredyffrin-Easttown School Board during public comment on Aug. 26 to add a policy item to the Sept. 23 agenda to restrict or ban student cell-phone use districtwide, citing classroom distraction and research he said linked bans to reductions in online harassment.
"Therefore I request the school board by the next school board meeting on Sept. 23 that this particular item is added to the consideration of the additional agenda items and that by then a policy is pursued to restrict or ban cell phone use entirely," Phillips said. He characterized current enforcement as inconsistent and said some teachers stop enforcing confiscation after a few weeks.
Board President Kantorsek and Dr. Guzik responded that the district recognizes the issue, has policies and regulations related to electronics, and is monitoring developments. The district noted competing perspectives: concerns about distraction versus instructional or safety uses of phones. Dr. Guzik encouraged the student to stay involved and said the district is "actively monitoring and taking perspectives from all stakeholders on that matter."
No board action to add the item to the Sept. 23 agenda was recorded in the transcript; the president and superintendent characterized the matter as under active consideration and continuing conversation with stakeholders.
