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Board advances first reading to ban student cell phone use districtwide
Summary
The Coldwater Community Schools board held a first reading of revised Policy 51.36 to prohibit student cell phone use during the school day; the board corrected the draft to apply districtwide and scheduled a second reading at the next regular meeting.
The Coldwater Community Schools Board of Education held a first reading of a revised personal communication devices policy that would bar students from using cell phones during the school day.
Chair (speaker 3) presented the administrative recommendation from the board's policy advisory committee and administration, saying the proposed revision would "specifically [ban] students' cell phone use during the school day" and asked the board to acknowledge the first reading. The committee described the change as intended to reduce classroom distractions.
A board member flagged a typographical error in the draft: the policy text initially referenced the high school only, but the record was corrected on the floor to make the ban districtwide. "That is incorrect. The policy will be district wide," the Clerk (speaker 2) confirmed.
Members discussed how the rule would be enforced and whether the district had sought parent feedback. One board member asked whether the proposal had been shared with parents or families to gauge community sentiment. "Is it has this been floated out just in general, like, to gauge parent community?" a member (speaker 6) asked. Another member said staff had been surveyed but could not confirm a parent survey.
The committee noted examples from other districts, including Sturgis, where administrators reported positive results after similar policies. A member of the policy advisory committee (speaker 4) said the committee favored a firm policy rather than a gradual rollout: "we discussed not gradually introducing it, but letting saying this is the policy and we do not want them to use them." Committee members also mentioned possible limited allowances such as use during lunch and additional staff or dean-of-students support to implement the rule.
The board recorded a roll call for the first reading; Members Holbrook, Steele, Dean and Lyon/Welch voted yes. Members Frederick and Lake were noted absent; Member Vilsborough was also recorded as absent in the meeting record. The first reading was acknowledged; the board will conduct a second reading and consider final adoption at the next regular meeting.
The board announced the next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 25, 2025, at 6 p.m. at the Administrative Service Center.
