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Parents urge Jenkintown board to adopt research-based, building-specific personal device policies; board schedules further review
Summary
At its February meeting the Jenkintown School Board heard multiple parents and teachers urging research-backed, collaborative personal device policies; the policy is at first reading and the board signaled a possible March second reading after task‑force input.
Jenkintown — Parents, teachers and students urged the School District of Jenkintown on Tuesday to move toward research‑based, building‑level personal device policies that are developed with significant input from parents, teachers and students.
During the board’s public comment period on agenda items, multiple speakers — several self‑identified as parents — said unrestricted personal device use is disrupting classrooms and urged the district to form a collaborative task force to craft school‑appropriate rules. "A well structured, inclusive approach to developing personal device policies will ultimately lead to more effective implementation," one speaker said, urging building principals to work with parents, students and faculty.
Administrators and board members responded that the policy currently under consideration is at its first reading; the first reading opens the document for public discussion and the board will take a second reading at a later meeting (the board noted March as a possible adoption month). Several administrators described staff conversations this year about tighter enforcement in classrooms while preserving technology use for curricular needs such as digital photography and video under teacher supervision.
Middle‑ and high‑school staff noted the need to balance enforcement with accommodations for students who rely on phones for mental‑health contact with families and said some classroom exceptions will remain. The administration said it will seek parent and student input, including digital‑citizenship programming and presentations for staff and parents in coming months.
Next steps: The policy remains at first reading. Board members supported forming a working group composed of parents, staff, students and administrators and signaled they expect further public engagement before a second reading or an adoption vote.
(Reporting note: public comments and board responses are summarized from the meeting’s public comment period and the administration's remarks.)
