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Committee advances draft personal-electronic-device policy, flags exemption and privacy issues
Summary
The policy committee reviewed a JFCEB draft that clarifies when students may use devices (transportation, extracurriculars) and adds an exemption procedure; members raised privacy concerns that IEP/medical exceptions could identify students and asked staff to coordinate with administrators before placing the item in the board packet.
Philomath SD 17J's policy committee reviewed a draft personal-electronic-device policy (JFCEB), approved specific allowable uses and asked staff to tighten exemption procedures and privacy protections.
The Chair said the draft adds clarity to previously vague language and incorporates OSBA and Redmond district bullets. Under the draft, students may use devices on district-provided transportation during scheduled routes and during extracurricular activities at the discretion of coaches or advisers. The Chair also said the policy would include an AR for exemptions: "Exemptions will be considered based on the following criteria," she said.
Committee members asked administrators to review the draft the next day and flagged two areas for further work: a privacy concern that IEP and medical exceptions could single out students, and the need to ensure enforcement language does not unintentionally create punitive outcomes (the draft currently lists possible consequences but omits suspension/expulsion as automatic outcomes). The Chair said she had heard from the Department of Education that the state will not issue binding rules for the executive-order-related policy and encouraged districts to use the sample policy and send feedback for the state's FAQs.
The committee prioritized placing the personal-electronic-device policy in the upcoming board packet but agreed it could be pulled if administrators request further edits; staff were directed to make the clarifying edits and return the policy if substantive changes are needed.
