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Presenter outlines Barstow Unified policy: devices must be off and out of sight during class; searches limited
Summary
A presenter summarized Barstow Unified School District's mobile device policy: devices must be turned off and stored during class, with limited exceptions (emergencies, teacher permission, documented medical need, or IEP use); searches require parental permission, a warrant, or an immediate-danger emergency; the district is not liable for lost or damaged devices.
A presenter walked listeners through the Barstow Unified School District's mobile device policy, saying the central rule is simple: "When you're in class, your device has to be turned completely off. And I mean off, not just on silent or vibrate." The presenter said the rule covers phones, smartwatches, tablets and other mobile devices and that devices must be kept out of sight during instructional time.
The presenter emphasized the district provides three typical storage options for class: classroom pouches or sealed cabinets, or keeping devices in a backpack or purse, but "you cannot touch it or access it during class," they said. Outside instructional time the policy allows device use before school, during lunch and after the final bell, provided other school rules are followed.
The policy lists four in-class exceptions: use in a genuine emergency; direct permission from a teacher for an instructional purpose; a documented medical need; and required use as part of an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The presenter described these exceptions as narrowly defined and tied to demonstrated need or safety concerns.
On enforcement, the presenter said noncompliance may result in disciplinary action and staff may temporarily confiscate devices; confiscated items "will be stored securely until they can be returned." The presenter also warned that the policy can extend beyond campus when off-campus device use "seriously disrupts school or threatens the safety of other students or staff."
Addressing privacy and searches, the presenter said a school official "can only search a student's device if one of three things is true. They have permission from a parent. they have a legal warrant or and this is a very high bar, there's a genuine emergency that involves immediate danger of death or serious injury." The presenter stressed that routine searches without consent or warrant are not permitted.
Finally, the presenter noted a clear liability rule for families: "When a student brings a device to school, they are doing it at their own risk. The district makes it crystal clear that they are not responsible if that device gets lost, stolen, or damaged." The policy walkthrough did not announce any changes to the rule set or an impending board vote; it presented the existing policy and its major provisions.
The presenter concluded by reiterating the policy's purpose: to balance students' access to devices with preserving classroom focus and safety.
