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Policy committee advances new FCPS technology/social media policy amid debate over staff–student online interactions and a potential statewide phone ban
Summary
The committee advanced a revised Responsible and Appropriate Use of Technology policy to the board, discussed language on staff friending students versus system accounts, training and enforcement, and considered the implications of Senate Bill 928 (a proposed statewide phone-free schools law).
Frederick County Public Schools staff presented a proposed replacement for the district's social media policy, broadening it into a Responsible and Appropriate Use of Technology policy that would anchor regulations on staff and student use of devices and social media.
Staff said the new draft expands the policy's scope beyond social media to technology generally, clarifies that FCPS technology is to be used to further the educational mission and that users should have no expectation of privacy on district equipment, and assigns Public Affairs responsibility for official system accounts. "This is going to become the anchor for those regulations that speak to staff and student use of technology," a staff member said.
The committee discussed specific language about "friending" students on personal accounts versus system or team accounts (examples cited included TeamSnap). Members urged clearer, stronger language to distinguish permissible school-run accounts from personal social accounts and to ensure enforcement and training are clear. Staff agreed to clarify D3C3 (the friending language), refine examples to avoid overbroad prohibitions, and provide regulatory pointers for questions.
Committee members also raised Senate Bill 928 (the "Phone Free School Act"), which one committee member said passed the Senate unanimously and had a House Ways and Means hearing scheduled for April 1. The committee heard that the bill would generally prohibit student use of electronic communication devices during the school day except for caregiving, IEP, and medical exceptions, and that implementation language may require technical amendments. Staff and members noted curricular exclusions (for example, using Chromebooks for classroom projects) and implementation challenges for staff.
The committee moved to advance Policy 115 to the board with edits addressing friending language and other clarifications.
Next steps: staff will refine the draft to better distinguish system-authorized accounts from personal accounts, clarify training and enforcement language, and monitor state legislation that could require policy amendments.
