Board approves tightened student phone policy after debate over enforcement

Trustee Crosby pressed the board on June 24 to strengthen the district's proposed personal communication device (PCD) policy so that student phones would be powered off and kept out of sight during the school day. Crosby told colleagues she wanted the expectation made explicit "so there's no wiggle room for negotiation on the part of a teenager," and asked whether phones should be off.

District staff and trustees discussed enforcement and classroom exceptions: staff noted that the policy already includes explicit exceptions "as authorized by a teacher, administrator or IEP team," and that permitted instructional uses (for example, instrument tuning in music class) would remain allowed under those exceptions. After discussion the board proposed and approved an amendment adding language that all PCDs be kept in the off mode and stored in a backpack, locker, pocket, purse or other location out of sight during school hours. The amendment passed on the floor, and the board then approved policy 5136 (with the amendment) on its second reading.

Trustees acknowledged parental concerns about access to phones for safety reasons; several board members said they favored starting with an "out of sight" expectation that administration and teachers could implement in Year One rather than an immediately stricter locker-only rule. Board members agreed messaging to families would be important when the policy is implemented.

The amended policy requires administration to apply teacher-authorized exceptions and to develop communications to parents explaining the change.