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Superintendent: new state law will ban student phone use 'from bell to bell'; district to adopt policy in June
Summary
Superintendent Jones told the Scott County School District 1 board a new Indiana statute requires banning student cell-phone use during the school day; the district will present a policy in June with exceptions for IEPs, medical needs and translation.
Superintendent Jones told the Scott County School District 1 board that a new Indiana statute (cited in the transcript as Indiana Code 20-26-5-40-7) requires the district to adopt a policy prohibiting student cell-phone use during the school day. "a student may will be prohibited from using their cell phone with this call from bell to bell," Jones said, and the district plans to present the policy for approval in June.
Jones outlined narrow exceptions he said would remain in the policy: students whose individualized education program (IEP) requires a device, those who must use a phone for medical reasons, and non‑English speakers who need translation support. He said middle and high school students would be expected to keep phones turned off and stored in lockers; elementary arrangements were described as expected but not yet finalized.
A board member (committee member S3) expressed skepticism about statewide direction and enforcement, saying, "I just I like that. I don't have questions. I just think it's kind of absurd coming from state level, and it's gonna be hard to enforce." Jones responded that the law is statewide and the district's role is to adopt a compliant policy and interpret the exceptions locally.
The board did not vote on the policy at this meeting. Jones said the district will read the policy at a future meeting and seek approval in June. The next procedural step is the formal policy reading and an approval vote scheduled for the June meeting.
