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RSU 60 board adopts amended cell-phone policy, removes explicit phone-search language
Summary
The board approved a revised JICJ policy on cell phones and personal electronic devices, removing explicit phone-search language and instead cross-referencing the district's search policy after administrators said phone searches are rare and typically require law enforcement involvement.
The RSU 60/MSAD 60 Board approved a revised second-reading version of policy JICJ (cell phones and other personal electronic devices in schools), removing an explicit sentence about searching phones and adding a cross-reference to the district's existing student-search policy.
Board members debated parental expectations and administrative practice before the vote. Several members said they favored removing explicit phone-search language to avoid giving parents the impression that the district routinely searches phones, while others said keeping language in the policy could set expectations that searches are a possible option. Administrators reported that phone searches are rare, typically occur with a student's consent or in cooperation with law enforcement, and that the district's search policy already covers staff actions in cases of reasonable suspicion.
After discussion, a board member moved to approve JICJ as amended (removing the explicit phone-search sentence and adding a cross-reference to the search policy); the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.
What this means: The district now communicates device expectations and refers parents and staff to the broader search policy rather than including standalone phone-search language in JICJ. Administrators retain discretion to act under the district's search policy and to relocate students or alter schedules under extreme temperature or safety conditions, as previously discussed in the board's facilities and safety updates.
