Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves second reading of phone‑use policy after public debate over Chromebooks
Summary
The Washington County Board of Education unanimously approved the second reading of policy JICJ (use of personally owned electronic devices), aligning local rules with the Joanne C. Benson Maryland Phone Free Schools Act after survey data and public comment about Chromebook use. The policy takes effect for 2026–27; regulations and implementation details will follow.
The Washington County Board of Education voted unanimously June 16 to approve the second reading of policy JICJ, a revision intended to implement the Joanne C. Benson Maryland Phone Free Schools Act and restrict student cellphone use from first bell to last bell.
Superintendent‑designate Dr. Willow told the board a survey about the proposed policy drew roughly 3,500 responses and showed about 55% of respondents supported the measure. He described wide variation by group — over 90% of secondary staff supported the policy, while only about 23% of high‑school students did — and stressed the district’s limited discretion because the law already prohibits student cellphone use during the school day. “The law says that students cannot use cell phones during the school day from the first bell to the last bell,” Dr. Willow said.
A student who spoke during public comment, Aine Faisal of South Hagerstown High School, urged the board to limit classroom Chromebook use as well as phones. “Chromebooks…could also offer itself as an alternative distraction,” Faisal said, citing concerns about multitasking, eye strain and classroom focus.
Board members cited both the legal requirement and concerns about distraction and student well‑being in the debate. One board member said the policy is intended “not as a punitive thing, but a protective device for our students and our teachers.” Another noted the state requires some testing to be online, which the district must accommodate.
The motion to approve the second reading passed unanimously; board members said the policy will become effective for the 2026–27 school year, and staff will return with accompanying regulations and implementation details governing enforcement, accommodations and device storage. Dr. Willow said the district has already budgeted for storage carts and will keep most elementary devices in school rather than sending them home except for specific academic needs.
The board did not change the law; the action aligns local policy with state statute and begins the administrative work to implement enforcement and accommodations at the school level.
