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Board says 'bell to bell' phone policy is dictated by state guidance; student urges narrower scope
Summary
A student urged limiting a new cell-phone ban to classroom instruction; district leaders said Department of Education guidance defines 'bell to bell' from first to last bell and the board must follow state law.
A student speaker, Eva, told the board that "bell to bell" should be interpreted only as within the classroom because students use phones during flex, lunch and passing time for scheduling and extracurricular coordination. "The question is, like, if there will be a total phone ban during those things, the question of the resources that must be allocated...seem mismatched to the actual gravity of the situation," she said.
The Chair responded that the district is required to comply with state law and recommended students write to legislators and the governor if they object. Dr. Lassousa said the New Jersey Department of Education issued guidance defining 'bell to bell' as from the first bell in the morning to the last bell of the school day, including passing time and Tiger Time, and said the district has no latitude to change that definition.
