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Union SD 5 reviews stricter cell-phone rules for students, staff to model expected behavior
Summary
Administrators presented a draft cell-phone policy that would require phones off and out of sight during instructional time, with specified exceptions for medical devices; board members agreed to start the year with the draft but delay full adoption pending OSBA guidance.
District administrators presented a draft student cell-phone policy intended to set expectations at the start of the school year and provide clear consequences for violations. Superintendent Carter said the policy stance is that "during instructional time, the phone should be off. It should be out of sight. Nobody should see it," and administrators proposed confiscation on first offense with return at the end of the day depending on circumstances.
Board members raised potential conflicts between the draft poster/handbook language and another provision allowing district-approved technology for curriculum use. Staff acknowledged the tension and suggested removing laptops from the prohibited device list or clarifying approval pathways. Several board members recommended leaving the district's current policy in place until OSBA (the state boards association) issues final guidance, while using the draft language as the opening expectation for students and staff this fall.
