Cell Phone Policy

April30

With some major lockdowns recently at local high schools, and complaints from parents about not being able to get a hold of students, our cell phone policy is being reviewed. They are on a first draft and looking for public comment from teachers, parents, students. We have had some fights that were facilitated by cell phone that I’ve heard of, so I’m pleased that the district is willing to look at giving up the ban, and deal with that with specific language. I’m thinking of suggesting an exception on video for specific educational projects as assigned/supported by a teacher.

Electronic devices such as CD players, video cameras, tape decks, radios, cameras, electronic toys, laser pointers or any other electronic device or games are not permitted at school unless otherwise instructed by the site principal and/or their designee. Students are allowed to possess cellular phones on school campuses. These phones may be used before and after school hours for appropriate text messages and calls only. They are not to be used to take pictures, videos or to access web sites. Cellular phones are to be turned off and in the student’s purse or backpack during instructional times unless otherwise instructed by the site principal and/or their designee. In the 7-12th grades it is the discretion of the site principal if the cellular phones may be on during lunch and passing time. Students may use cellular phones during an emergency on campus at the direction and supervision of school staff. Cellular phones may not be used to arrange or assist in fights, facilitate illegal drug transactions, intimidation or harassment on or off school campus

2 Comments to

“Cell Phone Policy”

  1. May 1st, 2007 at 1:32 pm      Reply Kobus van Wyk Says:

    With the severe shortage of computing resources in South Africa, I have been wondering to what extent cell phones can indeed be used for educational purposes. It is amazing to see children, who hardly have food to eat at home, with cell phones! There is hardly a kid in our schools without one. It is true that there is a problem with undesirable sites that are being contacted, but can one not turn this situation around and do something to use this ubiquitous technology for educational purposes? Any ideas?


  2. May 2nd, 2007 at 8:55 am      Reply alicemercer Says:

    There is a LOT of talk about this in the states, and some folks who think that one laptop should be considering using cell phones instead. I don’t profess to know enough to wrap my mind around it yet. I know this discussion has come up a lot on EdTechTalk (http://edtechtalk.com), but mostly in the audio discussions, and Will Richardson (http://weblogg-ed.com) has discussed the foolishness of banning a potential education tool that is ubiquitous.

    Question, how many of those phones are web capable?


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