In a unanimous vote, the school board chose at its last meeting to adopt the cell phone policy.
Board President Colleen Vague asked the district employee presenting the new policy, Matt Teaford, where the search-and-seizure part of the rule came from.
|
|
To wit, the new policy says school officials can seize and search a cell phone “during an investigation related to the suspected violation of board policy or school conduct requirement. In the course of the investigation, school officials may search information contained on the device including, but not limited to, text messages, call logs, audio and video recordings and digital photographs, in accordance with limitations imposed by state and federal law.”
As to the clause about violating board policies, the list of such policies on the district’s website includes prohibitions against things like alcohol and drugs, tobacco, steroids and weapons.
The bulk of the discussion regarding the cell phone policy centered around something that happened last year — the brief evacuation of Wasilla High School.
“Last year we had a real bad crisis at one of the high schools. We had a bomb threat, we had all kinds of law enforcement show up and the big problem was parents showing up before law enforcement,” board member Ole Larson said.
He said he’d also heard about incidents in other communities where 911 was so jammed up with calls that emergency dispatchers had trouble figuring out what was going on.
On the other hand, Larson said he’d read accounts from different communities of incidents where law enforcement was alerted to a crisis at a school because students called 911 from their cell phones.
“I don’t disagree with the policy, but I would like some tweak,” he said, to outline students’ responsibilities regarding making calls during an emergency. “I know it’s probably going to still happen, but it would be nice to bring that to light.”
Other notable aspects of the policy say that students can’t have the phone on while instruction is underway and they cannot be allowed to interrupt class.
Board Vice-President Sarah Welton said she supports these provisions, noting that in the college classes she teaches she writes on the syllabus that cell phones have to be turned off and stored.
“We do need to have control over what happens in the classroom as far as communication is concerned,” Welton said. “We can’t educate if there’s 15 kids in the class that all received cell phones calls at the same time, that were all texting people.”
Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.
Comments
15 comment(s)Colony Student wrote on Nov 25, 2009 8:49 AM:
Brenda wrote on Nov 23, 2009 11:52 AM:
Colony Student wrote on Nov 22, 2009 10:46 PM:
Dear Colony Student wrote on Nov 20, 2009 1:10 PM:
When parents stopped raising responsible kids.
Does that answer your question? "
Responsible Colony Student wrote on Nov 20, 2009 11:53 AM:
Please dont think all students at Colony are errogant idiots like this one. Phones are to be used responsibley. Not in schools and Parents agree! there is no place for phones in school. If you have issues with BF/GF then use it at home or work. Nothing should be said or texted that is inapporpriate to where others can see it.
Abviously the school should punish you since your parents arent! Maybe a parenting class is needed! "
Responsible Colony Student wrote on Nov 20, 2009 11:50 AM:
I wouldnt have anything on my phone I dont want others to see. My parents wouldnt like me to say or anything unacceptable on my phone. Its called maturity and a phone is not a necessity.
Please dont think everyone at Colony is as stupid as the one that wrote the previous piece. Its arrogant people that think their boyfrind/girlfriend are the only thing in their life thats important.
Responsible parents agree there is no reason to have a phone in school. "
Colony Student wrote on Nov 19, 2009 10:31 AM:
strick wrote on Nov 17, 2009 8:51 AM:
Warrior mom wrote on Nov 17, 2009 8:18 AM:
Responsability is best shown by following the rules of no means no. My student leaves her at home and usues it after she gets back. No problems! "
WHSWMS Mom wrote on Nov 16, 2009 3:24 PM:
PJMS Parent wrote on Nov 16, 2009 1:57 PM:
offsoapstone wrote on Nov 16, 2009 11:42 AM:
Palmer parent wrote on Nov 16, 2009 8:21 AM:
We all survived before the onslaught of technology that is now crippling us, We can still parent wisely and follow the schools rules.
Thanks
C.V. "
PJMS policy wrote on Nov 15, 2009 4:11 PM:
Works great!
Phones are not necessary for education. "
I know... wrote on Nov 15, 2009 1:17 PM: