Student cell phone policy discussion ongoing with Wake County Schools leaders

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Wake County Public School Board is one step closer to adopting a policy that provides parents, students, and others with clarity on how it intends to enforce cell phones on campuses in North Carolina's largest school district.

Board Policy 4318 is known as the Student Use of Personal Wireless Communication Devices rule and outlines the district's language on the use of cell phones at elementary, middle, and high school grade levels.

Tuesday, members of the board discussed four different areas of enforcement:

• Emergency situations
• Confiscation
• District liability
• Device status while the phone is away

"The draft policy that we gave you is built upon a school board association model policy also uses the 'in the event of an emergency language. That's pretty broad," said director of strategy Dr. Julie Crain to board members.

The board was presented with two options. The first option identified the emergency situation as, "An emergency is a situation involving imminent physical danger that requires immediate communication.". Whereas the alternative option would give discretion to school staff to determine when there is an emergency and instruct students on when they can use their phone.

Additionally, the board talked through what would happen to a student's phone if and when it gets taken away. If school administrators ae given the autonomy on how to police a confiscated cell phone, the draft policy reads, "Each school administration shall specify a written and consistently implemented rule regarding the temporary confiscation of student devices. The rule shall address repeated offenses and specify whether and when a device may be held for pick-up by the parent or guardian." Alternatively, a student's phone would be returned at the end of the period, class day, or school activity unless it significantly disrupts a student's ability to focus.

"The point is to make sure we're educating students. And I would hope that if it becomes excessive and it's a problem with one kid, then we can have a conversation," said board member Lindsay Mahaffey.

At odds is if the district is to be liable if something happens to a student's phone after it gets confiscated. Differing options were presented which included the district assuming no liability and saying if something happens to a phone after it gets taken away, the student would be considered negligent.

"We can't necessarily overturn civil law just by a policy," said board chair Chris Heagarty. Crain agreed.