Woodsboro ISD Superintendent Leslie Garza is in favor of continuing the district’s current policy rather than implementing a complete ban on cell phones on campus.
Texas Education Agency Secretary Mike Moras recently called for a ban on cell phone use for all students in the state’s public schools.
Woodsboro ISD allows students to bring cell phones onto campus for safety reasons, but cell phones must be turned off during class.
“In elementary school, phones are hung up at the beginning of the day, given to the class teacher, and returned to the student at the end of the day,” Garza said. “In secondary education, we have a pocket-to-pocket policy for each period of instruction.”
Garza said there is no reason for his district to consider a complete ban on cell phones.
“We are trying to be more careful in following the policies in place to protect business hours during the instruction period,” she said.
According to the Woodsboro ISD Code of Conduct, “If a student uses a communication device during class without permission, the device will be confiscated.”
Students who violate the rules may pick up their confiscated devices from the principal’s office for a $15 fee.
“Like any rule, there were challenges,” Garza said.
The district sends a letter to parents each year letting them know they can contact their children through messages relayed from the front office. In the letter, the district describes the following challenges experienced with students’ cell phone use on campus:
Students taking photos or videos of other students or teachers without permission and posting them on social media.
Keep pulling out your smartphone to check notifications and text messages during class.
Students are watching movies and listening to music while the teacher is teaching
Students participate in group texts/chat during the day to make fun of other students and teachers
undermine academic integrity
Despite the district’s efforts to work with parents and inform students of the rules in place, cell phones were confiscated from students this school year.
“Last I checked, we had one person on the primary campus who had received a warning, and I believe there were about eight to 10 students on the secondary campus who had received anything from a warning to a fine or other additional disciplinary action for non-compliance. ” Garza said.