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A Columbus public school has tightened its rules about when and where students may use cellphones, banning them during school hours other than lunch.
When the 2024-25 academic year starts next month, Jordan Vocational High School won’t permit students to use or have visible their cellphones, headphones, ear buds or any other personal electronic device from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., except in the cafeteria during their lunch period, each school day. Students also won’t be allowed to charge phones at the school.
Jordan announced the stricter policy on its Facebook page July 2. The Muscogee County School District has a general policy on cellphones and other devices, but it’s not as strict as the new Jordan policy.
Superintendent David Lewis told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email that the MCSD Student Handbook provides guidance “to clarify expectations for appropriate use, but should not be construed as being all-inclusive. Students are authorized to use devices in keeping with the expectations outlined in the Student Handbook and as set by their school administration.”
The district’s handbook specifically addresses student use of Chromebooks the district issues to each student, but it doesn’t specify restrictions on when and where students may use cellphones or other personal electronic devices, except to say:
“Students are authorized to use devices only as specifically permitted by this policy and as permitted by their school administrator. Possession and use of a device while at school is a privilege that may be revoked by the school administrator or designee.”
“All devices, whether district-owned or privately owned, are subject to reasonable search and confiscation.”
What are consequences for violating new policy?
After students have their cellphone or other personal electronic device confiscated for violating Jordan’s new policy, they may retrieve it that day in the attendance office from 4 to 4:30 p.m., if it’s their first offense.
If it’s their second offense, they also lose “professionalism points,” which are part of Jordan’s student discipline system and comprise 15% of the grade for students in each course. Their parent or guardian must come to the school to sign for and claim the device, then meet with an administrator about their child.
If it’s their third offense, they also must serve one day of in-school suspension, and their device is confiscated for three days.
If it’s their fourth offense, they also must serve three days of in-school suspension, and their device is confiscated for five days.
The consequences of each subsequent offense will be at the discretion of an administrator, according to the policy.
If an administrator is called to a classroom because a student refuses to relinquish the device to the teacher, the student will be removed and given an opportunity to relinquish the device to an administrator.
If the student refuses to relinquish the device to the administrator, the student will be suspended for non-compliance.
If the student or parent/guardian refuses to allow the device to be confiscated for the number of days required in the policy, then the student will be suspended out of school. The length of such a suspension isn’t noted by the policy.
Why Jordan Vocational changed cellphone policy
In emails to the Ledger-Enquirer, Jordan Principal Ryan Hutson said the policy change was prompted by the routine discussions the school’s employees have at the end of each academic year to improve the experience and outcomes for their students.
“This particular issue is facing all educators in our country,” he wrote. “Cell phone use can detract from invaluable instructional time within the classroom. In this regard, Jordan is no different. We want our students to maximize instructional time each day because we believe learning is paramount to their future opportunities and success.”
Hutson said he asked administrators at other schools for their student cellphone/device policy. He shared that information with Jordan’s administrators, leadership team and other stakeholders to develop their new policy.
“Additionally, we have had many conversations around the policy and cell phone usage with our community business partners as well as our College and Career Academy Board,” Hutson wrote. “Phone use does not end when our students graduate. Many employers and business leaders have voiced to us major concerns with cell phone usage while at work by younger employees and as MCSD’s only College and Career Academy, we want to prepare our students for the needs and expectations of our local workforce but more broadly, life after high school.”
Hutson emphasized an exception to the restriction that isn’t mentioned in the announced policy change.
“Of course, exceptions can be made for urgent or emergency situations,” he wrote. “Our parents always have a voice and are more than welcome to communicate their concerns or ask questions by emailing me at hutson.ryan.d@muscogee.k12.ga.us or making an appointment to meet with me in person.”
Hutson didn’t answer the L-E’s questions about what Jordan’s previous student cellphone/device policy had been and what reaction to this change he has received from students and parents. The commenting option was disabled on the post announcing the new policy at Jordan’s Facebook page.
What are other Muscogee schools doing about phones?
Only one of MCSD’s eight other high schools provided a student cellphone/device policy to the Ledger-Enquirer before publication. Northside High School Principal Nathan Laney said his school’s student policy has been in place for at least 10 years.
Students are allowed to bring cellphones to Northside, but the school’s policy says, “It is recommended that they be turned off during the school day. Cell phones may only be used in the classroom with explicit permission from the instructor or after school.”
Northside lists the following disciplinary actions for violating this policy:
First offense, the cellphone is confiscated for the remainder of the day.
Second offense, the cellphone is confiscated for three days.
Third offense, the cellphone is confiscated for five days, and the student must serve one day of detention.
Fourth offense, the cellphone is confiscated for 10 days, and the student must serve two days of in-school suspension.
For each offense, the parent may retrieve the cellphone from the front office at the end of the school day on which the phone is to be returned. If the parent refuses to leave the cellphone for the duration of the prescribed time, they instead may request for the student to serve two days of out-of-school suspension.
Northside teachers have “door pockets” in which students are encouraged to place their devices at the beginning of class. Students sometimes are given bonus points, homework passes or other incentives to encourage them to place their devices in the door pocket.
