Since the cell phone use policy in Patrick County schools currently aligns with Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 33, Schools Superintendent Jason Wood said the divisions’ cell phone policy is not likely to change.
An order passed by Youngkin earlier in July directs the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to draft guidance for public school divisions to adopt local policies and procedures establishing cell phone-free education through collaborative policies and procedures to establish age-appropriate restriction or elimination of cell phone use during instructional time, and other criteria.
“We have allowable times at the high school level, and for our 4th through 7th grade students, they may have them at school, but they are to be turned off and only out after school, like on a bus ride to communicate with families,” Wood said, adding that he hopes parents continue to support and enforce the division’s cell phone policy, because cell phones can become a distraction at school.
“We want to put the most important priority – the safety and education of students first, so that’s why we already had that policy in place,” he said.
Under the current policy, Patrick County High School (PCHS) students can use their cellphones before and after school, during lunch, and at school functions and activities after the school day concludes, as long as doing so does not disrupt activity.
Students must obtain teacher permission before using electronic devices in a classroom, and it must support the instructional activities occurring in each classroom. Students also must adhere to the Acceptable Use Agreement to use their cell phones, and put them away when requested by a teacher.
The policy also states that students are not permitted to use their personal electronic devices to access the Internet in any manner, other than connecting through the secure wireless network provided.
Students are personally responsible for their cellphones, and any damage is not the fault of the school division. The school system doesn’t guarantee the privacy or security of any item stored on or transmitted by privately-owned electronic devices.
Students in grades 4 through 7 are permitted to possess cell phones only with guardian permission, and school principals have the reasonable discretion to approve or disapprove cellphone possession by students.
The cellphones must remain off during the school day and on buses, unless permission is given by school staff. Students can only make calls during the school day with permission of and in the presence of school staff. Calls can be made after school, but not on the bus, with staff approval.
If confiscated, cell phones may be searched.
Patrick County School Board chairman Rob Martin, of the Dan River District, said like any tool, he believes cell phones can be a good thing for students and parents and a bad thing for students.
“I believe cell phones can be a big distraction in schools, especially when policy on cell phone use is not enforced. But also, in rural areas like Patrick County, it can be useful for kids to stay in touch and alleviate some of the stress of parents,” he said.
Walter Scott, vice-chairman, and of the Smith River District, said he believes the executive order is going to be a good thing across the board.
“It’ll probably make it easier for” all school divisions “since the governor mandated it. It makes it a lot easier for all schools to have this policy,” he said, adding any changes, if any, in the division’s policy will be minor.
While he believes that parents need to be able to communicate with their children, Scott said under the division’s current policy, there are certain times children will be able to access their cell phones.
However, “none of them can use them in the classroom,” he said, adding the phones won’t compete with or cause a disruption to education.
Amy Walker, of the Mayo River District, said she agrees wholeheartedly with the governor’s executive order.
“Cellphones are a distraction for our kids. I know that a lot of kids are mindful and mature enough to abide by our cell phone rules that we currently have in place, but there are some that don’t. So, we want to make sure that everybody is abiding by our cell phone policies and not be a distraction in class,” she said.
Shannon Harrell, of the Blue Ridge District, and Lester Harrell, of the Peters Creek District, did not return calls for comment.
