Cell Phones Will Be Banned At Richmond County Schools
Cell phones won’t be allowed at Richmond County schools when students return to the classroom soon.
The Richmond County School Board voted this week to ban cellphones in classrooms to cut down on distractions during the school day.
According to the new policy, there will also be rules that cover the use of smart watches, earbuds, headphones and other devices or accessories used to electronically communicate.
Cell Phone and Electronic Communication Devices Policy
“The use of cell phones, electronic communication devices and/or accessories, is prohibited for all students at all times during the instructional day, which is defined as the time the student arrives on campus until the end of the school day and/or the time the student leaves campus. The instructional day includes, but is not limited to, class periods, class changes, study halls, and any other structured or non-structured instructional activity that occurs during the normal school day. Students are not allowed to use cell phones in the common areas, hallways, restrooms, locker rooms or any other areas during the instructional day. Note: The school site administrator, or designee, may offer an incentive for students to utilize phones during lunch time, if certain criteria are met, as decided upon by the administration.”
Officials say an emergency phone calls can be made in the main office. Parents will be able to contact their children by calling the school’s main office as well.
Students that have serious medical conditions or other unusual circumstances could be given special permission by the principal to use a cell phone if it’s deemed to be essential for the health of the student.
School district officials also want students to know there will be consequences for failure to follow the school system’s new cell phone policy.
Discipline For Failing to Adhere to the Cell Phone Policy:
- First Offense: The first offense will result in the electronic device being confiscated, to be picked up by the student or parent at the end of the same school day. The incident will be recorded in the student’s discipline record within the student database.
- Second Offense: The second offense will result in the electronic device being confiscated, to be picked up by the parent on the Friday following confiscation, at the specific time designated by the school. The incident will be recorded in the student’s discipline record within the student database.
- Third Offense: The third offense will result in the electronic device being confiscated, to be picked up by the parent on the Friday following confiscation, at the specific time designated by the school. The student will receive one day of in-school suspension (ISS). The incident will be recorded in the student’s discipline record within the student database.
- Fourth Offense: The fourth offense and thereafter will result in the electronic device being confiscated for ten (10) school days, and the parent must schedule a conference with an administrator to retrieve the electronic device. The student will receive three days of ISS. The incident will be recorded in the student’s discipline record within the student database.
Elementary students in Richmond County, pre-K-5th grade, start school on August 5.
K-8, Magnet Schools, Middle Schools and High School Students start the new school year on August 6.
