Indiana schools are preparing for tighter restrictions on cell phones.
Under a new law taking effect July 1, schools must either prohibit students from bringing wireless communication devices to school – or require them to be stored and inaccessible throughout the school day, with few exceptions.
At Elkhart Community Schools, administrators are still finalizing specifics. Director of Secondary Schools Cary Anderson says middle and high school students already have to pass through weapons detection systems. The new policy will likely add another step to that checkpoint.
“The kids will, in general, show school staff that they have their device secured, and it is not going to be accessible, with whatever device that we choose to use for the storage of those devices,” Anderson explained.
While the new law doesn’t specify how the devices should be stored, Anderson says the district is looking at getting cases where students can lock their phones, AirPods or other electronics.
Superintendent Michele Riise is hopeful that the new restrictions will reduce distractions and improve academic focus. But she acknowledges that enforcement might bring challenges, and families will have to adjust to less direct communication during the school day.
“So, to leave messages is going to be what I call the old-fashioned way, where my parents would call in or I called in for my own two children, to the office and leave a note or a message for their child for after school, or they’ll have to wait until their child leaves the school to message their child,” Riise said.
Another concern is dual-credit classes, where students have been using their personal cell phones to log into their accounts. While the new law provides some leeway for personal devices necessary for educational purposes for the next two years, Anderson said they are working on other options.
"I don’t think this is going to be an issue," Anderson said. "There’s other ways that we can go about making sure kids have access to the post-secondary partners. And we are on it, and it definitely sounds like the post-secondary partners are on it, as well."
As part of the new law, the Elkhart School Board on Tuesday adopted a policy allowing students to bring cell phones to school but requiring that they be stored during the school day.
Elkhart Community Schools holds the broadcast license for WVPE.
