On July 31, the district’s board of trustees unanimously approved updating its board policy on personal communication devices and electronic devices. The policy revision comes after the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1481, requiring all Texas districts to prohibit the use of devices by students.
Latest update
The Judson policy states that students who bring devices to campus must have them secured in backpacks or bags and out of sight during school hours. This includes passing periods and lunches along with class periods.
Aside from cell phones, prohibited electronics include Apple or other smart watches, Bluetooth ear buds or headphones, tablets, personal laptops and gaming devices, according to agenda documents.
Exceptions will be made for students on an Individualized Education Program or Section 504 plan, as well as devices necessary for documented medical needs or district and school safety protocols. According to agenda documents, electric devices may still be provided to a student by the school for instructional purposes.
After a first offense, a device is held in the front office and only a parent or guardian may pick up the device. A subsequent offense is the same with one day of In-School Suspension, or ISS, added, while a third and fourth offense include two and three days of ISS, respectively.
Beyond four offenses, a student would be subject to other disciplinary action such as out of school suspension.
What the board is saying
Initially in the board’s consent agenda, trustee Laura Stanford pulled the policy item for discussion and said that parents have concern about students’ addiction to cell phones.
Superintendent Milton "Rob" Fields III said he understands parents sending their children to campus with a phone for tracking purposes, but the district must be “consistent” with the new mandate.
“This is the law now, this is what we’ve been told ... when we spoke to the principals, we said that it cannot be seen nor heard and I’m sticking with that,” Fields said.
Next steps
Stanford said there should be a principal town hall on campuses to help the community better understand the new mandate.
Daniel Brooks, the district’s assistant superintendent of operations, said principals will be speaking on the issue during open houses. According to the district website, the vast majority of campus open houses are scheduled for September, with the exception of Metzger Middle School on Aug. 26 and Aug. 27, Veterans Memorial High School on Aug. 27 and Franz Leadership Academy on Oct. 2.
