Lexington, SC 11/20/2024 (Paul Kirby) – On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, Lexington County School District One released the details of their Personal Communication and Electronic Devices Policy that was passed at the November 19, 2024, school board meeting. The new policy will go into effect on January 7, 2025. This policy was created after a state law was passed recently that mandated such a policy exist for all SC State public school students.
According to the new policy, elementary school students may possess personal electronic devices/accessories as long as the devices remain off and are not visible during the school day while on school property.
Middle/high school students may possess personal electronic devices/accessories as long as the devices remain off and are not visible during the school day.
Students are not permitted to access personal electronic devices or personal electronic device accessories during the school day which is defined as the time between the start of first class through the end of the last class to include the time between classes and during lunch.
Personal communication devices are not permitted to be used in locker rooms, restrooms, or other personal spaces at any time.
There are some important definitions that will better help everyone understand this policy.
Personal electronic devices are any device utilized to access the internet, wi-fi, cellular telephone signals, or to capture images or video. This includes, but is not limited to, cell phones, smart watches, tablets, and gaming devices. “Personal electronic device accessories” include any wired or wireless accessory or wearable technology that connects to a device and any other accessory commonly used in conjunction with a personal electronic device.
Access is defined as viewing, holding, wearing, or otherwise using a device for the purpose of communication, internet access, gaming, recording, or any other function commonly associated with devices.
A School Day is defined as the period of time between the morning tardy bell/start time and dismissal bell/dismissal time at the end of the instructional day.
The consequences of violating this policy are also clearly spelled out in it. Teachers and administrators will only enforce consequences for students whose devices or accessories are visible or heard.
Consequences will be as follows:
FIRST VIOLATION: Warning. Student/Parent conference held.
SECOND VIOLATION: Detention. Student/Parent conference held.
THIRD VIOLATION: One Day ISS. Student/Parent conference held.
FOURTH VIOLATION: One day OSS. Student/Parent conference held. Students are prohibited from possessing a device at school.
FIFTH VIOLATION: Recommendation for expulsion.
**The board recognizes that enforcement of this policy during non-instructional times presents challenges for school staff. Therefore, during class changes and at lunch if a middle/high school student is not complying with this policy, he/she will be asked to power off their personal electronic device/accessory and put it away. If a student does not comply with this directive, he/she will be referred to an administrator for failure to obey.
Violations of the laws of the United States or of the state of South Carolina may subject students to criminal prosecution.
You can see this policy and the justification for putting it in place statewide at https://www.lexington1.net/
There are some justifiable exceptions to these rules. First, instructions on how teachers or parents may request one of the exceptions below will be shared after Thanksgiving Break.
A teacher may only allow the instructional use of personal electronic devices/accessories if they have been authorized for classroom use explicitly by the District Superintendent or his/her designee in writing.
If explicitly required by a student’s IEP or 504 plan, the student shall be allowed to access their personal electronic device for medically or educationally necessary purposes described and required for administration of the IEP or 504 plan.
A student who is a member of a volunteer firefighting organization or emergency organization may be authorized to carry a device with written permission from the District Superintendent or his/her designee.
I think the new guidelines around personal communication and electronic devices in schools are a step in the right direction. With the increasing use of technology in education, it’s essential to set clear boundaries for its use during school hours. This helps minimize distractions and ensures that students stay focused on learning. However, it’s also important to balance this with fostering digital literacy. For those interested in diving deeper into similar topics, I highly recommend checking out Link here for additional resources. It’s a great way to stay informed about how technology is shaping education and student life.