Use of Personal Communication Devices

Policy

USE OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES Code JICJ Issued 8/13

Purpose: To establish the basic structure for student possession/use of personal communication devices while on District property and/or at school-related activities

Possession of a personal communication device (PCD) is a privilege and not a right. This privilege may be forfeited by any student who fails to abide by the terms and provisions of this policy or contract for use and/or who otherwise engages in misuse of this privilege.

A PCD is a device that emits an audible signal, vibrates, displays a message, image, or otherwise summons or delivers a communication to the possessor. The following devices are examples of PCDs: cellular and wireless telephones, pagers/beepers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), gaming devices, BlackBerries/Smartphones, Nooks, Kindles, laptops, and other e-readers, WiFi-enabled or broadband access devices, two-way radios or video broadcasting devices, and other devices that allow a person to record and/or transmit, on either a real time or delayed basis, sound, video or still images, text, or other information.

Students may not use PCDs to access and/or view Internet web sites that are inappropriate or otherwise blocked to students at school while on District property or at school-sponsored activities.

All students are prohibited from using PCDs to capture, record, or transmit the words/sounds (audio) and/or images (pictures/video) of any student, District employee, or other person in the school or while attending a school-related activity without express, prior notice and explicit consent for the capture, recording, or transmission of such words or images by the student’s principal, assistant principal, or District Office administrator. Using a PCD to take or transmit audio and/or pictures/video of an individual without his/her consent is considered an invasion of privacy and is not permitted, unless authorized by the building principal, assistant principal, or District Office administrator.

Students are prohibited from using PCDs to take pictures or record audio/pictures/video in locker rooms, bathrooms, hallways, or on school buses or other District vehicles. The use of PCDs to take pictures or record audio/video is also prohibited in classrooms, unless deemed appropriate by the teacher, approved by the principal or assistant principal, and used solely for educational/instructional purposes.

Students are prohibited from using PCDs in any way that might reasonably create in the mind of another person an impression of being threatened, humiliated, harassed, embarrassed or intimidated pursuant to Policy JICFAA-- Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying.

Students are also prohibited from using a PCD to capture and/or transmit test information or any other information in a manner constituting fraud, theft, cheating, or academic dishonesty. Likewise, students are prohibited from using PCDs to receive such information.

Violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action and/or confiscation of the PCD. The building administration and/or District Office may also refer the matter to law enforcement if the violation involves an illegal activity, e.g., child pornography. Discipline will be imposed in a progressive manner based on the number of previous violations and/or the nature of or the circumstances surrounding a particular violation. If the PCD is confiscated, it will be released/returned to the student's parent/legal guardian only after the student complies with any other disciplinary consequences that are imposed. Any PCD confiscated by District employees will be marked in a removable manner with the student's name and held in a secure location at the student’s school until it is retrieved by the parent/legal guardian.

PCDs in the custody of the administration will not be searched or otherwise tampered with unless school/District officials reasonably suspect that the search is required to discover evidence of a violation of the law or other school rules. Any search of PCDs will be conducted in accordance with Policy JIH--Student Interrogations and Searches. If multiple PCD offenses occur, a student may lose his/her privilege to bring a PCD to school for the remainder of the school year.

Students are personally and solely responsible for the care and security of their PCDs. The District and Board assume no responsibility for theft, loss, damages or vandalism to PCDs brought onto its property, the unauthorized use of such devices, and/or data charges incurred by the student as part of his/her/family’s personal data plan(s).

Parents/Legal Guardians are advised that the best way to get in touch with their child during the school day is by calling the applicable school’s main office. Students may use school phones to contact parents/legal guardians during the school day with the permission of the administration and/or main school office staff.

Students, parents/legal guardians, teachers, and staff members should be aware that the District may also take disciplinary action against students who violate the PCD policy consistent with Policy JICDA--Code of Conduct and its accompanying administrative rule.

Elementary School Students

Elementary school students may not use or display PCDs while on school property or at school-related activities during school hours. The start and end of school will be denoted by the start and end bell. PCDs are to be silenced and may be kept in a student’s backpack or purse.

Middle School Students

Middle school students may use PCDs before and after school, during their lunch break in the cafeteria, within "zones" as determined by the principal, and as deemed appropriate by the teacher and approved by the principal. Otherwise, middle school students may not use or display PCDs while on school property or at school-related activities during school hours. Any other use of PCDs is considered misuse and violations may result in disciplinary action.

High School Students

High school students may use PCDs as deemed appropriate by the teacher and approved by the principal for educational and/or instructional purposes only. Otherwise, high school students may not use, have powered on or display PCDs while on school property or at school-related activities during school hours. Any other use of PCDs is considered misuse and violations may result in disciplinary action.

Students may use PCDs while riding to and from school on a school bus or other vehicle provided by the District or on a school bus or District-provided vehicle during school- sponsored activities, at the discretion of a district administrator, the bus driver, classroom teacher, and/or sponsor/advisor/coach. Distracting PCD behavior that creates an unsafe environment will not be tolerated.

Consequences

. First Offense - confiscate device/return to parent/legal guardian upon his/her coming to the school to pick up the PCD and signing the PCD Contract. . Second Offense – confiscate device for a period of nine calendar weeks, return the PCD to the parent/legal guardian upon his/her coming to the school and signing for the device, and remind the parent/legal guardian that should the PCD policy or contract be violated again, the device will be returned at the conclusion of the school year only. . Third Offense – confiscate device until the end of school year, advise the parent/legal guardian in writing that the student’s PCD privileges are revoked for the remainder of the school year, and return the PCD to the parent/legal guardian upon his/her coming to the school and signing for the device at the conclusion of the school year.

Adopted 09/23/96; Revised 08/12/02, 8/12/13

Legal References:

A. S.C. Code, 1976, as amended: 1. Section 59-63-280 - Possession of paging devices by public school students; mobile telephones included; adoption of policies