District Moves Closer to Allowing Cell Phones on Campus

By Teresa Rochester

Nov. 16 -- Santa Monica and Malibu public high school students will likely be able to carry cell phones, pagers and beepers on campuses if the Board of Education ultimately approves a policy that would reverse the school district's current ban on the electronic devices.

At its meeting Thursday night the board continued its month-old debate of the issue and generally supported a draft of the new policy but took a more conservative approach on whether students would be allowed to use their phones or pagers on campus.

In October some board members expressed a willingness to allow students to use their phones at lunchtime or in between class periods. The policy presented to the board Thursday for discussion prohibits use during the school day, on school buses, field trips or school events on and off campus.

"We're basically treading new ground here," Assistant Superintendent Rick Bagley told the board.

But board member Michael Jordan argued that the policy should be more flexible and that it seemed unreasonable for students to be banned from using their phones on buses.

"I lean more toward allowing more use as opposed to less use," he said. "The prohibition at lunch time, I'd really like you [staff] to talk about that. I guess I could be won over because as I said last time, I don't see what's so offensive about using a cell phone at lunchtime."

Bagley pointed out that students, like adults, might forget to turn off their phones once they are back in class, causing a disruption in classrooms. Student board member Chris Gary, who attends Santa Monica High School, said he would prefer it if students weren't allowed to use their phones on campus.

"It just ruins the whole [feeling] when people are talking on their phone the whole time," said Gary. "They're there to learn, not talk to their friends... I don't want students to be able to use them during school hours. I don't think it's appropriate."

As for the use of the devices on buses, district officials said that the transportation department was adamantly opposed to the idea because the phones interfere with radio communications.

The majority of board members voiced their support for the new policy and its restrictions.

"It seems to me this policy is a pretty good compromise," board member Jose Escarce said. "I certainly would support it and support it very strongly.

"I would just suggest we at least try and figure out what unintended consequences we have," Escarce added. "I would suggest a year from now we have a report to see if there are problems that we need to address or maybe there won't be problems."