Should high school students be able to use phones in Manchester’s public schools? That’s one of the topics expected to be under discussion during Monday’s Board of School Committee (BOSC) Meeting.

On Wednesday, the BOSC Committee on Student Conduct voiced their recommendation for a proposed policy that would aim to clarify the district’s “Responsible Use of Technology in Schools” policy. Until this point, cell phone usage had been banned in the district’s elementary schools and middle schools and there was broad support to explicitly specify that into district policy. The proposal also recommended adding prohibiting usage of cell phones by students in classrooms without permission of a teacher, usage of cell phones in bathrooms or locker rooms, and cell phone pictures or videos of other students without proper authorization.

Students violating the policy would have automated emails sent to their parents and notations in the district’s Aspen system to allow other teachers know of existing warnings the student may have received in other classes they’ve taken.

Several high school principals and district administrators also provided their insight regarding recommendations on how to implement policy, with Assistant Superintendent Forrest Ransdell recommending that procedure should not be spelled out in the policy itself. He also said a blanket ban could backfire as it could be seen by students that use phones responsibly as an unwarranted punishment and students that use phones irresponsibly could potentially aim to skirt the ban in any case.

In these recommendations, it was noted that high school students should be allowed to use phones before school, after school, in between classes and potentially in study halls to work on school work or at lunch time. However, no noise from phone speakers would be allowed, only one ear would allowed to have headphones or earbuds, and no phone calls would be allowed without authorization from an assistant principal and then only to a guardian. Smart watches would also only be allowed for the sake of checking the time. Students with an individualized education plan (IEP) would be allowed use of a cell phone under certain circumstances.

It was noted that these procedures would help high school students learn responsible use of cell phones, a skill they will need in the real world upon graduation. It was also noted that students must learn the dangers of cell phones in situations like driving and that the policy was targeted at the usage of phones rather than possession of phones.

Memorial Student Representative Grey McDonald also recommended that students using their phones after warnings had been issued could be marked as absent from a class.

Following the testimony of staff, Ward 2 BOSC Member Sean Parr recommended that the committee amend the proposed policy to requiring the placement of phones into a storage area for fear of liability issues and possible behavioral escalations. Instead, it was advised that teachers be allowed to request to the student that they put their phones away for an initial infraction.

Parr also requested an amendment in the policy that would refer students who are not compliant to the student code of conduct to allow greater flexibility for teachers and administrators.

If passed on Monday, it was indicated that the policy change would just be a starting point and data on implementation of the policy would be examined for potential modifications to the policy in the future.