Dexter Community Schools Aligns Wireless Communication Devices Policy with the State

Dexter Community Schools (DCS) adjusted their Wireless Communication policy to align with Michigan Senate Bill 495 and House Bill 4141.

The DCS Board of Education at their June 22 meeting had a second reading of the changes and approved Wireless Devices Policy 5209. The Sun Times News followed up Dexter Superintendent Ryan Bruder to ask about the policy.

Bruder said Policy 5209, Student Use of Wireless Communication Devices, “has been revised to align with Senate Bill 495 and House Bill 4141, which require Michigan school districts to establish plans that limit student access to wireless communication devices during instructional time, while allowing exceptions for emergencies and approved educational purposes.”

Senate Bill 495 and House Bill 4141 are bipartisan companion laws that restrict student cell phone use in Michigan’s K-12 public and charter school classroom. They were signed into law earlier this year.

Bruder said over the past several months, “Dexter Community Schools has gathered feedback from students, staff, and community members to inform both the revisions to Policy 5209 and its implementation through the Student Handbook.”

“Throughout this process, a strong consensus has emerged: our schools must take meaningful steps to minimize student cell phone access and use during the school day in order to support learning, engagement, and student well-being,” Bruder said.

A Look into the Policy

Dexter’s policy states in part, “Students may not use Wireless Communications Devices on school grounds during school hours, except as otherwise provided in this Policy…”

“Students may use Wireless Communications Devices on school grounds during school hours, including during instructional time, if the Wireless Communications Device is:

• medically necessary for a student to monitor a health issue;

• required by a student’s Section 504 Plan or IEP, and limited to the purposes of the 504 Plan or IEP (Individualized Education Program);

• a District-owned device;

• designated by the District to be used for instructional purposes;

• permitted by a classroom teacher for lesson-specific academic assignments, with advanced written permission by Superintendent or designee, such exception being limited to district owned devices; or

• used during an emergency situation in accordance with the District’s emergency operations plan under Policy 3402, so long as it does not interfere with school emergency protocols or first responders or endanger students or staff.”

Another part of the policy states, “Students may not use Wireless Communications Devices while they are in locker rooms, restrooms, or any other area in which others may have a reasonable expectation of privacy unless medically necessary or required by the student’s Section 504 Plan or IEP.”

And finally another section states, “Taking, disseminating, transferring, or sharing obscene, pornographic, lewd, or otherwise illegal photographs, video, audio, or other similar data, whether by electronic data transfer or otherwise (including via cell phone or other electronic device), may constitute a crime under state or federal law. A student engaged in any of these activities at school, at a school event, or on school-provided transportation, may be subject to discipline pursuant to this Policy and the student code of conduct. A student engaged in any of these activities outside of school may be disciplined if the student’s activities substantially disrupt the school environment.”

These are just parts of the policy and full reading can be found at the district’s webpage and in the board meeting packet for the June 22 meeting, which can be found on the district’s webpage at https://www.dexterschools.org/district/board-of-education.

Photo: Dexter schools have updated their policy for cell phones, Image by giovannacco from Pixabay