Jacksonville school district 117 superintendent Steve Ptacek says there is little difference between the new state law banning cell phones at schools, and the ban the Jacksonville school board approved in the spring.
Ptacek says the ban on cell phones has been in place at the grade school and middle school level for about 6 years. The ban this spring was for the high school. It was done at the urging of a group of parents.
The state law allows an exception for use the cell phone during lunch and passing periods. Ptacek says JHS will NOT allow phones then.
He says cell phone use during the day at Jacksonville High School will not be allowed, unless it’s an emergency or needed for communication for deaf or special needs students.
Ptacek says the proof is in the pudding at the middle school level, where the number of fights dropped after the ban.
He says the ban at the middle school has proven it works and students can focus more on school.
He says the school district, as required by state law, will not enforce the cell phone bans through fines, fees or use of police. Ptacek says these would be policy violations, none of that would be necessary unless a student became combative.