401.18 Use of Cell Phones and Digital Devices

Code No. 401.18

Use of Cell Phones and Disgital Devices 

Riverside Community School District understands that we are living in a society in which cell phones and digital devices have become a part of our everyday lives. We also understand that above all, the education of our students is a primary goal. Staff, parents, and students recognize and accept that there is a time and place for the use of electronic devices. It is also believed that the use of cell phones in school is a PRIVILEGE and not a right. Staff reserves the right to limit or control the use of cell phones and digital devices during the school day.

Students may possess cellular phones and portable digital devices on school property, while in school-owned vehicles, and while students are attending or engaged in school-sponsored activities, subject to limitations of this and other policies and regulations of the District.

School Staff Authority

Teachers/Staff are allowed to create systems of management for cell phones that may include turning cell phones into a box, tray, basket, or organizer for the purposes of ensuring that devices are indeed turned off and not in use during class time. Students must obey and respect all rules and procedures of each classroom teacher in regard to cell phone possession in class.

Student Conduct --Students must obey and abide by the following rules and procedures:

• Students are allowed to keep their cell phones/devices once they enter the building
• Students must keep cell phones/devices turned off and inoperable at all times in the classroom, except when permission is granted by the teacher or staff
• Students must honor that the rules of the school, the permission of individual classroom teachers, and the authority of adults will always supersede any need the student may have for their cell phone/device
• Students may only use their cell phone/device in the classroom for educational purposes and only as permitted by the teacher
• Students may listen to music on their cell phone/device as allowed by school staff
• Students may take their cell phones/devices to lunch during their free time
• Students should be respectful and refrain from use cell phones/devices when being served lunch

Policy and Consequences

Students found to have violated this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the Riverside Community School District Discipline Matrix and Handbooks. Staff and administration reserve the right to confiscate or ask for any cell phone/device being used in violation of the student conduct rules.

• Any refusal to turn over a cell phone/device will result in potential consequences in accordance with for both cell phone misuse and insubordination.
• If repeated violations occur, students’ parents/guardians will be called and the device will be asked to be kept at home.
• Any cell phone/device that would be used in violation will result in administrative action to confiscate the phone and require the parent/guardian to retrieve from administration.
• Students found in severe violation of this policy shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with district policy up to and including suspension or expulsion.

Severe Disciplinary Action for Cell Phone/Portable Digital Device Inappropriate Use

Severe violations of this policy involve highly inappropriate activities including, but not limited to:

1. Electronic communication that contains inappropriate content, profanity, intimidation or threats to others;
2. Sexting, which includes intentionally creating, producing, distributing, presenting, transmitting, posting, exchanging, disseminating, or possessing, through any computer or digital media, any photograph or digitized image or any visual depiction of a person in any condition of nudity, or involved in any prohibited sexual act;
3. Academic dishonesty or cheating
4. The use of camera or recording features of cellular phones and portable digital media devices in restrooms, locker rooms or for any use constituting an invasion of any person’s reasonable expectation of privacy;
5. Communicating, in any way with outside groups or individuals to participate in violent acts, or other inappropriate or unlawful activities on school property or at school-sponsored activities
6. Refusal to relinquish phone to persons of authority upon request

Search and Seizure

This policy shall not be interpreted to justify unreasonable searches of cellular phones or other digital media devices by school personnel. Any search of a student’s cellular phone or portable digital media device by school personnel shall be:

1. Justified at its inception and based on reasonable grounds that the search would reveal evidence of a student’s severe violation of this policy;
2. Reasonably related to its objectives and not excessively intrusive in light of the nature of the infraction;
3. Conducted in accordance with district policy and in the presence of a student’s parent or guardian;
4. The Riverside Community School District assumes no responsibility for loss, damage or theft of cellular phones and digital media devices, whether in the possession of students, on school property or if confiscated by school personnel pursuant to this policy.

Emplyoees Use of Cell Phones

Requests for reimbursement for authorized use of employee owned cell phones are to be submitted on school district provided forms accompianed by a copy of the billing statement with the school district business related calls highlighted.  A notation for each highlighted entry, indicating the nature of the call is required.  The employee's immediate supervisor must sign off on the billing statement verifying the calls were school district business related.  School district reimbursement for authorized use of employee owned cell phones will be made in conformance with school district payment procedures.  Requests for reimbursement, including the highlighted billing statement must be submitted within thirty (30) days of the end of the time period for which reimbursement is requested.  Requests submitted after the reimbursement deadline has passed will be denied.

Approved  5-2-11         Reviewed 2-20-2023        Revised 8-20-2018