District 622 Schools Loosening Up Rules on Cell Phones, Wireless Devices

Whipping out a cell phone in class, or even in the hallway at was a punishable offense last school year, but this fall it might actually be encouraged.

School District 622 is loosening its policy on students using cell phones and other wireless devices in schools, as long as if during class, they’re used for academic purposes—such as looking up information or calculating—with teacher permission.

“We want to encourage that 21st century movement,” said Principal Christina Hester. “We’re not going to be fighting battles with kids.”

Students at both Skyview Middle School and will be able to access the school’s wireless Internet on their own mobile devices.

The district’s wireless Internet has a filter that blocks sites like Facebook, as well as pornographic and other inappropriate sites.

Skyview seventh-grader Kayvion Cager said he supports the change, and could see himself using his cell phone as a calculator or a means to look up something like a map.

Skyview parents Sheila Macioch and Dana Sandberg said they weren’t so sure having cell phones out in classrooms is a good idea.

Macioch said she thinks they’ll be a distraction.

“They sneak them in class already and they text under their desks,” she said.

Skyview principal Hester said she didn’t expect kids to be bringing in devices other than cell phones, however, Tartan High School principal John Bezek said he could envision students bringing in their own netbook computers or tablets.

The two schools each have three mobile labs—or carts with enough laptop computers for an entire class—so that all students will have access to computers if they’re required for class.

Bezek said he sees the policy change as a natural progression as technology becomes cheaper and more widespread.

“This is what they’re using all day when they’re out of school,” he said. “Why should we prevent them from using them in school?”