By Jade Bulecza - bio | email
VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) – Students in one south Georgia school system must now leave their cell phones at home or in their cars when they go to school.
The Valdosta School Board toughened up its cell phone policy because too many students were too often distracted during class.
"We have incredible students here but they just like the students at every high school. They're struggling knowing what the boundaries are for telephones," said Gary Boling, Valdosta High Principal.
The School System's updated cell phone and electronic device policy starts next week. Before, students at the middle schools and the high school could bring them to school as long as they were turned off and out of sight.
"I noticed a tremendous amount of time being wasted by our teachers and our administrators dealing with cell phone issues students having their cell phones out texting during class," said Dr. Bill Cason.
He says it will be difficult at first to enforce but it has to be done.
Boling is behind the board's decision 100 percent. "We're trying to help them get an education and that's the reason we're doing this."
Students who drive to school can leave their cell phones in their car. As far as after school activities like sports, coaches will decide whether students will be allowed to bring them.
Signs posted in the classrooms read "no cell phones should be seen or heard" and that they have to be picked up before taking a test. Every classroom is also equipped with a phone, with teacher's permission, they're allowed to use it.
The policy for elementary students hasn't changed. They're still prohibited from carrying cell phones on the bus or at school.
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