Terrebonne Parish School District Implements Cell Phone Policy: What You Need to Know

Terrebonne Parish School District explained the technology policy regarding cell phones in school at this week’s board meeting.

Superintendent Bubba Orgeron explained the Parish’s policy. In elementary schools, cell phones are not allowed. Students cannot bring them onto campus. In middle schools, phones cannot be taken out and turned on until after school. For high school, it was agreed upon that students cannot have phones out and on during any instructional time. This includes any app use, such as calculators or tuners for instruments. Orgeron noted that this also pertains to alternate students.

“That’s the rules, “he explained, “and if it happens, we have some strict consequences…We are allowing them during lunch and recess time. That’s not instructional minutes, so we have verification that it is within the law.” High school students can keep their phones on their person. However, it has to be turned off during all instructional time; this rule includes using earbuds.

According to Senate Bill 207, authored by Senators Mizell, Edmonds, Henry, Jackson-Andrews, McMath, and Talbot, no student shall possess, on his person, an electronic telecommunication device throughout the instructional day. Suppose a student brings an electronic telecommunication device to any public elementary or secondary school building or on the grounds during an instructional day. In that case, the electronic device shall either be turned off and properly stowed away for the duration of the instructional day or prohibited from being turned on and used during the instructional day.