DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — The Decatur Public School system might join the ranks of other schools across the country instituting district-wide phone bans. On Tuesday night, the DPS Board of Education reviewed a recommendation for adjusting school policies to reflect a phone ban.
Dr. Rochelle Clark, Superintendent of Decatur Public Schools, said that the ban and subsequent policy was in the interest of all parties involved. "We have to make sure that we're looking at the whole picture, which is why the recommendation was what can we do to make this a win-win recommendation." said Dr. Clark.
All students will be required to place any electronic devices in their locker. If a student does not have a locker, they will be provided with individual locked receptacles. High school students will be allowed to take their phones out for their lunch period, but they must be placed back in their lockers afterwards.
The draft of the policy will be reviewed at the Board of Education's next meeting on Tuesday, July 9th. Then, an edited version of the policy will be submitted for the board members to vote on Tuesday, April 16th.
Dr. Clark said that the new policy will be enforced starting August 12th, the first day of the new school year. "This is not going to be easy, but I know that we can make it work," said Clark.
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