Another exception that applies to all grades is the need for a
student to possess a cell phone on campus if it is essential for
the student’s health. Required by law, this is one of the most
important aspects of the GUSD policy.
Another exception that applies to all grades is the need for a student to possess a cell phone on campus if it is essential for the student’s health. Required by law, this is one of the most important aspects of the GUSD policy. Though it didn’t make it into the editorial or the news article, this exception was highlighted at the public readings. Parents can be assured that all GUSD policies, including the new cell phone one, put their children’s safety and health first.
The editorial board ask, “Why doesn’t this policy apply to district employees who work in classrooms as well?” They are rightfully concerned that any cell phone, no matter who the owner, can interrupt valuable instructional time.
The Gilroy Board follows a numerical policy system recommended by the California School Board Association. Every policy has a number and is coded under a particular category. I would compare it to a library’s Dewey Decimal System. Just as one would not look for a biography under the fiction section, one would not look for a policy related to personnel under the student conduct category. There was no oversight in this regard; regulation of employee usage of cell phones and regulation of non-signaling devices, such as CD players and radios, are covered under different policies and will be studied by the Board.
The editorial board, understandably, is anxious that all polices related to each other be addressed at once. In the best of all possible worlds, all the hundreds and hundreds of Board policies would always be up-to-date. However, just like the Golden Gate Bridge that is always in the process of being painted, the work on policies is never done. New laws require new policies, and policies already on the books need to be monitored and revised when necessary. A policy on paper is simply words; an effective policy is successfully implemented by staff. The entire process requires time, study, and feedback.
The editorial board also asks, “Why the different policies for different grade levels?” The first reading of the policy was a one-size-fits-all policy. Like the Dispatch editorial board, Board members were looking for a solution that would be as simple as possible. After the first reading, however, feedback was solicited, and, it became clear that one policy for all would not do. A single policy would work for a school district that included only specific grade levels, such as an elementary school district or a high school district, but a unified school district like Gilroy’s that includes grades kindergarten through twelfth had different needs.
For those of you who have raised or worked with children you know that the rules for and the responsibilities given to a five year old are quite different than those for an eighteen year old. Though the ultimate goal is to create a serious learning environment as free of distractions as possible, policies must also be fair and reasonable for our students. Like other school boards that have wrestled with this issue, the Gilroy Board decided to create different restrictions for different grade levels and gave added flexibility and responsibilities to the older students.
That being said, the Board may end up being wrong, and the policy may not meet the high standards expected for the classroom. Board policies are not engraved in stone; they need to be living, breathing, and changeable. Plans are in place to monitor the Cell Phone Policy to ensure it is accomplishing its intended goals. If it is not, it will be revisited and revised.
Here are questions that were not asked. Why bother doing all this work? What’s the point? Board policies reflect a district’s vision and priorities, ensure that a district’s operations run smoothly, and support student learning. A public school board is elected to provide leadership and accountability to its citizens, and one way it accomplishes this is through strong policies that are effectively implemented and carefully monitored.
