Three more Jefferson County public high schools want to allow students and teachers to use cell phones and smart devices in the classroom.
The Jefferson County Board of Education now allows schools to waive the district’s cell phone ban, per the behavior and conduct code. Eight high schools were granted waivers last year under the condition that phones and devices be used appropriately and at teacher discretion.Now Doss, Moore and Pleasure Ridge Park high schools will ask the school board for similar privileges at Monday night's meeting.The schools that granted waivers allow teachers to choose whether phones are used in class, but other small variations in the proposals exist. For example, some schools allow students to use their phones between classes. Others do not.District 7 board member Chris Brady says the district should continue to monitor the rollout of smart devices as new technology is tested in classrooms.“I would like to see more in the way of those demonstrations in the future and see how are not only our students engaging with it but specifically in what further ways are teachers using and implementing that technology within the classroom," he says.Brady says eventually he’d like to see all students issued a smart device from the district.Schools that have waivers are Ballard, duPont Manual, Fairdale, Iroquois, Seneca, Southern, Valley and Waggener high schools.(Image via Shutterstock)
