TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – As the new school year begins, students in the Sunnyside Unified School District (SUSD) are back in the classroom and district leaders are making it clear that safety, both on campus and online, is a top priority.
Like many districts across the country, SUSD is navigating concerns about staffing, funding, and student well-being. This year, new measures are being introduced to better support students not just academically, but emotionally and digitally. Arizona schools are now adjusting to a new statewide policy calling for stricter enforcement on cell phone usage. At Sunnyside High School, parents say they hope this shift will protect students from cyberbullying and misuse of technology.
“[Bullying has] always been around and now it’s just so much worse on social media because it’s recorded and it’s always gonna be there,” said Alexis Ortiz, a Sunnyside High School parent. “ I hope the kids are taking that initiative, if they want their phones, they need to get educated on that.”…