San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) adopted a new cellphone policy that bans students from using the devices during the entire school day, including lunch and hallways. Students must keep their communication devices out of sight and in silent mode.
SAISD board members approved the new policy on Monday, August 18, in response to House Bill 1481. The state bill prohibited cellphones, smart watches, tablets and other forms of digital communication during the school day. Under the new bill, SAISD can and does make exceptions for students with a documented disability or medical need or in alignment with the district’s safety protocols.
If the policy is violated, the state bill requires public schools to establish disciplinary measures, such as taking away the phone. For SAISD, the first offense will be a documented verbal warning and reminder given to the student that their communication device may be confiscated. The second offense would include the confiscation of the device, as well as having a parent or legal guardian sign for it on campus…