Parents are sharing mixed feelings after one of San Antonio’s largest school districts revised its cellphone policy on Monday, April 27. The North East Independent School District’s Board of Trustees voted to define the school day as “bell-to-bell,” which means students can no longer use phones during lunch or passing periods.
North East ISD originally allowed students to use phones during non-classroom time, such as passing periods and lunch, or before and after school. It was one of the few local districts to do so. Northside ISD and San Antonio ISD required all students to turn off and store their phones out of sight while on campus.
The policies follow House Bill 1481, which passed the state legislature last year. The bill prohibits cellphones, smart watches, tablets and other forms of “digital communication” during the school day.
In its most recent policy update, North East ISD wrote on Facebook that the adjustments “closely” align with the Texas Education Agency’s guidance. The district noted concerns were raised at the state level that “NEISD’s policy did not go far enough,” and recently, the TEA recommended appointing a conservator to oversee changes to the cellphone policy.
“Our Board expressed a desire to represent families, which largely communicated that they wanted trustees to stand firm and maintain local decision-making abilities,” North East ISD wrote. “However, they also had to consider financial implications and how a TEA conservator would impact our District. With that in mind, our Trustees voted to comply with the state’s request.”
In the Facebook post, many parents and guardians praised the district for its revision. One person wrote, “We didn’t have cell phones when we were kids… We did just fine without them.” Another commented, “Good! Kids literally don’t need cellphones during school hours.”
However, a few parents shared their concerns of wanting their children to have their phone in case of active threats. One parent stated, “That’s ridiculous! Last week there was a student making a threat to my child school and arrested! So what happens when the student comes back and something happens and my child can’t reach us!”
North East ISD ended its statement with the following:
“I want to thank you for your continued engagement, feedback, and support throughout this process. We will continue to keep you informed and ensure clear communication as we move forward.”