While in some instances the possession and use of electronic equipment or devices by a student at school may be appropriate, often the possession and use of such equipment or devices by students at school can have the

effect of distracting, disrupting and/or intimidating others in the school environment and leading to opportunities for

academic dishonesty and other disruptions of the educational process. Consequently, the Board of Education will

supply any electronic equipment or devices necessary for participation in the educational program. Students shall

not use any electronic equipment or devices on school property or at any school-sponsored activity without the

permission of the principal, the classroom teacher, or other school official.

 

Examples of prohibited devices include, but are not limited to

 

    A. Cameras (photographic and/or video),

 

    B. Laptops,

 

    C. Personal digital assistants (PDAs),

 

    D. Lasers,

 

    E. Laser pens or pointers,

 

    F. Radios,

 

    G. "Boom–boxes,”

 

    H. Portable CD/MP3 players,

 

    I.  Portable TV's,

 

    J. Electronic games/toys,

 

    K. Pagers/beepers, other paging devices.

 

Students may use electronic equipment/devices on school property for an educational or instructional purpose

(e.g. taking notes, recording a class lecture, writing papers) with the teacher's permission and supervision or as

stated in a student’s IEP. 

 

Students may use electronic equipment/devices while riding to and from school on a school bus or other vehicle

provided by the Board or on a school bus or Board-provided vehicle during school-sponsored activities, at the

discretion of the bus driver, classroom teacher, sponsor/advisor/coach, and/or building principal.

 

Distracting behavior that creates an unsafe environment will not be tolerated.

 

Students are prohibited from using electronic equipment or devices in a manner that may be physically harmful to

another person (e.g. shining a laser in the eyes of another student). Further, at no time may any camera or other

electronic equipment/device be utilized by a student in a way that might reasonably create in the mind of another

person an impression of being threatened, humiliated, harassed, embarrassed, or intimidated. See Policy 5517.01

 

Students are prohibited from using cameras and other electronic equipment/devices to capture or record test

information or any other information in a manner constituting fraud, theft, or academic dishonesty. Similarly,

students are prohibited from using cameras and other electronic equipment and devices to capture or record the

words (i.e. audio) and/or images (i.e. pictures/video) of any student, staff member or other person in the school or

while attending a school-related activity, without express prior notice and explicit consent for the capture and/or

recording of such words or images. Using a camera or other electronic equipment/devices to capture or record

audio and/or pictures/video of an individual without his/her consent is considered an invasion of privacy and is not

permitted, unless authorized by the building principal. Cameras and electronic equipment/devices are expressly

banned from and may not be possessed, activated, or utilized at any time in any school situation where a

reasonable expectation of personal privacy exists. These locations and circumstances include but are not limited

to locker rooms, shower facilities, restrooms, and any other areas where students or others may change clothes

or be in any stage or degree of disrobing or changing clothes. The building principal has authority to make

determinations as to other specific locations and situations where possession of a camera or other electronic

equipment/device is absolutely prohibited.

 

Unauthorized electronic equipment and devices will be confiscated from the student by school personnel and

disciplinary action taken.

 

Any electronic equipment/device confiscated by District staff will be marked in a removable manner with the

student's name and held in a secure location in the building's central office until it is retrieved by the

parent/guardian. Electronic equipment/devices in District custody will not be searched or otherwise tampered with

unless school officials reasonably suspect that the search is required to discover evidence of a violation of the law

or other school rules (e.g. a student is observed using a camera in a prohibited area). Any search will be

conducted in accordance with Policy 5771 – Search and Seizure.

 

Students are personally and solely responsible for the care and security of any electronic equipment or devices

they bring to school. The Board assumes no responsibility for theft, loss, damage, or vandalism to electronic

equipment and devices brought onto its property, or the unauthorized use of such devices.

 

Approved/Adopted:  July 13, 2009