New cell phone ban in Hamblen County Schools praised by parents

MORRISTOWN, Tenn. (WATE) — Imagine having to pay $50-$100 for your child’s confiscated phone simply for having it out. That is the new reality for Hamblen County parents under the new cell phone policy the school system implemented two weeks ago.

Cell phone usage in high school has become the new normal, and with that came more problems for Hamblen County Schools. Students must keep their devices stowed in a backpack or elsewhere during school hours, with no use allowed between classes or during lunch.

“A lot of different things went into it with the overall. Number one driving goal: we need a safe learning environment and we need a learning environment that is conducive to education,” Hamblen County Schools Superintendent Arnie Bunch said. “Those two were the main drivers for this compiled with all the other things we were seeing.”

Parents like Heather Ehret are happy this policy was put in place.

“It’s something that’s needed in our schools. Every day, kids are walking around with cell phones, ear buds and ear phones,” Ehret said. “They don’t communicate with each other and I think a lot of the teachers are competing with device vs. listening in class. It has created a really frustrating learning environment.”

For the students who don’t adhere to the new policy, there is a graduated offense list for the repeat offenders:

• For a first offense at the high school level, the students phone is taken for seven days. The parent can pick it up at any time before that seven day period is up.
• The second offense carries the same seven day period, however, if parents want to get the phone back before that time is up they will have to pay $50.
• For a students third offense, the phone is taken for 14 days, the student will have to attend orientation for an alternative school and if the parents want the phone back before the 14 days is up they will have to pay $100.
• If a student violates the policy a fourth time, they will have to attend an alternative school for 45 days.

All of the money gathered by the school on these offenses will stay at the respective school and can be used for anything of their choosing. Since the implementation two weeks ago, Bunch says he has received positive feedback from parents.

“I’m very pleased with the way this has rolled out and the way it has worked. Our students have been respectful and they have been understanding,” Bunch said. “Overall, mostly positive. Some a little anti, but not ‘don’t do it’ it was more of, ‘my kid is not part of the problem’ but overall the support has been phenomenal.”

For parents like Ehret, they are happy Bunch took this step to better the learning environments.

“For someone to take this upon themselves is amazing,” Ehret said. “I think to put it in a parents perspective, I don’t think Mr. Bunch wanted to do this but had to do this.”

Superintendent Bunch did say they have had a small handful of violations, he added it isn’t anything out of the ordinary.

This new policy isn’t just in effect for the high schools. It also impacts junior high and elementary schools. There is also a graduated offense list for them, however, not as severe as the high schools.

The offense list is also broken up into four different categories:

• A first offense lands the student a warning and they can pick their phone up at the end of the school day.
• The second offense gets them one day of in-school suspension. The student can get the phone back at the end of the day.
• On a third offense, the student receives a level on the assertive discipline plan, must attend orientation to an alternative school and get three days of in-school suspension. The phone will be given back to the parent.
• If a student violates the policy a fourth time, the student will be placed in an alternative school for 45 days. The phone may be picked up by a parent at the students home-base school.

According to the new policy, there is a medical exemption for those who have medical devices that require the use of a cell phone during school hours. Applications for the medical exemptions need to be made to school administration.

The policy also states students may use their devices while on the bus if they are in grades 6-12, however, the device must be on silent mode or ear buds are being used. If the student is K-5 they may not have access to a device while on the bus or on school grounds.

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