EBR School Board Postpones Decision on Enforcing Statewide Cellphone Ban
At the latest board meeting, interim Superintendent Adam Smith acknowledged the significant challenge of implementing this policy, given the pervasive presence of cell phones in students' lives.
BATON ROUGE – The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board has postponed its decision on how to enforce a new statewide cellphone ban in schools, following the recent passage of a Louisiana law prohibiting student use of cell phones.
At the latest board meeting, interim Superintendent Adam Smith acknowledged the significant challenge of implementing this policy, given the pervasive presence of cell phones in students' lives.
"This will be a difficult transition for school admins," Smith stated.
Patty Merrick, a former district teacher, highlighted the issue of inadequate staffing to enforce the ban in both classrooms and on buses effectively.
"We don't have enough people to monitor everyone in the classroom," Merrick emphasized. "We'll have to establish some strict and clear rules for everyone to follow."
Current teacher Craig Bilbrew expressed confidence that the law could be enforced like any other rule, stressing the importance of clear guidelines.
"If the law states that children can't have cellphones, then they shouldn't have cellphones, regardless of parental opinions," Bilbrew said. "It's like any rule—if the sign says 'no shirt, no shoes, no service,' you comply with it."
Board members will revisit the cellphone policy and broader handbook revisions at a future meeting.
