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New cell phone rules at school are going into effect across the state

By Chuck Hunt - Editor | Sep 1, 2024

If you are sick and tired of reading about me harping about cell phones, go ahead and quit reading this column and go on to the obituary page. This will be the third time I have written about cell phones this year, and Kevin Mertens devoted his column to the same subject earlier this year, as well.

Now, let’s get one thing clear from the start, I don’t hate cell phones. I just think they are starting to take over our lives, to the extent that many folks can’t live without them for an hour, much less a full day or gasp! several days.

But now, schools in Minnesota are beginning to agree with my premise.

Minnesota Statute 121A. 73, also known as the School Cell Phone Policy, went into effect on May 18, 2024, during the 2024 Minnesota legislative session. It requires charter schools and school districts to establish a policy for students’ use and possession of cell phones in school by March 15, 2025.

That is why our local school boards, Blue Earth Area and United South Central, have been working on their cell phone policies. To be honest, they already had cell phone policies, but now they have been made stricter.

Some people have asked me what these new rules are. At Blue Earth Area, the notice that has gone out is as follows:

“All devices, cell phones and ear buds in particular, are not to be used in classrooms or the media center without the expressed permission from the supervising teacher or staff member. The rule also applies to study halls. If devices are seen, used, or heard, without permission, they will be confiscated and placed in the high school office and may be picked up at the end of the day. The first offense will be considered a warning and a copy of this policy will be sent or emailed home. All subsequent infractions will result in a guardian having to pick the cell phone up from the high school office. After the 3rd cell phone infraction a parent meeting will be scheduled with administration to develop an appropriate cell phone plan for the student.

“Any inappropriate use of cell phones, including but not limited to, inappropriate photographs, text messaging, and recording/video-taping will result in consequences and confiscation of the phone/device. Consequences may also include possible police referral. Also note that taking photos or videos in bathrooms, locker rooms, or any place with a reasonable expectation of privacy is a violation of state law.

“Students bring these devices to school at their own risk. Blue Earth Area High School, its faculty and staff are NOT responsible for any damages, missing, or stolen devices/cell phones. If a student has a cell phone damaged or stolen, schools have no obligation to utilize administrative time to investigate the incident nor will the District take any financial responsibility for the cell phone or devices.”

In the case of USC, their new policy is quite strict. No cell phones in the school, and if a student brings their phone, it has to go into a locked pouch for the day.

A front page story in last week’s Register detailed more info on their policy.

I am thinking about getting some of those pouches for my camp, so visitors can put their phones in the pouch and enjoy the beautiful day at the camp and on the lake. OK, the truth is, I have my phone at the camp, but I don’t have it in my hand constantly, checking on things. I basically only use it to take photos.

I have tried to tell my grandkids what life was like before cell phones. It is almost impossible for them to comprehend. We only had a landline phone in our home near San Diego, and there was only one phone in the house. One!

And it was a party line, which for you young people, means you shared the phone line with several other people. There was a certain ring that meant the call was for us, and other rings meant it was for our party line neighbors. And my brothers and I were severely limited by our parents as to how many and how long our phone calls could be.

Our screen time was limited too. Of course, our only screen in the house was our ONE and ONLY television set. No video games, no computers, no cell phones and no tablets. Well, we had tablets but they were college-ruled notebooks.

Our games had no video and were board games for inside and yard games for outside. And we talked to our friends, face to face, not on a phone and not by text messages. Maybe we passed them a written note (in cursive) during class.

And, somehow, we survived.

If someone did something wrong or was bullied or harassed, only a few people knew it. Now it goes on Instagram or some other social media and hundreds know about it.

So, as I wrote at the beginning of this column, I don’t believe cell phones to be evil. I have to agree they are nice to have at times. In fact, they can be invaluable at times.

But, we don’t have to have it in our hand or pocket or purse every single waking moment of every day.

Do we?

Maybe we can learn a lesson from the kids at school…