(Getty Images illustration via the North Dakota Monitor)
(Jeff Beach – North Dakota Monitor) – North Dakota public education groups said Wednesday they recognize the need for a policy on student use of cellphones but mostly resisted a call for a state-mandated ban.
A proposed amendment to the bill would add some exemptions, like using a smartphone to monitor health conditions, such as diabetes, and in some cases where students are on a learning plan crafted for the student.
The House Education Committee did not act on the bill or the amendment but indicated that there would be more discussion next week.
KrisAnn Norby-Jahner, legal counsel for the North Dakota School Boards Association, testified that the cellphone use issue should be handled at the local level, but added she would not be opposed to a bill requiring that school districts have a cellphone policy.
Mike Heilman, executive director of the North Dakota Small Organized Schools, testified that the group’s board members did not support the bill.
He said some teachers have students use their phone during class and designate a spot on the desk where the phone should be when not being used.
He also said some schools may want to make exceptions for juniors and seniors to have more access to their phones
But he also said schools might like the state’s support on the need for a cellphone policy.
Cellphone use among students was described during testimony as a mental health issue in addition to being a distraction.
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