Do D-205 Students Have Phones Powered Off In Class?

ELMHURST, IL — The Elmhurst school system requires students have their phones powered off and out of sight during class, unless the teacher says otherwise.

The reality is quite different, school board members say.

On Thursday, members of an Elmhurst School District 205 committee reviewed policies that, in many cases, haven't been updated in at least five years. One of them deals with students' phone use.

Board member Margaret Harrell laughed in reading the language of the policy.

"I don't know if that's still the practice," she said. "Let's not tell people that's the case."

Another board member, Courtenae Trautmann, agreed.

"I see what you're saying, Margaret, because that's not what's happening," she said. "All these kids have their phones on all the time."

Trautmann requested the district's administration review the policy and possibly remove the language altogether. She said the policy should reflect "what's actually going on" and be left at banning any phone use that disrupts the educational environment.