Sexting, Gambling, Cheating Bans Updated By District 113 Board

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — The Township High School District 113 Board of Education last month adjusted its disciplinary policy for students at Deerfield and Highland Park high schools. The changes include a prohibition on playing cards without permission from staff and an expansion of a ban on inappropriate communication to include anyone who receives any indecent content on an electronic device. The new student behavior policy, formerly known as student discipline, was unanimously approved July 9.

Two new forms of prohibited conduct, gambling and "sexting" were added to the list of forbidden activities, now numbering 23 items.

A ban on any form of gambling while at any school-sponsored activity or on school property includes the "exchange of money or items of value as result of a wager." It includes any electronic devices involving gambling, as well as dice, betting pools and cards. With permission, student groups may use raffles and staff may approve card games, according to the policy.

The board also explicitly banned "sexting," which it defined as "sending forwarding, displaying, possessing, sharing, retaining, storing or posting sexually explicit, lewd, indecent, or pornographic photographs or messages, including text, audio, video and image media, by or on a cell phone, computer, or other electronic means including an electronic storage site on the internet, including but not limited to social networking sites."

Other policies were amended to allow for a more expansive interpretation.

Restrictions on the use of electronic devices were updated to forbid "receiving or possessing an indecent visual depiction or audio recording of oneself or another person." A ban on threatening or disruptive activities was expanded to include anything that "interferes with, distrupts, or adverserly affects the school environment, school operations, or an educational function [sic]." And a prohibition on academic dishonesty – "including chearting [sic]" – was expanded to include "the sharing of academic materials without staff permission."

Most other policies remained unchanged, including use or possession of a laser pointer, a drone aircraft or any involvement with any "public school fraternity, sorority, or secret society."

At its July 9 meeting, the board also approved an update to its transportation policy forbidding staff from transporting students in their personal vehicles. The new policy also bans any diversion from official district business for any personal purposes while in vehicles owned by the district.

At a special meeting July 30 approving a one-year contract with interim Highland Park High School Principal Deborah Finn, the board also received an update on changes coming to new edible offerings for students with the introduction of a new food services contractor.

Quest Food Management Services will replace Sodexo School Services after winning out on a five-year, $875,000 contract with the district in May, Pioneer Press reported. Quest, which has operated the cafeteria at New Trier High School for three years, reportedly anticipates increasing the number of students who eat at school with improvements to quality and additional technology.

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