Milford High Could Get Tougher Cellphone Policy

MILFORD, MA— School administrators at Milford High School are buckling down on cellphone and electronic usage in class. A tougher policy was drafted after teachers complained about students being distracted in class by electronics. The new policy will be presented to the School Committee at the March 28 meeting.

In February, Principal Otlin sent an email to parents citing the "negative affects" cellphone use has on students in the classroom. The proposed policy would not change expectations of students but rather staff response when students don't meet expectations.

Under the new policy, the responsibility of carrying out consequences will be shifted to administrators instead of classroom teachers. The goal is to free up classroom teachers to focus on curriculum instead of cellphone punishment.

Under the new policy, if a teacher catches a student with his/her phone out during class time the student will have to put the phone in a locker in the office for a parent/guardian to retrieve at the end of the day. On the first offense, the student will be assigned to an hour and a half of Saturday School. On the second offense, the student will be assigned to 3 hours and on the third offense, and any subsequent offense, the student will be suspended for 2 days.

The current policy has a warning system in place before a phone is confiscated. The policy says the goal is to make violations uncommon and infrequent.

Principal Otlin held a discussion night for parents and students to voice their opinions before drafting the new policy. If approved by the School Committee, the policy would take effect April 1.

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