Cell Phone Ban In Brick Schools: What To Know

BRICK, NJ — When school starts for the year on Sept. 3, a reminder that Brick Township students are banned from using their smartphones or other internet-enabled devices in school, continuing the ban put in place last fall.

The policy is defined by a state law passed in New Jersey in 2025, and bars students from using their internet-enabled devices from the moment they get on the school bus in the morning until they get off the bus at the end of the day.

For students who walk or are driven to school, the policy applies from the start of the school day to the end of it.

The Board of Education passed rules on the devices as policy 5516 and its corresponding regulation 5516 in September 2025.

Under the policy, students cannot use their devices during the day and must have them secured in their locker. Limited exceptions apply for students who need them for translation or to comply with their individualized education plan or a 504 plan or with a health issue with written documentation from a physician, under state law.

Parents who need to reach a student in an emergency or students who need to contact their parents in an emergency must do so through their school's main office.

The rules do not spell out disciplinary measures for students who violate the ban, saying instead: "In accordance with district policy and regulation, a school administrator may assign appropriate disciplinary consequences following a cell phone violation. Consequences are determined based on the severity and frequency of the infraction. Repeated violations may result in more progressive disciplinary measures. All disciplinary decisions are made with the goal of promoting responsible technology use and maintaining a focused, distraction-free learning environment."