Texting Banned Between Coaches, Students In The Chathams

CHATHAM, NJ — The School Board of the Chathams voted unanimously to ban texting between coaches and students, as well as coaches and parents.

The Board adopted three new school policies to address what member Rich Connors said was a long-standing issue.

"This was a result of an unfortunate series of events over the last few years covering multiple sports, so its not just one parent and its not just one sport, but there has been an uptick in certain activity by parents, which we as a district find inappropriate and we're stopping it now," Connors said at Monday night's Board meeting.

Policy No. 9160, "Public Attendance at School Events," No. 9162 "Athletic Code of Conduct," and the "Chatham High School Code of Conduct for Interscholastic Sports" were all adopted to address the issue.

"We're preventing texting and phone messages between student-athletes and coach, that goes both ways, so we're stopping that," Connors said. "We're also preventing texting between parents and the coach."

He said the district was taking the issue seriously, and consequences for violating the new policy could include spectator expulsion from games, and being barred from future home games. In addition to texting, the policy also covers approaching coaches at games and foul language.

Student athletes and their parents will have to sign that they have read and understand the new policies.

Image via Shutterstock