Peabody Veterans High To Ban Cell Phones In Class Starting This Fall

PEABODY, MA — Peabody Veterans Memorial High School will become the latest high school to ban the student use of cell phones during class pending the second vote of a policy the School Committee approved on Tuesday night.

The restriction, as PVMS Principal Brooke Randall outlined late in Tuesday's four-hour meeting, bans cell phone use during classroom periods and in the hallways between class. Randall said the policy would be in place pending a potential state law that could impose an "all-day restriction" on phone use.

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Randall told the School Committee that her consultation from other districts indicated that the full-day ban could become "leaky" and force staff members to "fight the battle" with students instead of getting them on board for the full policy.

"I feel like our students will be awesome with this," Randall said of the "bell-to-bell" policy as written.

Limited phone use would be allowed during lunch and other non-academic portions of the school day.

Randall said the policy was composed with staff and student input and includes a student suggestion that photos of fellow students would be banned without the permission of those students. Those requests came amid an ongoing — and painful — discussion about bullying in Peabody Public Schools in the wake of a 14-year-old student's death last week.

Randall said teachers had requested a uniform guideline and one that was not at the discretion of staff. Some exceptions to earphone and headphone use could be made if necessary for learning purposes.

A move to extend the ban to school-affiliated field trips or other activities was withdrawn on the idea that students might want to take pictures to remember a trip experience, concert or athletic event.

"I really do want this to be front and center, very important, on a pedestal, so we can all be on the same page and be in this together," Randall said of implementing the pilot program for the fall.

Randall said she would like the second reading of the policy to include a "sign off" from parents and guardians stating that they understand and accept the rule and its enforcement.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)