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Florida House panel backs expanded school cell phone ban during entire school day

Florida House panel backs expanded school cell phone ban during entire school day
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      >> POLICE ARE LOOKING INTO A MOTIVE FOR THE SHOOTING. >> MANY STUDENTS MAY WANT THEIR PHONES TO TEXT OR CALL THEIR FAMILIES IN THE EVENT OF THE SCHOOL SHOOTING LIKE THE ONE IN NASHVILLE TODAY ORDERING OTHER EMERGENCIES. BUT THE LEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS LOOKING AT WHETHER PHONE SHOULD BE OUT OF THE CLASSROOMS. NBC TWO'S ALEXIA TSIROPOULOS SPOKE TO PARENTS TODAY WHO SEE BOTH SITES. >> IS IT A CRUCIAL LIFELINE OR IS IT A DISTRACTION IN LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT FUNDS IN THE CLASSROOM. PARENTS. THEY HAVE MIXED THOUGHTS. MY SON. I HAD AN ACCENT. SOMEBODY ACCIDENTLY HIT THE THE THE BUTTON OR WHATEVER IT IS IN CLASSROOM. AND HE CALLED ME IN A PANIC AND THOUGHT THERE WAS A SHOOTING AND TEACHERS WERE CRYING. THAT'S WHY AARON MCDANIEL WANTS PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM FOR EMERGENCIES. WHERE IS ERIN FIELDS SAYS? BUT TERMS EMERGENCIES, I MEAN, THERE'S PLENTY OF PERSONNEL AND STAFF. AND, YOU KNOW, AS AS A MOTHER AND A CELLPHONE THIS AWAY AFTER SCHOOL. >> CHANGES DURING SCHOOL AS WELL SCHOOL HAS A CALL FROM A SKULL SHE TELLS ME THAT CHANGE I MYSELF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS AGAINST PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM. IN PAST MEETINGS, THEY'VE DISCUSSED HAVING STUDENTS TURN OFF THEIR PHONES AND KEEP THEM IN A BACKPACK DURING THE SCHOOL DAY THAT WAY. THERE ARE NO DISTRACTIONS FOR STUDENTS OR TEACHERS. WE DEFINITELY MINORS OF I WAS A TEACHER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ON THEIR PHONES A LOT WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO TEACH KIDS, NOBODY CAN DO 2 THINGS AT ONCE. THE BRAIN DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. I WOULD SAY IF I WERE A TEACHER, I WOULDN'T CARE FOR THEM HAVING THEIR PHONES OUT DURING CLASS. THE SCHOOL BOARD IN A SURVEY WITH PRINCIPALS, 86% SAY NO PHONES SHOULD BE ANYWHERE NEAR SCHOOLS. I THINK IT AND YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN. THE SURVEY COMES THROUGH YOUR INBOX IS IT LOOKS LIKE THIS ASKING ABOUT WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES FIRST AND ASKS ABOUT THE ROLE YOU PLAY. >> AND THEN FROM THERE IT ASKS, IF YOU WANT THOSE CELL PHONES OR NOT, YOU CAN SAY NO OR YES REASONS BEING TO STAY IN CONTACT WITH STUDENTS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. ONCE YOU HIT SUBMIT, THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, THEY WILL REVIEW YOUR OPTIONS. YOUR CHOICES, YOU SELECTED AND THEN THEY'LL MAKE A DECISION AT THE NEXT MEETING WHICH IS IN FEBRUARY
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      Florida House panel backs expanded school cell phone ban during entire school day
      A proposal to prevent students from using cell phones and other wireless devices during the school day, not just during instructional time, is headed to the full House.>>Related video above: Lee County schools look at phones in classrooms debateThe Education & Employment Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved the proposal (HB 949), which also would require school districts to designate areas where students may use devices.Bill sponsor Demi Busatta, R-Coral Gables, said the proposal doesn’t define wireless devices to account for medical devices and to capture the “new gadget or gizmo that comes out.”The proposal comes two years after lawmakers barred students from using cell phones and other wireless devices during instructional time.Committee Chairwoman Jennifer Canady, R-Lakeland, said the goal of Busatta’s bill is to create an environment where students can thrive.A Senate proposal (SB 1296), which cleared the Education Pre-K -12 Committee on Monday, would require the education commissioner to craft a statewide policy based on findings from six school districts that would ban the use of cell phones and other devices during the school day throughout the 2025-2026 academic year.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more.

      A proposal to prevent students from using cell phones and other wireless devices during the school day, not just during instructional time, is headed to the full House.

      >>Related video above: Lee County schools look at phones in classrooms debate

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      The Education & Employment Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved the proposal (HB 949), which also would require school districts to designate areas where students may use devices.

      Bill sponsor Demi Busatta, R-Coral Gables, said the proposal doesn’t define wireless devices to account for medical devices and to capture the “new gadget or gizmo that comes out.”

      The proposal comes two years after lawmakers barred students from using cell phones and other wireless devices during instructional time.

      Committee Chairwoman Jennifer Canady, R-Lakeland, said the goal of Busatta’s bill is to create an environment where students can thrive.

      A Senate proposal (SB 1296), which cleared the Education Pre-K -12 Committee on Monday, would require the education commissioner to craft a statewide policy based on findings from six school districts that would ban the use of cell phones and other devices during the school day throughout the 2025-2026 academic year.

      DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more.