Olathe Public Schools Adopts New Cell Phone Policy Ahead of New School Year

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ahead of the start of the new school year, the Olathe Public Schools Board of Education adopted a new electronic devices policy.

The board cited feedback from students, parents and staff regarding the distractions and disruptions caused by the use of electronic devices as reason for adopting the new policy.

It states that students must follow the policy during the school day.

Students are allowed to have personal electronic devices in backpacks, lockers or on their person as long as they are not visible during the school day.

The policy requires that students in early childhood through eighth grade not use personal electronic devices during school hours.

The policy is that secondary school students are not allowed to use personal electronic devices during classes unless they are for instructional purposes under the supervision of a teacher.

However, they can use them during lunch breaks, breaks between lessons and other extracurricular times.

Students can also use them in emergency situations or when health reasons require it.

People who break the rules may be deprived of the right to have their device on school grounds, the document reads.

“As an academic institution, our primary goal is to educate students while maintaining a safe learning environment,” the board said in a statement. ne “Personal electronic devices can cause disruptions in the classroom and can negatively impact students’ mental and emotional health. When personal electronic devices are out of sight, student learning can occur in a more engaged and connected environment.”

To read the full policy, please click this link.

—