June 30, 2004
Writing down common sense
In the fast lane of the ever-emerging technological age, school districts such as Pearl River are right to address electronic privacy issues, reports TheJournalNews.com and they are doing it with common sense.
"To deal with the challenges that come with the Internet and other electronic means of communication, a 20-member committee of Pearl River parents, teachers, staff, students and community residents met this year to review policies and create a code of conduct with regard to privacy and harassment matters.
As reported by staff writer Nancy Cacioppo, the new "out of sight and off" policy bars the use of cellphones and camera phones during the school day, except with the teacher's prior permission for the purpose of recording assignments. It also prevents students and staff from communicating via e-mail or cell- phones without parental consent.
Text messaging or instant messaging, while permitted for homework or event posting, is limited to school-related activities and may not be made between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. The policy also outlines procedures for reporting violations. The policy will go into effect in the fall and will be reviewed by staff and students throughout the next year.
This is all common sense, and the new policy should make it easier to pursue the main task of schools, which is education, without electronic interruption, including the rude behavior of answering a cellphone during class."
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