The recent law allowing Cell Phones on school property is SB 1253, Chapter 253 - "School Board or Designee May Regulate Possession or Use of Cellular Phones and Pagers."

According to the Girard & Vinson Newsletter:

"Education Code section 48901.5 previously provided that no school shall permit the possession or use of electronic signaling devices without prior consent of the principal. The new 48901.5 provides that the District Board or its designee may regulate the possession or use or any electronic signaling device that operates through the transmission or receipt or radio waves, including, but not limited to paging and signaling equipment, by District pupils while the pupils are on campus, while attending school sponsored activities, or while under the supervision and control of school district employees. No pupil shall be prohibited from possessing or using an electronic signaling device that is determined by a licensed physician and surgeon to be essential for the pupil's health and use or which is limited to purposes related to the pupil's health."

In layman's terms, up until January 1, 2003, the state of California mandated that school districts regulate electronic signaling devices. Now, the state has left that decision up to each school district.

At Wheatland Union High School District, the regulations of electronic devices include the following:

1. Cellular phones must be kept out of sight in the student’s pocket, purse, or backpack throughout the school day.
2. Cell phones must be turned off during the school day (prohibitions on ringing and vibrating).
3. To make phone calls home go to the office.  Also, parents can leave messages for students with school office staff.  Cell phones are not needed during school hours.
4. First Offense.  Students whose cell phones are seen or used on campus will have them confiscated and a parent must come and claim it.  Confiscated cell phones will not be returned to students.  Wheatland Union High School is not responsible for any lost or stolen cell phones.
5. Second Offense.  Student’s parent must come and claim the cell phone and a detention will be assigned.
6. Additional Consequences. If a student’s cell phone is being used, or goes off during class, the student will receive detention for the first offense (disruption).  A second offense will lead to being assigned Saturday School.
7. Should a student refuse to hand over a cell phone when requested to do so by school personnel the consequence will be a one-day suspension.

It is critical that cellular phones and pagers be turned off during the school day to prevent disruption of the learning environment and to prevent using the messaging function to cheat during exams. Students are to go to the office to make phone calls home. Parents are encouraged to call the school office. The school office staff is excellent at relaying messages from parents to students. Emergency phone calls can always be made in the main/office during school hours; so cellular phones are not needed during school hours.