Saugus students could regain phone privileges

SAUGUS – Students at Saugus High School may be getting their wish, as the School Committee will look at whether or not to suspend the school?s current policy banning cell phone use during school hours.High School Principal Joe Diorio brought up the issue at a Policy Subcommittee meeting last week, and the subcommittee voted to recommend suspending the policy to the full School Committee.?I?m usually pretty strict on this, so for me to come forward and do this, I?m a little bit crazy,” said Diorio. “I have kids that can text in their pocket, they don?t even have to look. You?re not going to stop that. I can?t stop it, so I?m trying to modify it. When I?ve given them some freedom and ownership, they?ve lived up to it. It?s consuming my time beyond belief.”Diorio said he wants to try out a new policy that would allow students to use their phones only during lunch in the cafeteria, and possibly in the classroom with certain applications.?The kids are texting under their desks in the cafeteria ? so we as a staff feel, if we gave them some ownership, and just allowed them to use it in the cafeteria, we don?t think will be a problem,” said Diorio. “I don?t want to get rid of the policy, I want to suspend it, just until we can test out some ideas.”Diorio also said parents have been complaining about their kids having to spend $150 on a graphing calculator for algebra class when they can download an app for free.?If the staff can find a way to use it and incorporate it into their lesson plan as an educational tool like a laptop ? we would try to use them in a constructive way,” said Diorio.Senior Rob Moore said he thinks the new policy would be “way better.”?I had to spend $100 out of my own pocket for a calculator,” said Moore. “Even if an app is $5, that?s much better. Most of the time I?m using my phone. I don?t think I know one person who doesn?t. I think there should be some rules, but kids these days are going to disregard them anyway.”There are several graphing calculator apps in the iPhone App Store ranging from free to just $2.99.According to Diorio, punishment under the current policy for a first-time offense is in-school detention and a parent has to come pick up the phone. The second offense is out-of-school suspension.Belmonte Middle School Principal Geoff Bruno, who also sits on the Policy Subcommittee, said he would be worried about a potential “slippery slope,” but noted cell phones aren?t a major issue at the middle school.?How the cell phone policy works at the middle school is working,” said Bruno. “I don?t see a reason to mess with something that?s working right now.”But Bruno also acknowledged the fact that cell phones are a way of life now.?We?re edging on the reality that this is how people communicate now, period,” said Bruno. “More and more every year it?s going to be like, ?You?re denying my basic means of communication.?”School Committee member Arthur Grabowski raised some concerns about a potential increase in cyber bullying incidents, but Diorio said the school monitors both Facebook and Twitter.?If the kids that have a bullying issue bring it to us, we print it and save it and do an investigation,” said Diorio. “We don?t have that many problems with that because we really deal with it hard.”While the Policy Subcommittee voted to recommend the change in policy, the full School Committee still has to vote on the issue. The current policy is still in effect and won?t change unless passed by the School Committee, which could potentially vote it down.Despite this, Diorio said he?s confident his students will be able to handle the new freedom.?When we opened up the courtyard, we gave them ownership and we didn?t even supervise,” said Diorio. “They took great ownership, it was clean, they did everything I needed them to do. So now we?re asking for some freedom, to figure a way ? at the minimum, to let them use it in the cafeteria.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].