Last modified: Saturday, November 22, 2008 8:12 PM PST Students at Payette High School walk the halls between classes heading for their next class. Students are not allowed to use any personal electronic devices, whether in class or in the halls, during school hours. School Board OKs move to ban personal electronics at PHS By Jeff Ward Argus Observer PAYETTE — Payette High School has recognized that cell phones, iPods, Mp3 players and other electronics teens take to school are a major distraction in the classroom and to the education process. That’s why the Payette School Board decided at a recent meeting to change the wording in the high school handbook to ban certain types of electronics from the grounds of PHS. At the beginning of the school year, PHS Principle Mark Heleker informed students that cell phones and iPods and similar types of electronics would not be permitted in the classroom or on the school grounds. “When you have students who are talking on their phones or sending a text message during class, or listening to music when they are supposed to be listening to teachers, it takes away from their education,� Heleker said. Last year, the high school banned these electronics from just the classroom, allowing students to use their phones and iPods in the hallways and at lunch. However, students again began taking their electronics back into the classrooms. “We tried to ban them from just classrooms last year. However, it just seems that students have a hard time keeping their hands off of them, whether they are keeping up with friends in other classrooms or whatever. It was just too much of a distraction, and it just didn’t work,� Heleker said. “With a ban on these devices on the entire school grounds, we feel that it will help eliminate that distraction.� Heleker said that he understands that some parents may have an issue with not being able to reach their children whenever they want to. “Any parent who needs to talk to their child while they are in school, we will get them to the phone right away,� Heleker said. “Same goes for students who need to make a call. We can have a student in the office in less than a minute in case of an emergency. No student will be denied access to a phone in the case of an emergency. We just want to keep the cell phones and the like out of the classroom because, again, it’s a distraction.� The school board unanimously approved the change in the high school handbook. Students who are caught with cell phones or iPods or any other banned electronics on the school grounds will have those devices confiscated, and they can pick them up at the end of the day from the office, where they will have to sign for them acknowledging that they were in violation of the rules. After the second offense, parents will be required to come in and sign for the banned devices for their children. “We feel that not having them on their person during the school day, in the halls and in the classrooms, will cut down on the distractions and help with the learning process,� Heleker said. “The school’s phone numbers are well advertised in the handbooks and in the phone books, so that any parent can contact their child in the event of an emergency. Parents can also call us and leave a message for their child, and if it’s not an emergency, we will get those messages to those students. In doing these things, it won’t be necessary for students to have those cell phones with them at all times.� Newsletters went out advising parents of the new policy, and students are reminded at weekly assemblies about the ban. “We want to make sure that students and parents are aware of the ban,� Heleker said. The ban went into effect this week and anyone who has questions may contact Payette High School for more information.