Although the Mathews County School Board began discussion and consideration of a division-wide student cell phone use policy back in March with an eye of getting it on the books long before the start of the 2023-2024 school year, the board missed an opportunity to do so as it deadlocked 2-2 on the matter during Tuesday night’s meeting.
Following a closed meeting, school board members decided to give it one last try before the start of the school year on Aug. 28, setting a special meeting for 5 p.m. this coming Tuesday, Aug. 22, in the Mathews High School media center to approve it.
The main point of contention appeared to be that some school board members felt the policy as proposed was too lax, as it would have allowed students to have their devices locked in their lockers or in their cars so they could use them off school property at the end of the school day.
As written, the policy would have prohibited “the possession and use of cell phones and personal electronic devices … during ...