WHITEHOUSE, Texas — With the start of school, several school districts are cracking down on cell phone use. Whitehouse ISD's new cell phone policy is raising some concerns for students and parents.
Students are required to keep their phones tucked away while on campus.
High School Principal William Ripley said students face a three-strike system. Once the phone is confiscated from a student, they have to pay $15 to get the phone back.
"Students don't actually have a right to have a device on campus, it is a privilege to have a device on campus. It provides an incentive for kids to not have their devices out," Ripley said.
It’s not just the classroom either. Cell phone use is not allowed in the hallways, cafeteria and classrooms.
"That's the time when all the kids are out and everything's going on. I want them talking to their friends. Learning how to socialize. If for whatever reason there's a safety concern, the kids are going to see it because they're not focused on their cell phone," Ripley said.
With recent mass shootings, one parent said restricting use of an emergency communication device from their kids is a safety concern, leaving them vulnerable and unable to call for help in case of an emergency.
"If there was an emergency, the kids did have to pull up their cell phones -- (they'll get) access right away. They'll have them on campus." Ripley said.
He added if a student does need to contact their parent, they can come up to the front office and make a call with permission.
"Every time we get an alert, we become distracted by our phones. And so I'm hoping that it causes students to focus more in the classroom. It causes teachers to focus more as well," Ripley said.
He noted this has been written in the Texas Education Code for years, providing a way for school districts to monitor the devices on campus.
"The best way for me to support them their mental health and their safety is just to have a rule that says we're gonna figure out a way to get through the day without having our phones for this eight-hour chunk of time," Ripley said.
Keeping the focus on education, Ripley said this policy is not going to change.