Karen Perez: THE BOARD WORKSHOP FOR MARCH 26 IS NOW BEGINNING. I WILL HAND IT OVER TO SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES. Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BOARD MEMBERS, THIS IS ONE -- WE HAVE THREE POLICY WORKSHOPS THAT ARE SCHEDULED THIS CALENDAR YEAR. THIS IS OUR FIRST OF THREE. SO THAT BEING SAID, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF POLICIES WE WANT TO WORK THROUGH TODAY. ONE BOARD MEMBER POLICY AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER POLICIES THAT ARE BROUGHT FORWARD BY MY STAFF WHICH WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO. WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET GET THIS MOVING AND TURN IT OVER WITH THE FIRST POLICY TO MR. PORTER. Jim Porter: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS. AS YOU WILL RECALL, THE FIRST POLICY IS ON WIRELESS COMMUNICATION AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES. YOU MAY RECALL THAT LAST YEAR WAS COMBS AND MS. GRAY BROUGHT FORWARD A POLICY DEALING WITH THIS AND GENERATED A LOT OF DISCUSSION, A LOT OF REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION.
ONE OF THE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE EARLIER POLICY WORKSHOP THAT A SURVEY BE DONE OF PARENTS, STAFF, TEACHERS, TO FIND OUT WHERE PEOPLE REALLY STOOD ON THIS. YOU ALSO HAD A LOT OF FEEDBACK ON IT. BASED ON THAT, MS. GRAY AND MS. COMBS BRINGING THE POLICY BACK. WE LOOKED AT THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM THE SURVEYS. WE LOOKED SPECIFICALLY AT ORANGE COUNTY WHO HAS ADOPTED A SIMILAR TYPE OF POLICY AS WELL AS PASCO COUNTY. WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS THE RESULT OF THAT. SINCE THIS HAS BEEN DRAFTED, THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS SOME COMMENTS HE'S GOING TO MAKE ABOUT PERHAPS REVISING IT. BECAUSE THIS IS A WORKSHOP, YOU ARE GOING TO WRESTLE WITH THIS, AND IT IS A TOPIC THAT IS A BIG TOPIC, NOT ONLY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BUT IN THE COUNTRY. IT'S REALLY WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING AT A WORKSHOP FOR POLICY. SETTING POLICY.
IT'S IMPORTANT. IT IS A BIG ISSUE. TODAY WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN HEARING THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE BOARD. AGAIN, IT CAN BE TWEAKED. IT CAN BE REWORKED, ANYTHING YOU WANT BECAUSE IT IS YOUR POLICY. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS. GRAY. Lynn Gray: THIS IS THE POLICY REGARDING THE CELL PHONE USAGE.
HUMOR ME FOR ABOUT THREE MINUTES, I'LL GO THROUGH THE RATIONALE. THE AVERAGE AGE NOW IS AT 10 YEARS OLD WHO ARE BEING EXPOSED TO SEXTING, OBSCENE MATERIAL, IMAGES OF PRIVATE BODY PARTS SENT TO THEIR CLASSMATES, PORNOGRAPHY SITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA SITES. SUCH AS DISNEY PORN, TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. OUR TAMPA BAY REGION IS THIRD IN THE NATION AS A METROPOLITAN CITY OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
I WANT TO THANK MEMBER NADIA COMBS, OUR HILLSBOROUGH HEALTHY SCHOOLS SURVEY, OUR HUMAN TRAFFIC COMMITTEE AND STUDENT SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR THE AMOUNT OF STATISTICS I'LL SHARE. THE MENTAL TOLL OF OUR YOUTH IS CLEAR. REPORTED FROM 2022 TO 2023, 55% OF THE SUICIDE CALLS ARE RELATED TO THE CALLS, THE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES ON THEIR PHONE. THEY IDENTIFIED BULLYING AS THE TOP CONCERN. THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN REPORTS CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT MATERIAL MADE UP OF 99% OF THE INCIDENTS RECORDED ON THE TIP LINE LAST YEAR, WHICH IS A 73% INCREASE FROM 2021. REMEMBER, THAT IS THE COVID YEAR. INCIDENTS WERE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING, OBSCENE MATERIALS SENT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA SITES, WORDS OR IMAGES ON ONLINE MOLESTATION OF CHILDREN, PHOTOS OF CHILDREN SENT ONLINE WITH VISUAL BODY PARTS. ARE THE STUDENTS SAFE? JOSHUA CRYSTAL, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHO WORKS ON THE DISCIPLINE, 2022 TO 2023, 5,639 STUDENTS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA MISUSE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES WERE FIGHTING.
FIGHTS WERE CAUSED THROUGH THAT CONDUIT. IN THIS YEAR, UP TO MARCH 14th, NOW, REMEMBER, LAST WEEK, UP TO MARCH 14th, AND THIS GOES FROM GRADES ONE, FIRST GRADE, TO 12th GRADE. WE'RE NOT DONE WITH THE SCHOOL YEAR. 5,232 FIGHTS ALREADY FROM THE USE OR THE MISUSE OF CELL PHONES. LEGISLATIVE TRENDING -- AND THIS IS PROBABLY VERY SIGNIFICANT AND WHY I KIND OF WAITED A LITTLE BIT TO REVOLVE -- TO MAKE IT MORE SUPPORTIVE FOR OUR PRINCIPALS AND FOR OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND FOR OUR BOARD MEMBERS. FROM THE FLORIDA SENATE -- AND THIS IS IN 2023 -- FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 6 THROUGH 12, THE NEGATIVE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL EFFECTS THAT WE FIND FROM SOCIAL MEDIA SITES INCLUDE DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, PHONE ADDICTION, AND A LOT VIA DISTRIBUTION OF MISINFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, ALL WHICH SERVE TO MANIPULATE BEHAVIOR, ALLOW PERMANENCY OF YOUTH TIED TO NEFARIOUS ACTIONS ON SOCIAL PLATFORMS, IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT'S ON THAT PHONE DOESN'T DISAPPEAR.
IT BECOMES RATHER PERMANENT. ALL OF THAT RESULTS IN THE LACK OF PERSONAL SECURITY DUE TO, AGAIN, THE SAME TYPE OF WORDS. CYBERBULLYING, PREDATORY BEHAVIOR, AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING. MORE LEGISLATIVE TRENDING. FLORIDA STATUTE 1,006.07 REQUIRES THAT DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD CODES OF STUDENT CONDUCT INCLUDE A PROHIBITION AGAINST STUDENTS USING WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AND AUTHORIZATION FOR TEACHERS TO WITHHOLD A STUDENT'S DEVICE WITH AN EXCEPTION FOR USE AT THE DIRECTION OF THAT TEACHER. HOUSE BILL 3 YESTERDAY, MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR, AND THIS HAS ALL BEEN TRENDING FOR I'D SAY TWO YEARS. THE BILL WAS MODIFIED JUST RECENTLY.
GOVERNOR DESANTIS, BIPARTISAN BILL -- I'M JUST ABOUT DONE -- FLORIDA FOLLOWS A HANDFUL OF OTHER STATES FROM CALIFORNIA TO ARKANSAS THAT HAVE PLACED SIMILAR LIMITS ON KIDS' SOCIAL MEDIA USE IN RESPONSE TO RISING RATES OF TEEN DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE, AS MEMBER PEREZ IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH. VARIOUS SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE PUT TOGETHER TIGHTER POLICIES REGARDING CELL PHONE USE IN SCHOOLS. THE PASCO COUNTY, PINELLAS HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE, ORANGE COUNTY FOR SURE. I JUST SPOKE TO THE ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, AND SHE HAS ALSO SAID THE FIGHTING, THE BULLYING, THE ACADEMICS HAVE GREATLY IMPROVED. YOU CAN GO TO GRECO PRINCIPAL, GREATLY IMPROVED. YOU CAN GO TO WEBB PRINCIPAL, GREATLY IMPROVED. YOU CAN GO TO BALLAST POINT, THAT'S AN ELEMENTARY, GREATLY IMPROVED. SOCIAL MEDIA SITES -- I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD KILLING, BUT DAMAGING OUR PSYCH OF OUR CHILDREN, MY GRANDCHILDREN. ALL RIGHT. LASTLY, AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, BECAUSE WE'RE EDUCATORS, ACADEMICS, AS A TEACHER AND MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN TEACHERS, HOW DO YOU TEACH WHEN YOU HAVE A COMPETITION FROM A CELL PHONE THAT IS PLAYING AROUND WITH NUDE PARTS OF A BODY TAKEN IN THE RESTROOM.
SHARED. FIGHTING TYPES OF -- WE'RE GOING TO MEET AT AL LOPEZ FIELD. I CAN GIVE YOU A LOT OF EXAMPLES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR STUDENT ONLINE SAFETY DOES. HOW CAN STUDENTS LEARN? SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, YOU WANT THOSE "D" AND "F" SCORES TO GO UP. WELL, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, IF YOU HAVE COMPETITION FROM A CELL PHONE, YOU ARE GOING TO BE COMPROMISED AS WE ALL WILL BE BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION IF THEY ARE HAVING CELL PHONE ADDICTION. AND THAT'S THE PLAIN AND SIMPLE WAY OF PUTTING IT. ASK YOURSELVES, EVERY ONE OF US, WOULD ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE INCREASE WHEN CELL PHONES ARE REMOVED IN SCHOOLS? ABSOLUTELY. I HAVE THE DATA THAT SUPPORTS THAT. THAT'S IMPORTANT. WILL THEIR MENTAL DISPOSITION, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION BE MITIGATED? ABSOLUTELY. THE DATA IS OVERWHELMING. NOW, BY THE WAY, I JUST THANK EVERY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR THEIR INPUT COMING FORTH BECAUSE I WELCOME IT AND I THINK WE ALL DO AND THAT DISCUSSION IS CRITICAL AS WE PUT TOGETHER THE POLICY.
MR. PORTER, I WAS ASKED BY A FEW PRINCIPALS, ONE OF THEM WAS DR. WHELAN, TO PUT IN WITH THE APPROVAL OF THEIR REGION SUPERINTENDENT AND BASED ON SPECIFIC FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES, A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL MAY IMPOSE MORE RESTRICTIVE CONDITIONS AT THEIR SCHOOL. IN OTHER WORDS, GIVING THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL A LITTLE BIT MORE FREEDOM TO MAKE MORE RESTRICTIONS.
Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. I DO AGREE THAT CELL PHONES CONTRIBUTE TO A LOT OF VARIOUS THINGS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS. I DO ALSO SEE A DIFFERENCE, ANOTHER SIDE AS WELL. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER POLICY WE AS A DISTRICT CREATE IS GOING TO AMPLIFY BOTH TEACHER SUPPORT AND PRINCIPAL SUPPORT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHERS HAVE CONTROL OF THEIR CLASSROOMS AND PRINCIPALS HAVE CONTROL OF THEIR SCHOOLS AND WE SHOULD NEVER CREATE A POLICY THAT'S GOING TO LIMIT THAT. I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WHEN WE CREATED THIS POLICY, WE DO REFERENCE FLORIDA STATUTE 1,006.07 TOO. HOWEVER, IN 2023, THIS POLICY WAS ACTUALLY UPDATED BY HOUSE BILL 379. BASED UPON HOUSE BILL 379, THERE ARE A FEW CHANGES I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE TO THIS POLICY. AND IN ACCORDANCE TO, AND WE REFERENCE MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE WE TALK ABOUT FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION IN LINE NUMBER 11, THE DEMONSTRATED AREA TO BE IN A STUDENT'S BACKPACK AND/OR PURSE EXCEPT WHEN EXPRESSLY DIRECTED BY A TEACHER.
ONE, I WOULD ADD IN THERE, AND/OR ADMIN STAFF. ANY SCHOOL PERSONNEL -- NOT PERSONNEL -- ANY ADMINISTRATION OR TEACHER SHOULD HAVE THAT ABILITY. HOWEVER, IN THAT STATUTE UNDER 379, UNDERLINE 14, AUTHORIZING TEACHERS AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL TO DESIGNATE AN AREA FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. SO THE LAW DOESN'T LIMIT IT TO JUST BACK PACKS AND PURSES. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON WHAT THE LAW SAYS AND GIVE THAT TEACHER AND THAT ADMINISTRATION FLEXIBILITY ON WHERE THEY CHOOSE TO STORE THOSE DEVICES. SO THAT WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE WOULD TAKE DIRECTLY FROM LAW AND GIVE THE FLEXIBILITY BACK TO THE TEACHER AND THE PRINCIPAL. Jim Porter: JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, SO YOU WOULD BE -- WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IF IT WASN'T IN THEIR BACKPACK? ARE YOU THINKING THEY WOULD BE -- Patti Rendon: WE HAVE SOME TEACHERS THAT ALLOW -- FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THEY HAVE LIKE A SHOE POCKET.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS OUR POLICY SHOULD BE FRIENDLY TO A TEACHER AND TO A SCHOOL ADMIN. Jim Porter: THAT'S HELPFUL. Patti Rendon: THEY ARE RUNNING THEIR CLASSROOMS. THEY ARE RUNNING THEIR SCHOOLS. HUNDRED PERCENT IN AGREEMENT WITH MS. GRAY THAT WE HAVE TO LIMIT SCREEN TIME USAGE, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO THAT WITH GIVING THE AUTHORITY TO THE TEACHER AND TO THE PRINCIPAL ON HOW THEY DO THAT PER THEIR SCHOOL BY MAINTAINING OUR POLICY THAT IT'S NOT TO BE USED DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. THE LAW DOES SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT THE CELL PHONE SHOULD NOT BE IN USE DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WHEN A TEACHER GIVES PERMISSION. AND I THINK THAT'S THE KEY ELEMENT THAT WHATEVER THE POLICY IS, WE MAKE SURE WE GIVE THAT AUTHORITY BACK TO THE TEACHER AND THE PRINCIPAL FOR THEM TO DESIGNATE HOW IT IS. THEY ARE ALL PROFESSIONALS AND WE'VE GIVEN THEIR STUDENTS TO THEIR CARE.
Jim Porter: THANK YOU. Patti Rendon: SO IN THAT PARTICULAR LINE ITEM, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS LINE ITEM IN THE LAW, 14 THROUGH 16. ALSO, IN THAT SAME LAW, LINES 25 THROUGH 29, IT SPECIFICALLY STATES, PROHIBIT STUDENTS FROM WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, PROVIDING AN EXCEPTION, REQUIRING A TEACHER TO DESIGNATE AN AREA FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES DURING -- TIME, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. AGAIN IT REINFORCES THE FACT THAT TEACHERS SHOULD HAVE THAT DESIGNATED TIME. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO -- ALSO, IF WE LOOK AT LINE OF THAT STATUTE, AUTHORITY OF TEACHERS, RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTROL OF STUDENTS, DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND PRINCIPAL DUTIES SUBJECT TO LAW AND THE RULE OF THE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD, EACH TEACHER OR OTHER MEMBER OF THE STAFF OF ANY SCHOOL SHALL HAVE SUCH AUTHORITY FOR THE CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE OF STUDENTS AS MAY BE ASSIGNED TO HIM OR HER BY THE PRINCIPAL OR PRINCIPAL'S DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE AND SHALL KEEP GOOD ORDER IN CLASSROOMS AND OTHER PLACES IN WHICH HE OR SHE IS ASSIGNED TO BE IN CHARGE OF STUDENTS.
LINE ITEM 101 TO 110, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION AND WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT, TEACHERS AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO UNDERTAKE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS IN MANAGING STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND ENSURING THE SAFETY OF ALL STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSES AND SCHOOL AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN IN AN ORDERLY AND DISCIPLINED CLASSROOM. ESTABLISH CLASSROOM RULES OF CONDUCT, INCLUDING DESIGNATED AREAS OF WIRELESS COMMUNITY DEVICES DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. IN ACCORDANCE TO THE NEW LAW WHICH WENT INTO FURTHER DETAIL, FLORIDA STATUTE 1,006.7, THIS GAVE A LITTLE MORE CLARITY AND A LITTLE MORE AUTHORITY TO BOTH THE TEACHER AND TO THE PRINCIPAL. SO IN ACCORDANCE TO THAT, I WANT TO MAKE A FEW CHANGES IN THAT. IN LOOKING AT LINE 7 WHICH WE SAY DESIGNATED BY A TEACHER, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD AND/OR ADMIN OR RESPONSIBLE PERSONNEL OF THE SCHOOL.
Jim Porter: GOT IT. Patti Rendon: THE NEXT SECTION, SECTION 8, IT SAYS SOLELY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. NOW, HUNDRED PERCENT AGREEMENT THAT WE DON'T WANT CELL PHONES TO BE OUT JUST IN GENERAL. GIVING TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATION AUTHORITY TO DO THAT, IT DOES GIVE THE USE FOR OUTSIDE EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. FOR EXAMPLE, IN MANY OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS TODAY, THEY ARE USING THEIR ELECTRONIC DEVICES TO ACTUALLY PULL UP THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. THEY ARE USING THEIR ELECTRONIC DEVICES WHEN THEY ARE VOTING ON HOMECOMING. WHEN THEY ARE VOTING ON STUDENT COUNCIL, WHEN THEY ARE VOTING OR TAKING A SURVEY THAT WE AS A DISTRICT HAVE PROVIDED THEM. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GIVE FLEXIBILITY AGAIN TO BOTH OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATION FOR THEIR JUDGMENT ON WHEN THAT CELL PHONE IS USED. BY PUTTING IN HERE SOLELY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, WE LIMIT THEIR AUTHORITY. SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION, TO GIVE THE PRINCIPAL AND THE TEACHER THE AUTHORITY.
AGAIN, IN LINE NUMBER 11, WE ADDRESSED THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE DESIGNATING EXACTLY WHERE. IN LINE NUMBER 12, SOLELY FOR EDUCATIONAL -- DIRECTED BY A TEACHER AND/OR ADMIN OR RESPONSIBLE PERSONNEL, HOWEVER WE WANT TO WORD THAT. AND THEN SOLELY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. AGAIN, I WOULD REMOVE THAT LINE, GIVING THE AUTHORITY TO THE PRINCIPAL AND TO THE TEACHER ON HOW AND WHICH THEY DESIGNATE IT. THIS POLICY REMOVES CELL PHONES FROM THE USE PERIOD EXCEPT WHEN DESIGNATED BY A TEACHER OR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. I THINK THAT'S MS. GRAY'S PURPOSE IS TO REALLY REMOVE IT FROM JUST BEING OUT THERE AND BEING ABLE TO BE USED IN GENERAL FOR ANY PURPOSES. PUTTING IT BACK ON THE TEACHER AND THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, WE GIVE THEM THE AUTHORITY THAT THEY SO DESERVE. THE OTHER THING IS, IN LINE NUMBER 16, WE WORD IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE SAY THAT IF THE CELL PHONE IS USED IN A CRIMINAL ACT SUCH AS SEXTING OR ONLINE FOR FLORIDA STATUTES AND/OR CODE, THE CELL PHONE WILL BE PROVIDED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I WOULD PUT A PERIOD THERE AND I WOULD THEN ADD A STUDENT MAY BE -- MAY HAVE CONSEQUENCE -- MAY HAVE CRIMINAL PENALTIES IF USED IN A CRIMINAL ACT. THAT GOES DIRECTLY BACK TO THE LAW AND WORDING EXACTLY AS THE LAW HAS INTENDED. I'M AFRAID THAT IF WE LEAVE IT THE WAY IT IS AND STUDENT MAY FACE CRIMINAL PENALTIES, IT PUTS THE RESPONSIBILITY ON US AS A DISTRICT AND NOT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT. BY HAVING IT AS A SEPARATE SENTENCE, WE DESIGNATED OUT THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE PENALTIES AND NOT THE DISTRICT. IN LINE AGAIN 19-20, AGAIN SOLELY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE, JUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF REMOVAL. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MAKE NOTICE OF IS WHEN WE DID OUR INSIGHT SURVEY LAST YEAR, WE PROVIDED A QUESTION, WHAT ARE THE REASONS IN WHICH YOU WOULD STAY AS A PRINCIPAL. ONE, THEY SAID INSPIRING LEADERSHIP.
INSPIRING IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR, POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVOCACY -- I MEAN, I'M SORRY, FOR ADVANCEMENT IN CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. THEY WANT TO FEEL SAFE AND THEY WANT TO FEEL SUPPORTED. THEY WANT DEVELOPMENT OF A SUPPORTED AND TO IMPROVE LEADERSHIP SKILLS. THEY WANT THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR SCHOOL AND THEIR CLASSROOM. THEY WANT TO BE RECOGNIZED AND RESPECT. THEY WANT TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE POSITIVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS' OUTCOMES. I THINK BY CHANGING THESE WORDINGS IN THIS POLICY, IT STILL HAS THE SAME INTENT, MS. GRAY, AS I BELIEVE YOU INTENDED IT TO BE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS AND REMOVING DEVICES JUST TO BEING OUT AT SCHOOL SO THEY ARE NOT ACCESSING CONTENT AND YET STILL PROVIDES THE AUTHORITY, THE RESPECT TO THE TEACHER AND TO THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE SCHOOL. THAT'S WHERE MY CHANGES COME FROM. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE NOTE TO THE DISTRICT AND ANYONE LISTENING HERE RIGHT NOW, WE DO HAVE PROCEDURES IN PLACE THROUGH OUR I.T.
DEPARTMENT THAT ARE SAFEGUARDING OUR STUDENTS FROM NOT ACCESSING THOSE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES WHILE ON CAMPUSES, USING ANY OF OUR DEVICES, USING ANY OF OUR WIFI. IF A STUDENT IS ACCESSING THOSE DEVICES, THEY ARE DOING IT THROUGH THE PERMISSION OF THEIR PARENTS WHO HAVE NOT DEEMED THEIR PERSONAL DEVICES TO BE PROHIBITED FROM ACCESSING THOSE SITES. IF THEY TRY TO USE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OR IF THEY TRY TO -- I'M SORRY, OUR INTERNET, THEY WILL BE LIMITED FROM ACCESSING THOSE SITES. I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR FAMILIES TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE TAKEN THOSE SECURITIES AND THOSE PRECAUTIONS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE NOTE THAT HOUSE BILL 3 THAT WAS JUST PASSED DOES LIMIT THE ACCESS OR PERMISSION FROM STUDENTS TO ACCESS SOCIAL MEDIA SITES UNDER THE AGE OF 14 UNLESS GIVEN SPECIFIC PERMISSION FOR 13 AND 14 BY THEIR PARENTS. WE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE NOT TRYING TO DO YOUR PARENTS' JOBS, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING A PROPER EDUCATION IN OUR SCHOOLS AND GIVING OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS THE AUTHORITY TO DO SUCH THING.