CALVERT COUNTY, Md. – At the May 9th meeting of the Calvert County Board of Education, the members of the board conducted a review of the proposed changes to the Calvert County Public School’s code of conduct, a process conducted on an annual basis.
According to the school system’s director of student services Cecilia Lewis, “The 21 members of the committee have provided input based on checking in with their peer groups and feedback to make the following recommendations…we tried to organize it as best as possible because there are quite a bit of changes.”
Perhaps the most discussed changes on the list were the ones made to the policy regarding cell phones and other electronic devices.
The proposal states, “Students may bring cellular phones to school but are not permitted to bring other electronic or communication devices, such as personal laptops, because Calvert County Public Schools provides laptops to students in grades 3-12 and iPads for students in grades pre-k to 2.”
“Students may bring their phone, but once school begins, the device must be powered off — not on vibrate or silent mode — and must remain in a non-visible, secure location with noted exceptions in high school.”
Board member Jana Post expressed concern that it could be difficult to enforce the policy, believing that there needed to be more clear consequences for violating the policy.
Post also stated that the policy should address smart watches, devices with the capability to act as Bluetooth adaptors.
Lewis stated that the committee would go back and review the proposition to make some possible changes.
Other topics of discussion included the use of nicotine and tobacco delivery products.
Inez Claggett, vice president of the board, noted that vaping devices were not specifically prohibited on school buses as they do not always deliver nicotine.
Both Lewis and Claggett agreed that a change would have to be made to that policy.
Board member Lisa Grenis brought up possible changes to the school dress code. She filed a motion to revisit the code in order to add a ban on hoods.
This was met with opposition from student board member Jordan Hayes, who believes wearing hooded clothing was more of a question of comfort than anything else.
The motion failed, but the board agreed to conduct a survey for school staff to voice their opinions on a hoods ban.
Those interested in reading the revised code of conduct can do so at the Calvert County Public Schools website.
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Calvert county BOE is 10000% MAGA now. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!