BISD requests feedback from community on how to implement cell phone ban law

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Brownsville Independent School District is asking its students and parents to weigh in on a debated topic — electronic device use on campus.

Updated guidelines in accordance with Texas House Bill 1481 are forcing the school district to prepare to implement a cell phone ban on campuses.

HB1481 was signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and it restricts the use of personal devices such as cell phones, smart watches, tablets, pagers, radios or "“any other electronic device capable of telecommunication or digital communication," from being used at school.

The new law applies to public school and open-enrollment charter schools. 

It goes into effect August 13.

“The passage of HB 1481 marks an important step toward restoring focus and connection in our classrooms,” said State Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo, the creator of the bill to our sister station KXAN. “By creating a phone-free environment, we’re giving teachers the tools to teach without disruption and students the space to learn, think critically, and engage with one another face-to-face. This bill puts education, not screen time, at the center of the school day. I anticipate not only seeing major jumps in GPA’s and test scores, but improvements in mental health and social wellbeing as well.”

BISD is prepared to comply with this new law, but first, it wants the community's input.

There is a student device use feedback form open now until July 21 from BISD.

The form gives students and parents the opportunity to select the following options to comply with the law:

• Do not allow students to have personal devices at all during the school day / No permitir que los estudiantes tengan dispositivos personales durante todo el día escolar
• Allow students to bring devices, but keep them stored and unused during school hours / Permitir que los estudiantes traigan sus dispositivos, pero que los mantengan guardados y sin usarse durante el horario escolar
• Use different rules depending on the student's grade level / Aplicar diferentes reglas según el nivel de grado del estudiante

And a fourth "other" option that allows responders to type out a message.

To weigh in on how BISD should implement HB1481 across the district, click here.