Warren schools clarifies cell phone rules

Warren Township High School students will have plenty of warning about consequences if they don't keep their wireless telephones tucked away.

However, board members at Gurnee-based Warren District 121 officially agreed Tuesday night not to take an additional step of forcing students to keep the phones off and stored in lockers.

"If it's out of sight, it doesn't matter if it's in their backpack or in a locker," District 121 board President John Anderson said.

Board member Michael Penich said more locker break-ins could occur if phones were deposited in them each day. In addition, he said, forced locker storage could bring complaints from parents who are more comfortable knowing their children are carrying a cell phone.

Under a cell phone etiquette initiative that'll launch for the next school year, students will be reminded to turn off the devices and not to send text messages in class. Classroom posters will help draw attention to the message.

District 121's policy related to electronics states that pupils may bring cell phones to school provided they are off and not seen. The phones can't be used at lunch, during hallway passing periods or on buses.

Warren's policy calls for two detentions for the first cell phone offense, with a one-day out-of-school suspension for the second violation.

District 121 Superintendent Phil Sobocinski assured board members that teachers and administrators will not look the other way on cell phone violations.

"We're going to have signs put up and constant reminders of what our rules and regulations are," Sobocinski said.

Warren board members Tuesday approved having the new student-parent handbook strengthened for the 2008-09 academic year by noting cellular phones "will be" confiscated if the rules are violated.

Penich said the handbook had been too weak in stating the gizmos "may be" taken by school officials for disciplinary reasons.

Warren's Almond Road campus for upperclassmen has been equipped with a safe that'll be used for confiscated mobile phones, said Sobocinski.