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Electronic policy not followed by all

Students at Foothill don't always follow the electronic policy set in their planners and posted in the classrooms. Photo by Amber-Chanel Anderson.

Though the electronic policy is mostly enforced throughout the school, students, and sometimes teachers, don't always follow.

COLUMN
By AMBER-CHANEL ANDERSON
fhspress.com Staff
Posted September 7, 2011

The Foothill High School Electronic Policy is not only the most well-known rule throughout the campus, but it's also the rule that causes the most chaos amongst the students.

The Foothill High School Electronic Policy is not only the first page in the school's student planner, but also comes up more than once in the school's handbook for parents. The Electronic Policy states that the electronic items are not allowed at school, including but not limited to: cell phones, iPods, MP3 players, music players, digital cameras/video cameras, portable gaming systems, and portable televisions.

When the electronic devices are confiscated by a teacher and/or staff member, different levels of chaos occur, depending upon the student. Some students give their electronic device away if caught by staff member; other students refuse and create a scene. Either way, confiscated items are released to students without prior approval from parent/guardian, and the offenses are:

1st Offense: 1 full calendar day (returned after school next day)
2nd Offense: 1 full calendar week (including weekends)
3rd Offense: 1 full calendar week (including weekends) and parent pick up
(Beyond 3rd offense additional consequences may be applied at the administration's discretion)

Foothill High School has made it extremely clear that students can not use their cell phones during school hours, but what about the teaching department? During class, students have heard teachers' phones ring during class, and have observed them answer in the middle of their teaching lesson. Students are discouraged to text message, but students have seen teachers reply back to their text messages while class was in session. If the teaching staff expects the students not to use their phones during class, teachers shouldn't be using their phones either.

If the expectation of Foothill High School is that all students should comply with the school's Electronic Device Policy, then students need teachers who follow their word and not be on the phone while class is in session.

FOOTHILL HIGH SCHOOL fhspress.com SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA