As part of an aggressive new school district policy, nearly 300 wireless devices were confiscated from Martin County students during the first week of school.
According to figures released to WPTV by the Martin County School District, 279 wireless devices were confiscated from students, including cell phones, smartwatches and earbuds.
Martin County High School had the most devices confiscated with 113, followed by South Fork High School with 101 and Jensen Beach High School with 48.
Additionally, five devices were seized at David L. Anderson Middle School, four at Stuart Middle School, four at Spectrum Academy, two at Willoughby Learning Center, and one each at Indiantown Middle School and Hidden Oaks Middle School.
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Last year, a Florida state law banned students from carrying their phones during class.
However, not every local school district approaches technology in the same way.
The Martin County School District is the most aggressive with its new cell phone and wireless device consequences. If you carry a wireless device at any time during the school day – including in the classroom, hallways or at lunch – it will be taken away from you and returned only to your parent or guardian.
Superintendent Michael Maine said if a phone is taken away, a teacher or staff member will take it to the office, where it will be documented and locked away.
Repeated violations in Martin County result in progressive disciplinary action and can even lead to suspension. The new policy also applies to AirPods and the use of smartwatches.
“Do you think this will work?” WPTV education reporter Stephanie Susskind asked Maine before the start of the school year.
“I think if we are consistent as a district and every single school is consistent, we will be successful with this,” Maine replied. “But we don’t just need us as a school district. I need the parents’ help.”
Maine added that cell phones lead to more bullying and online harassment and “creep into all kinds of inappropriate things that our students do.”
“We need to regain control of it. And this is one step that will help contain it,” Maine said.
As for our other local school districts, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties stated that they will maintain their current policies, consistent with state law, that prohibit cell phones during class unless the teacher allows it.
The Indian River County School District said it has focused on enforcing the law over the past year.
“We’ve been able to dramatically increase the amount of time our teachers have available for quality instruction because they weren’t the cell phone police,” said Superintendent Dr. David Moore. “So part of our success last year is because we’re cracking down on cell phones.”
In Martin County, Maine, all school principals say they have been trained on how to implement this new policy with their staff.
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