A Florida school district has chosen to continue the ban of cell phone use by students aboard school buses despite controversy, going a step further with the ban to include the time between classes.
The prohibition put in place by the Highland County School District permits students to use their cell phones during the lunch period, as well as before the start of classes. It has the wide support of teachers and school administrators, as well as the school board, who set the standards because of constant tardiness by students using their cell phones.
The ban of cell phone usage on the area school buses was justified to benefit drivers, who cannot monitor student behavior as they use their portable electronic devices, according to the district board members.
“The drivers have so much to take care, safety should be their first priority,” said the school board in a statement at a recent meeting.
This decision was met with derision from parents and students, the latter group claiming the ban prevents them from starting homework assignments during bus rides. Many parents and students want an immediate lifting of these sanctions.
The school board was not swayed by these criticisms, saying that the restriction assists drivers, since they cannot monitor the content older students access and might share with younger riders.
Only 13 states and the District of Columbia ban the use of cell phones while driving. Florida is not one of those states. Currently, Florida has banned texting while driving.
