Minneapolis school board weighs cell phone policy change

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - As many students across the state prepare to head back to school, the debate over cell phones in the classroom is heating up.

The Minneapolis school board was prepared to vote on a proposal that would have changed their current student electronics policy to allow teachers to set their own guidelines for cell phone use in the classroom instead of the district.

A student group sparked the idea for the change to the current policy, which allows high school students to use their phones before and after school, during lunch, during passing time, and when a teacher permits it for educational purposes.

The issue was tabled at Tuesday night's board meeting, with directors saying more community input and engagement is needed before a final policy is voted on. 

This comes as another school district in the metro area made a change to its cell phone policy as well. 

At Armstrong High School in Plymouth, administrators will be implementing a "no personal technology guideline" in the upcoming school year. Students will need to have their phones turned off and stored away during class. Teachers will be able to decide when and if a student is allowed to use a phone during class. If a student is found repeatedly violating the rule, they can be sent to the Student Support Center where their cell phone will be kept for the rest of the day.