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At one school, it's okay if you say, 'Hello?'

Palm Harbor University High allows students to use portable electronics, including cell phones and MP3 players, during lunchtime.

By JARED LEONE
Published August 29, 2006

From the Pinellas County schools' Code of Student Conduct.

"Misconduct that may result in discipline (including suspension, reassignment or expulsion):

33. The use of electronic items such as, but not limited to, the following:

- Tape player/recorder.

- CD player.

- Radio.

- Camera.

- Cellular phone (including the camera that may be part of the phone).

- Camcorder.

- Television.

- MP3 player.

- Pager or beeper.

If middle and high school students or students at intermediate schools are in possession of these electronic items at school, they are to be kept turned off and out of sight on school grounds unless an administrator gives permission to do something else."

The 2,260 students at Palm Harbor University High are exceptions to this rule. They're permitted to use portable electronics during 30-minute lunch periods.

"It's something to save you from boredom," said Cameron Boozarjomehri, 15, who uses his silver Nintendo DS to send text messages and play games against some of his friends. The hand-held console has a touch-screen display and is Wi-Fi capable.

Boozarjomehri said he has, on occasion, used the next-generation Game Boy device for math warmups before his geometry class, which is right after lunch.

Last year, seniors in John Baker's law studies class lobbied their principal, Harry Brown, to allow the use of cell phones, MP3 players and other personal electronic devices during lunch.

After all, they're part of a generation in which text messaging has replaced passing notes, and using a cell phone is easier and much more popular than carrying quarters to use the pay phone.

The policy was tested during the last six weeks of the school year and was continued this school year.

"It's still on a trial basis," Baker said. "So far it's continued during lunchtime."

Brown, who is the school district's associate superintendent for curriculum services, said, "I don't know that we need to prohibit these things but to encourage their use respectfully and responsibly.

"We trusted them to make good decisions, and our students lived up to the challenge," Brown said.

Crystal Murphy, 16, sometimes receives as many as five text messages a day. She said she's able to catch up with friends or her mom during lunch.

"I had to teach my mom how to text," Murphy said.

Heather Holstein uses her cell phone to keep in touch with her boyfriend and to let her mom know about changing plans.

"You're not supposed to use it in class," said Holstein, 17. "It gives you a break when you can. It's hard to go all day without technology."

With the partial-use policy in place, students do not seem to use their phones so much at improper times, said Jim Jenkins, an art teacher.

But other county schools, such as Largo High, have a zero-tolerance policy for students' use of such devices. The school adheres to district policy without exception.

The policy against personal electronics is a long-standing one, though the examples of electronic devices have grown over time.

Principal Jeff Haynes said he has noticed a substantial rise in cell phone and MP3 player usage in the hallways the last four years. He said while many of the students' cell phone calls are to and from their parents, it is a distraction in the classroom.

"If they don't have it on silent ring, that's usually how they get caught," Haynes said.

[Last modified August 28, 2006, 22:59:23]