According to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s executive order, it is up to individual school boards to be clear on their protocol.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Following the school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin that left two people dead, it was originally reported that a second-grade student made the first 911 call for help.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes later clarified his statement to say it was actually a second-grade teacher. However, the initial report sparked questions across Virginia, as starting on January 1, all students will not be allowed access to their cell phones during class.
It’s part of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 33, which outlines that all students are to follow a bell-to-bell ban with few exceptions. The reasoning behind it is to keep students engaged in class, as educators consistently report distracted students keeping them from their studies and social media adding to bullying.
However, it has also led to some criticism from Virginia parents who have argued they would like to keep in contact with their children in the event of a school emergency.
It’s a major concern school boards across Hampton Roads have acknowledged.
“We hear so many things about active shooters and things like that and parents are concerned about being able to reach their child,” said Carlos Clanton, a Norfolk School Board member.
Under Youngkin’s executive order, all school divisions must maintain clear communication with parents and guardians and have a required safety plan. But the decision to penalize students for using a cell phone during an emergency remains with school boards.
In Virginia Beach, school board members clearly listed an exception to the cellphone ban during an emergency by stating students will not be penalized for using a phone to call 911.
In Hampton, the question about penalizing remains unclear. However, students are discouraged from using their cell phones during an emergency as it “can have a detrimental impact on student safety during a school crisis,” and “can hinder emergency response efforts.”
Both Norfolk and Newport News have not yet finalized their cell phone policy plans but must vote on the measure before January 1.
13News Now reached out to Governor Glenn Youngkin on whether the Wisconsin school shooting impacted his stance on student cell phone use but did not receive a response.
Virginia Senator, Tim Kaine, released a statement saying, “I support limiting student use of cell phones during school hours to promote learning and face-to-face social interaction. I believe that local school officials are best equipped to figure out how to do this without compromising student safety.”
