In its lengthy meeting last night, one of the items presented to the Paso Robles school board was an update, and introduction for first reading, to changes in the district’s cell phone use policy.
The updated policy would prohibit use of cell phones during both instructional and non instructional time for students grades k – 8. Staff said to aid in enforcing this, more information about Yondr bags will be presented to the board in its next meeting for the second reading. Yondr bags are pouches designed to store phones, and are locked magnetically. High school students, grades 9 – 12, will be permitted to use cell phones outside of instructional time.
Part of the meeting’s public comment also had members of the community speak on transgender students. Two groups called for community members to attend this meeting and speak on this issue, but it was relegated to only 20 minutes by the school board.
At the end of the meeting, trustee Laurene McCoy made a motion to direct staff to bring a resolution to the next meeting that would designate girl’s sports and spaces as reserved for biological females. The motion was seconded by trustee Kenney Enney. The motion failed with trustees Jim Cogan, Sondra Williams, Nathan Williams and Joel Peterson dissenting.
