DANVILLE - Pittsylvania County public high school principals are asking the School Board to ban student cell-phone use in school.

The school system is looking at a policy change under which students would be required to keep a cell phone locked in a car or locker during the school day.

"The concern of principals is to try to manage cell-phone use in the high schools and middle school," Superintendent James E. McDaniel said.

Danville Superintendent Sue Davis said her system's middle and high school students may have cell phones at school but may not turn them on or use them during the school day or on the school bus. Students' cell phones must be turned off and left in either a locker or car or kept out of sight in a purse or book bag.

Elementary school students may not have cell phones on school property or on a school bus.

While Pittsylvania school officials will meet this week to talk about options, if changes are recommended, they will be discussed at the Oct. 14 School Board meeting.

The current policy, adopted last Aug. 14, calls for confiscation of the device for unauthorized use. The device will only be returned to a parent.

McDaniel said the school system is not against cell-phone use, but it wants to control it so it doesn't interfere with classroom instruction.

"We have to draw a balancing act here," he said.

Danville has disciplinary actions for cell phone use, Davis said. On the first offense, the cell phone is confiscated and a conference is held with the parent.

The fifth offense results in a recommendation for long-term suspension.
Bernard Baker writes for the Danville Register & Bee.