BY TIMOTHY LAROCHE
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CLAREMONT — Following several accusations that the school district has not adequately handled bullying, Claremont School Board members have opened talks about finding new ways to stem the issue.
With cyberbullying and technology use feeding into bullying, board members said they want to look into how teachers and administrators monitor cell phone use in the schools. Board member Jason Benware drove much of the conversation after requesting at a previous meeting that the board revisit cell phone policies.
Under current district policies, students are allowed to bring cell phones to school for use only outside of instructional time. However, having the technology available during the day possibly feeds into bullying and other altercations when students are able to constantly share information, Benware said.
“As it sits, it sounds like it’s relatively reasonable,” Benware said of the policy. “I’d be really interested to know how it’s being enforced and how it’s working… I read both sides of the story and it’s not just the negatives. I understand that there are sometimes that teachers will use them as a tool for helping them learn. I’m just afraid the negatives may outweigh the positives in this scenario.”
Benware said that before the board considers reworking policies around technology use, more data is needed through student and teacher surveys. Superintendent Middleton McGoodwin said it will be important for the board to hear from administrators about how effective the policies are before decisions are made.
“It’s very very important to me that we be honest with the reality that different schools in our country will all talk about bullying,” McGoodwin said. “Let’s take a step back and come together as a community to have an agreement and to develop a protocol together.”
In a bid to improve policy enforcement and protect the district from any possible legal challenges, board member Carolyn Towle suggested that the schools require students to sign a form acknowledging their understanding of the district’s policies. She said that it would make students more aware of their responsibilities.
However, Stevens High School Pat Berry noted that any decision should also involve the parents and community.
“Fifty percent of the time, the person texting a student is probably the parent,” Berry said. “Without their cooperation and buy in on whatever we have, its two legs of a three-legged stool going on.”
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