Education
BY HANNAH NORTON
Teachers now have more disciplinary authority
New law bans cellphone usage in all K 12 schools When Texas public school students return to campus this fall, they will be prohibited from using cellphones, smart watches and other personal communication devices throughout the school day. The details Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1481 into law on June 20, giving school districts 90 days to adopt new electronic device policies, including disciplinary measures for students who violate the cellphone ban. “We want our kids to focus on academics, such as math, science and reading, and the reality is, these phones are a distraction,” bill author Rep. Caroline Fairly, R Amarillo, said in March. HB 1481 includes exceptions for students with medical needs or special education.
House Bill 6 gives public school teachers more discretion to remove students from the classroom if they are repeatedly disruptive or threaten the safety of others. The change comes after nearly half of Texas public school teachers cited discipline issues as a top workplace chal- lenge in 2022, according to the Texas Education Agency. What you need to know The law, which took e ect immediately when Gov. Greg Abbott signed it on June 20, allows schools to suspend students of any age who engage in “repeated or signi cant” disruptions, reversing a 2017 state law that generally prohib- ited schools from suspending students in pre-K through second grade. If students in kindergarten through third grade are sent home for behavioral issues, schools must provide documentation explaining their decision.
“A lot of the problems we see with our kids in high school is because they did not have consequences, none whatsoever, when
they were younger.” BILL AUTHOR REP. JEFF LEACH, R PLANO
HB 6 gives schools the option to place stu- dents in an in-school suspension for as long as they see t. State law previously mandated that students could not be suspended for more than three school days, whether they were inside a school building or at home. The three-day time limit on out-of-school suspensions remains unchanged.
Changing t
Changing the future
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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION
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