HANTS EAST: For teachers and administrators at schools in East Hants, cell phones have a time and a place. And it’s not the classroom.

Hants East Rural High School (HERH) in Milford and Hants North Rural High School (HNRH) in Kennetcook both have school policies on cell phone use within their schools. Recently, Musquodoboit Rural High School issued a letter home to parents asking them to ensure their children weren’t bringing cell phones to schools because they have been linked to not only class disruptions, but drug use in the school.

Trish MacKinnon, Principal at HNRH, says a link between cell phones and drug use cannot be indentified at her rural school.

“At times, I’m sure cell phones are used for inappropriate behaviour, but I cannot possibly make that connection,” she said.

At HNRH, students are not permitted to use cell phones during instructional time. But, at HERH, cell phones are not permitted to be used at any time within the building. HERH Principal, Mike Smith, says with the larger student body, it’s impossible to limit cell phone use to only break time use because there are always classes going on.

“It would be impossible to police,” he said. “So we do not allow cell phones anywhere in the building, including the hall ways. If you have to make a call, go outside on your lunch break.

“For us to say they are only not allowed in class, it is just completely ineffective, because the kids in the hallway are going to be texting the kids in class, who will be sneaking to text back, causing a disruption that the teachers really don’t need.”

But one thing the two principals can agree on is that they are not a root cause of drug use within the schools. RCMP Constable, Eric Sangster, serves as the school policing officer for both schools and he says drug use is not as prevalent as it once was.

“We have seen a decrease in the schools,” said Const. Sangster. “Mainly because it’s not as easy to get away with it.”

But, Const. Sangster says even with his regular patrols, split between the two schools, cell phones are more than likely used in arranging drug purchases in the school and says it’s just the changing of the times.

“Drugs were always there, just with today’s technology it’s transferred electronically instead of a phone call or talking,” he said.

Although not linked to drug use as is the case in MRHS, cell phones are still a proven distraction in the schools and both principals say action will be taken if students are caught using their phones during school hours.

“I often hear the excuse students use their phones to check the time, I tell them to get a watch,” said Smith.

He says he has no problem confiscating student’s phones.

“We hold firm, we keep the phone for five days unless the student’s parents want to come in and physically pick it up themselves, no phone calls, they have to physically come to the school,” he said. “We don’t want the kids not to have their phones, we know they sometimes have to arrange for drives after school or go to their part-time jobs after school and are on the roads at night and we know it is a safety measure for parents.”

HNRH isn’t as strict when it comes to cell phone confiscation.

“We will confiscate the phone and give it back at the end of the day,” said MacKinnon. “Most students are respectful of the policy because they don’t want to lose their phones.”

However, MacKinnon added school administration is preparing to review their cell phone policy in the near future to see if there are changes that should be made.

Principal of Musquodoboit Rural High School, Ronnie Reynolds, still hasn’t returned phone calls to defend MRHS’s stance on cell phones.

acameron@enfieldweeklypress.com