TOMS RIVER – A proposal that could dramatically restrict student cell phone use across the Toms River Regional school district is under review, with officials considering a rule that bars phones from the moment students step onto the bus until they arrive home after dismissal.
The policy, introduced at the board’s October meeting, lays out new expectations for how students must store their devices and what penalties they would face if they don’t comply. A second reading and vote has not yet been scheduled, and a meeting originally set for November 25 has been canceled, according to the district.
If the measure passes, students who bring phones to school would be required to switch them off and keep them out of reach — either in a locker or inside a backpack — throughout the school day and during any afterschool clubs, athletics or programs. The draft also mandates that all phones be secured with a passcode to prevent other students from accessing them.
Districts across New Jersey have been moving toward similar restrictions following pressure from the state Department of Education, which has cited persistent concerns about bullying, harassment and other disruptions tied to student phone use.
Under the proposed rules, students who need to contact a parent during the day must request permission to visit the main office and use a school phone. Families urgently trying to reach their child would likewise be directed to call the school office rather than the student directly.
A limited number of students would be exempt, including those whose individualized education programs authorize the use of electronic communication devices and those who rely on their phones to manage a documented medical condition. Such medical exceptions would need approval from the principal and school nurse.
Consequences would escalate with each offense: the first violation would lead to the phone being held by the school until dismissal; the second would result in detention and require a parent or guardian to retrieve the device; and a third offense could lead to suspension.
District officials have not announced when the policy will return to the board for a final vote.
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