By Kelly Morgan,Staff Writer

OXFORD – The SAD 17 Board of Directors is taking a second look at a policy that regulates the use of cell phones and other electronic devices in area schools.

Prompted by incidents in which students on school grounds ignored administrators while listening to music through hand-held players, the district may clarify restrictions in its Student Use of Telecommunications Devices policy.

The SAD 17 Policy Committee on Tuesday suggested adding restrictions against “electronic media players or receivers.”

The language, committee Chairman John Jenness said, “basically would allow us to get in radios or Walkmans – or whatever the plural is – without having to make exceptions.”

While the current policy prohibits the use of “paging devices, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or other electronic devices” during regular school hours, Jenness said it was important to make reference to music players as well.

Joseph Moore, principal of Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, said in October he asked his staff what they thought of an outright ban on all media devices on school grounds, including Walkmans, cell phones and PDAs.

“The staff feedback I got was 80/20 in support of that,” he said.

Today, Moore said, students are allowed to bring cell phones and other electronic devices to school, but may not use them in a disruptive manner.

The committee voted 5-0 in favor of Jenness’ suggestion to include “electronic media players or receivers” in the telecommunication devices policy. It also approved language stating that the administration may make rules regarding the specific allowance or prohibition of devices.

SAD 17 Superintendent Mark Eastman said he will fine-tune some regulations currently written into the policy.

Any proposed policy changes will have to be considered by the SAD 17 Board of Directors, Eastman said. The board holds two readings of any policy changes before voting.

If approved, the altered telecommunication devices policy would be implemented in the 2005-2006 school year, Eastman said.

The policy committee also on Tuesday considered changes to the student dress policy. The incidents involving the music player also involved a student wearing a bandanna over their face, Eastman said.

The policy committee proposed an amendment to the dress policy that would prohibit students from covering their faces on school grounds, except for reasons such as medical need or religion.