Cell phone use to be banned at Apache Junction schools

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

All cell phones must be off and remain in a student’s backpack or in a classroom cell phone locker at all times under a policy being considered by the Apache Junction Unified School District.

Also to be considered are policies for school booster groups and a random drug-testing program for students in school-sponsored extracurricular sports or activities governed by the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

The three policies were listed for a first read during the AJUSD governing board’s May 28 meeting.

“Those are first read for our booster policy, cell phone policy and random student drug-testing. So board members this is our first read. We will have it on the next regular meeting for second read and possible approval,” Board President Dena Kimble said at the meeting.

In attendance were Kimble, Board Vice President Gil Cancio and Board Member Gail Ross. Board members Bobby Bauders and Cami Garcia were absent from the May 28 meeting.

Cell phone use

Students may not use wireless communication devices — including cell phones, watches and ear buds — during the school day, according to the proposed policy.

Parents will be required to read and sign a wireless communication devices agreement that if the device is audible, causes a disruption to the learning environment or is used in manner deemed as inappropriate by a staff member, consequences may include but are not limited to one or more of the following:

• Detention.
• The item will be confiscated and returned to student and/or parent/guardian at the end of the day.
• The student will be required to check the item in at the front office at the start of the day and may pick up the item at the end of the school day.
• The student will be prohibited from bringing the item to school.

Parents may contact the school to leave a message of importance for students, it states.

Student cell phones may be held as evidence by police in the investigation of a criminal matter, a separate student cell phone use document states.

Booster policy, regulation

All parent support organizations are to be approved annually by the governing board. Such parent support organizations are not to become involved in the administration or policy development of the school organization, according to policy KJA Relations With Booster Organizations.

To gain governing board approval, each booster or parent support organization are to adhere to guidelines for operation and financial responsibility. The annual application for board approval and guidance details are to be found on the AJUSD website under district parent involvement, according to policy KJA-R Relations With Booster Organizations.

Drug-testing program

The policy and drug-prevention program apply to all district students in ninth through 12th grade who desire to participate in a school-sponsored extracurricular sport or activity governed by the Arizona Interscholastic Association. (Metro Creative Connection)

Metro Creative Connection

A random student drug-testing program is a means to address the district’s concerns in preventing, detecting and deterring student drug use. The policy and drug-prevention program apply to all district students in ninth through 12th grade who desire to participate in a school-sponsored extracurricular sport or activity governed by the Arizona Interscholastic Association.

“Students will be tested for the following substances: alcohol, barbiturates (downers), benzodiazepines (bennies or uppers), cocaine (coke), methaqualone (Quaalude), opiates (codeine, heroin, morphine, methadone), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust), stimulants (speed) and cannabinoids (marijuana). The district will modify this list as needed to reflect changing patterns of drug use,” the governing board policy states.

The AJUSD random student drug-testing program will not impose disciplinary action, it states.

“The program is designed to create a safe, drug-free environment for students and to assist students in getting help when needed. No student will be penalized academically, expelled or suspended from school as a result of any verified positive test. Likewise, no drug or alcohol test results will be disclosed or given to any law-enforcement agency. However, a student will be removed from all sports and activities that are eligible for affiliation in accordance with the defined consequences,” it states.

Consequences include:

• First positive drug or alcohol test: The student may choose to be suspended from all AIA-eligible extracurricular sports and activities, including practices, scrimmages and games, for eight weeks; or the student may choose to be suspended from all AIA-eligible extracurricular sports and activities, including scrimmages and games, for four weeks, effective from the day the parent is informed that his or her student’s drug test is positive, and attend and fully cooperate in at least eight district-approved substance abuse counseling sessions of one hour each.
• Second positive drug or alcohol test: The student will lose eligibility for AIA-eligible sports and activities for one year starting from the date he or she provided the urine specimen that produced the second positive drug or alcohol test. Students may not try out, practice, play or compete in any manner until the one-year ineligibility period is over.
• Third positive drug or alcohol test: The student will permanently lose eligibility for all AIA-eligible sports and activities for the duration of his or her enrollment at AJUSD.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.