Cell Phones Hit Austin High

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- They've become an indispensable part of life in the 21st century.

And with the start of a new school year, the Austin school district is taking a new approach to the way it deals with students and cell phones.

A high school student without a cell phone is a rarity.

"I would guess that 80 percent or more have cell phones," says Brad Bergstrom.

And for several years, Austin high school has had a policy on where and when they could be used.

"From 7:55 to three o'clock students were to put them into their locker and they were not to be used at all," says Bergstrom.

But it proved to be a tough policy to enforce.

"I’ve seen some interesting techniques of sneaking it past teachers, I’ve seen it in the folder, in the side, there's a lot of different ways," says Jay Ettinger, AHS Student Council VP.

And some of the uses were legitimate like calls to and from parents.

"Plans have changed, I need you to pick up your sister or brother or I’ll be there at such and such a time to pick you up," Bergstrom.

So when the AHS site leadership team sat down to review the policy, it recommended a change.

Since Austin High School is a place of learning, administrators felt that could also extend to cell phones.

So this year, cell phones at ahs are allowed, at times.

"We’re allowed to have cell phones in between passing time in the hallways and at lunch time and before and after school, but they're not allowed during class times," says Christian Folken.

"If we're going to utilize it as a society why not teach the kids to use them properly," says Bergstrom.

"Now that we're able to have them during other times besides class, the temptation to use the

m in class time will be taken away because we'll always have an allowed time to use them," Folken.

The cell phone could also have classroom applications, like in math or science classes where calculators are required.

Albert Lea high school has a cell phone policy like the new Austin policy.

In the Rochester school district, students are not permitted to use cell phones in school buildings during the school day.