Senators Press VIDE on Weak Enforcement of School Cellphone Policy

Lawmakers voiced mounting frustration this week over what they describe as inconsistent and insufficient enforcement of the V.I. Department of Education’s new personal electronic device policy, urging school leaders to take the rules seriously to curb classroom disruptions and safeguard learning time. Appearing before the Committee on Education and Workforce Development on Wednesday, representatives from the Department of Education and the Board of Education delivered an update on the policy’s rollout. They were joined by St. Croix Educational Complex High School student Ace Poyah, who testified about how the guidelines are being applied on campus. The policy restricts the use of personal electronic devices during instructional time unless a teacher specifically authorizes their use as a learning tool. While Poyah acknowledged he had only received a copy of the regulations the day before the hearing, he said the policy has already helped reduce incidents of digital misconduct and cyb...