CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Monday is the first day the district will implement a statewide cell phone policy, titled, “Prohibition of Personal Electronic Devices During the School Day”, to create a “phone free school environment”.

According to the district’s website, personal electronic devices must be powered off and securely stored during the instructional day. The website adds that students will only be allowed to use their devices for instructional purposes or under an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) medical plan, or Section 504 accommodation plan.

Personal electronic devices, as defined by the district, include cell phones, smart watches, gaming devices and accessories like headphones.

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One CCSD parent says when she first heard about the state mandated protocol, like a lot of parents, she was not comfortable with it.

She thinks the district has done a good job of creating other communication avenues but believes a bigger conversation needs to be had at the state level.

“I don’t know that the state was aware, you know, we’ve got students with IEPs that need their phones for whatever reason, if they have diabetes or if they have, you know, a hearing impairment,” said CCSD parent, Joy Brown. “Some kids do need to have their phones, so those accommodations are being met. But that conversation was never had on the front end.”

She states that she believes that more conversations needed to be had with the community, educators and parents before the policy was implemented.

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One question though, lingers on some parents’ mind. How do they get in touch with their child if there’s an emergency?

When it comes to safety, Brown says she understands all sides of the discussion.

“If the kids are on their phones, It can be a disciplinary issue,” she said.

Brown also says that the issue is a double edged sword.

“But when you’re looking at the fear of a school shooting, I understand that I would want to be able to get in touch with my child as soon as possible if I heard anything like that. That’s nothing that any parent wants to ever have to deal with not being able to get in touch with their child. And I’ve heard it on both sides. I’ve heard the safety concerns of if a phone goes off accidentally, is it gonna alert a potential shooter to a student’s location. So I mean, there are things on both sides that I see,” she said.

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Other districts do have similar policies in place. Dorchester District Two’s website says personal electronic devices have to be out of sight and stored.

If a parent needs to reach their child, CCSD says they can go through the district’s front office. For high school students, parents are encouraged to reach their student through their CCSD email if needed.

Acceptable storage for personal devices will vary depending on the school, but CCSD lists possible examples on their website such as backpacks, lockers, and storage containers.