Except for system wide employees who use a cell phone in the performance of their assigned duties, all school system employees must keep personal cell phones and communication devices turned off during the employee’s assigned teaching / work time.

Employees may use their cell phone or communication device during their scheduled planning time, assigned lunch / dinner time or designated break time as long as it is not used in the presence of students.

Any employee who believes he or she needs to have his or her device turned on during  teaching / work time due to an impending emergency situation must receive prior approval from his or her school Principal / Supervisor.

School officials may, if it has reasonable suspicion to do so, search any cell phone brought onto any SCBE property, which includes but is not limited to parking areas.

Employees of the Shelby County Board of Education shall not contact students via telephone, email, text message, Twitter, social networking websites or other electronic communications, except regarding school related matters.

Discipline: Any employee found to be in violation of this Policy is subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.