Horry County school leaders back proposed cellphone ban as implementation deadline nears

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Horry County school's board says it likes the customized version of a state-mandated ban on electronic devices by students presented to them Monday by district leaders.

"I found it to be extremely thoughtful to staff and take into consideration all of the accommodations for medical needs of students," board member Pamela Dawson said. "I think we've done a good job of not being overly strict in these matters."

Repeated violations could get middle and high school students suspended for up to five days, with one-day suspensions at the elementary school level, according to the draft policy.

The draft policy is expected to be approved on Dec. 9 and put into action by mid-January.

"My concern is that parents and citizens and everyone have enough time to understand what is happening, and be able to get on board," board member Janet Graham said. "I would like for us to get really far ahead of this and get everyone understanding what is really going on."

South Carolina's Board of Education in September approved a policy prohibiting students from using electronic devices during the school day, and gave local districts until January to comply with the order at the risk of losing funding.

Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Virginia and major cities including New York and Los Angeles have all either banned or are planning to bar electronic devices in classrooms, according to S.C. Department of Education data.

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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at . See more of his work here .