Overview
- Trustees voted 7-0 on Monday to keep the current policy despite Texas Education Agency warnings and a looming compliance cutoff.
- NEISD allows student phone use during passing periods, lunch and restroom breaks while prohibiting use during class time.
- The TEA interprets HB 1481 as requiring a bell-to-bell ban, found the district out of compliance, and placed it on a corrective action plan with possible sanctions including a conservator or a board of managers.
- District attorney Ricardo Lopez said a legal fight could cost between $50,000 and $100,000 if the case reaches the appellate courts.
- Board members cited parent feedback and framed the issue as parental rights, as other districts such as Alamo Heights ISD reversed similar policies after TEA pressure.