By ShaVonne Herndon
LONGVIEW, TEXAS (KYTX)- Longview I.S.D. collects $15 for each student caught using a cell phone during school hours. It's a policy the district is cashing in on each year and rewarding their honor roll students with.
Everyday before school begins Tavian Holley packs his math book along with his cell phone. "My mom might have play practice or something where she'd have to go and my dad might have build something," he explains. "So he might have to go and if it gets canceled I can call them so I'm not sitting there all night."
That busy schedule requires the seventh grader to use his phone, but only after school. "It's easier when you're not in trouble cause then you're not having to worry about paying fines and stuff," said Tavian. "If you need something for a project you're not paying fines instead of getting stuff for a project."
Fines that are $15 dollars for each violation. Judson middle principal Brian Kasper said the money collected goes into an account. "The money actually goes into a principals fund," said Kasper. "We use it for support of several activities on campus such as honor roll breaks and good citizens breaks and things of that nature."
On average Judson Middle collects a few hundred a month, Foster Middle $500 and about $700 at Forest Park Middle each year.
"I know at this point last year we had about 25 to 30 phones and this year I've only gotten five right now so the economy would also be impacting the kids aren't carrying as many phones," explain Kasper. "They are just being careful because they know times are tight and they don't want to ask their parents for the money."
A situation Holley doesn't want to ever face. "My mom would be really mad if I didn't obey they rules, but I do just because I need too," concluded Holley.
