Students and their parents in the Oxford and Lafayette County school districts are reminded to be aware of and adhere to school policies regarding cell phone use or risk having their phones confiscated.

In Oxford, students are allowed to have phones, but they must be kept out of sight and switched off. Any mobile phone or other personal device such as Air Pods left switched on on school grounds between the first and last bells of the school day may result in the device being confiscated until the end of the school day for a first offence. Subsequent offences may result in a one to five day suspension from school.

Cell phones are also not allowed on school buses.

In the Lafayette County School District, phones are not permitted in school for students in the lower elementary grades. In the upper elementary and middle grades, phones and other devices are not to be used or in view unless directed to do so by a school staff member for instructional purposes.

At Lafayette High, cell phones and other devices—tablets, iPads, etc.—are only allowed in the Commons during breakfast, recess, and lunch. Otherwise, they must be turned off and put away.

The first time a student breaks the rules, the device will be confiscated and held until a parent or guardian has spoken with an administrator and retrieves the device.

In both districts it is prohibited to use a mobile phone during state exams.

Neither district has made any changes to its cell phone policy for the upcoming school year.

Some school districts in Mississippi have made more drastic changes regarding cell phones.

In Marshall County, the school district recently announced that students in grades 5 through 12 must put their phones and smartwatches in a locked bag once they arrive at school.

The district purchased Yondr bags for students to lock their devices in. According to Govspend, 41 districts across the country have purchased the bags in the past eight years, with most since 2022.