STUDENTS CRY FOUL OVER CELL PHONE POLICY

Teens Say Officials Are 'Overreacting' And Violating Their Privacy

FRAMINGHAM - Fearing their wireless freedom may be in jeopardy,
students at Framingham High School were fuming over a new school
policy that allows administrators to seize cell phones and search
their contents.

The policy, administrators say, is to improve security and stop the
sale of drugs and stolen goods, but students said that the edict is an
invasion of privacy.

"It's not anyone's business what is in students' cell phones," said
Demitriy Kozlov, who will be a senior in September. "If they think
someone's dealing a pound of coke or pot, then there is a reason to,
but that doesn't happen here."

Kozlov said he believes administrators are overreacting and making the
school appear more troublesome than it actually is.

School officials "reserve the right to look through the cell phone,"
when they suspect a student has drugs or stolen goods, according to
Principal Michael Welch.

"People shouldn't get power based on suspicions, people should be
considered innocent until proven guilty," said senior Adam Goldberg.
"It feels like our rights are stripped away when we walk through the
doors."

Scott Siegal is a senior at Newton South High School, where Welch was
principal before going to Framingham, and said there is a major
difference in Newton South and Framingham's policies.

"We have an open campus at Newton South, and it seems like (Welch) is
making things stricter at Framingham," said Siegal, who was a
sophomore when Welch was the principal at Newton South. "We would
never have had a policy like this."

The rule complies with federal law, which says a school can conduct
searches when there is "reasonable suspicion" that a student has contraband.

"It's kind of ridiculous," said Dayna Green, who recently graduated
from Framingham, and is headed to Fitchburg State College in
September. "They try to make us feel independent, but then they invade
our privacy."

The cell phone policy is not the only change at Framingham: Staff
will be required to wear identification badges at school. That move is
an attempt to keep track of people who should not be on school property.

Green said the policy will only make students feel uncomfortable, and
will not stop students from breaking the rules.

"I think it is more of a scare tactic," she said. "Something bad is
going to happen everywhere."