ST. ANSGAR - If it proves to be legal, students in St. Ansgar could find their cell phones without a voice during school hours next fall.

However, that's a big "if."

Although the School Board passed a motion to spend up to $5,000 to jam the phones at its July 13 meeting, several questions remain about whether it can be done legally.

"We know that some medical institutions do this," said interim superintendent Jim Woodward. "We have the Iowa Association of School Boards looking into it."

He said the IASB was not aware of any other Iowa school that had adopted such a practice.

Federal Communications Commission spokesman David Fiske said that he would not speculate on how the FCC might react to the St. Ansgar plan, but directed any questions to a public notice issued by the FCC in 2005.

That notice said the sale and use of such transmitters "designed to prevent, jam or interfere with the operation of cellular or personal communications service … is unlawful."

A jammer is a device that interrupts the signal that allows the phones to work. Use of the jammer would be suspended in cases of emergency, said School Board member Ed Kleinwort, who made the initial motion.

He said if the practice is not legal the board will rescind the motion.

The school has long had rules against use of cell phones during school hours, Kleinwort said.

"But the rules just aren't being followed," he said.

Current policy says St. Ansgar students cannot use cell phones during school hours. The phones would be confiscated and then returned to the student after the school day. After a second incident, parents are required to come in to pick up the phones.

Legal or not, the issue perhaps best highlights the frustration some school officials feel when dealing with phones in school.

A Pennsylvania school that had also considered use of a jammer did so because officials there were worried students were using text messages to set up fights after school.

Others worry that students can cheat on tests when a student who has taken a test gives other students a heads-up about the test's content.

But others argue that if a school disaster occurred - Columbine being most cited - students would not be able to call for help.

Disruption to the school day seemed to be the biggest concern for most.

And, Kleinwort said, "Family members are our biggest offenders."

Woodward said parents need to be reminded of the ramifications of calling their children's phones during school hours.

"We had an incident where a student was caught using their phone during class, and the student's response was, 'My mom's called me five times this morning.'

"We understand that some things are important, and we have (telephone) land lines for students to get in touch with parents, and parents can leave messages with the school."

Other schools are tackling the issue by toughening up policies.

Osage High School Principal Tim Hejhal said use of phones "was our No. 1 discipline referral last year."

A new Osage High School policy, starting this fall, will allow school officials to hold onto cell phones longer for chronic offenders - up to five days.

- Michelle Haacke contributed to this story. She is a reporter for the Mitchell County Press-News, another Lee Enterprises newspaper.