South-Carolina

SC State Board approves policy to ban student cellphone use in schools

Published

1 year ago

September 4, 2024

SC State Board approves policy to ban student cellphone use in schools

WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Classrooms will soon be cellphone-free zones for public school students across South Carolina.

On Tuesday, the State Board of Education approved a model policy to ban cell phones for students in South Carolina public schools.

Now districts will have to decide whether they will implement the state’s policy or put their own stricter measures in place.

“We’ve left a lot of flexibility to you as local districts about how you’re actually going to implement this during the day because we know that all schools are different, all districts are different,” State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver told reporters following the board’s meeting Tuesday afternoon in West Columbia.

Banning cell phones in South Carolina schools has strong support at the highest levels of leadership in Columbia.

The General Assembly enacted a temporary law in the current state budget that orders all districts to enact a policy to do this or put their state funding at risk if they fail to comply.

Gov. Henry McMaster urged the State Board to approve its model policy Tuesday, writing in a letter to board members, “Our responsibility is to create an environment where teachers can teach, and students learn.”

“We know that these digital distractions and devices are creating mental health challenges, they are distracting students from learning, and they are really making it much harder for our teachers to do what they’re there to do, which is teach,” Weaver said.

The model policy the State Board approved Tuesday was crafted by the South Carolina Department of Education.

It prohibits students from accessing devices, including cellphones, smart watches, tablets, and gaming devices, during the school day, unless the district superintendent approves their use.

Exceptions would be allowed for students with IEPs and medical plans if the device is needed for medical or educational purposes, as well as for students who serve as volunteer firefighters or in other emergency organizations, with permission from their district superintendent.

Students would have to keep their phones and other devices in their lockers, backpacks, or wherever the district decides they should be kept, and they would be able to outright prohibit students from bringing them on campus at all.

Districts would still have some discretion over whether this applies to time spent on school buses, field trips, and athletic events, as well as what consequences students face for violations.

“Removing the child from class is going to be way down the road. The idea is to have kids in class and paying attention,” State Board member Christian Hanley Jr. said during Tuesday’s meeting.

At a meeting last month, during which the State Board postponed its final vote on the model policy to give it more consideration, members heard concerns from the public about districts imposing severe penalties, like suspensions, that would go against the intent of the cellphone ban.

The policy eventually earned the support of all but one State Board member, Beverly Frierson, though others expressed some hesitations about it.

“There is the law of unintended consequences, and it frightens me, and it is not even Halloween,” State Board Chair David O’Shields, who also serves as the superintendent in Laurens County School District 56, said during Tuesday’s meeting.

If they have not already, districts must adopt a local policy sometime this fall, with full statewide implementation starting in January.

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South-Carolina

Tessa Johnson injury update for Dawn Staley, South Carolina vs Kentucky

Published

12 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Tessa Johnson injury update for Dawn Staley, South Carolina vs Kentucky

South Carolina women’s basketball starting guard Tessa Johnson was not listed on the injury report Feb. 28 for the Gamecocks’ final regular-season game at Kentucky.

Johnson was practicing on Feb. 27 after missing the 112-71 win over Missouri, but coach Dawn Staley wouldn’t confirm her status for the next game.

No. 3 South Carolina (28-2, 14-1) travels to play No. 18 Kentucky (21-8, 8-7 SEC) on March 1 (2 p.m. ET, SEC Network) to close the regular season.

South Carolina called it an “upper body contusion” on social media not long after she was listed as out on the SEC injury report that published an hour before tipoff vs Missouri.

Staley joked that media would post on social media that Johnson was practicing with the starters, setting the tone that she isn’t hiding the latest on Johnson’s health.

Johnson is a junior guard averaging 13.1 points and 3.5 rebounds. She leads the SEC in 3-point shooting at 45.5%, which is also eighth in the nation.

Johnson struggled in her two most recent games. She went combined 2-of-13 for six points against Alabama and Ole Miss, just after going 8-of-13 for 21 points against LSU.

Staley said sophomore reserve post/center Adhel Tac is day to day dealing with a lower leg injury. Tac hasn’t played since Feb. 5. She’s still using a medical scooter to move around and has been sitting out practices. She was listed as out again vs Kentucky.

Tessa Johnson injury update, status for Kentucky

The Wildcats have talented guards who can score and defend, in addition to post players like 6-foot-5 center Clara Strack, who averages 16.4 points and 10.2 rebounds. Tonie Morgan scores 14.4 points and dishes a nation-high 8.3 assists a game.

Johnson is third in the nation in 3-point shooting at 45.5%. By posing a threat behind the arc, players like Joyce Edwards and Madina Okot get more action in the paint.

Raven Johnson hit a career-high four 3-pointers against Missouri and Maddy McDaniel drained two, but there’s no denying how much Johnson elevates the offense.

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky‪@bylulukesin.bsky.social‬

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South-Carolina

Men’s Golf Visits South Carolina for Colleton River Collegiate

Published

24 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Men’s Golf Visits South Carolina for Colleton River Collegiate

BLUFFTON, S.C. – Kentucky men’s golf begins the month of March at the Colleton River Collegiate this Sunday and Monday at Colleton River Club (par 72, 7403 yards).

UK joins a 15-team field for the 54-hole event, which will consist of 36 holes of continuous play on Sunday, followed by 18 holes on Monday. An 8 a.m. shotgun start will kick things off on Sunday, while Monday’s final round will begin with another shotgun start, this time at 7:45 a.m.

UK is paired with Indiana, Kansas State and Ohio State for the first day of play.

The Wildcats will utilize the same starting five, albeit in a different order, as was featured at the Watersound Invitational just two weeks ago. There, the Cats finished seventh in a loaded field and found themselves as high as third place during the final nine holes.

Sophomore Jacob Settles had the best showing of his collegiate career, finishing tied for seventh at 5-under par, while senior captain Jack Schoenberger had his highest finish of the season, placing tied for 14th at 2-under.

Jacob Lang, Luke Coyle and Cole Stockard will complete UK’s starting five alongside Settles and Schoenberger, the fourth time in six events the Wildcats have featured this starting unit.

Freshman Cameron Phillips will tee it up as an individual once again after an impressive showing in the same role at the Watersound where he tied for 29th and had two rounds under par.

Fans can follow along with live scoring on the Scoreboard Powered by Clippd website.

Kentucky Lineup:

Jack Schoenberger: Senior, Alpharetta, Ga
Jacob Lang: Sophomore, Alvaton, Ky.
Jacob Settles: Sophomore, Winchester, Ky
Luke Coyle: Junior, Campbellsville, Ky.
Cole Stockard: Freshman, Dalton, Ga.
Ind. Cameron Phillips: Freshman, Portsmouth, Ohio

Competing Schools (15): Chattanooga, Cincinnati, ETSU, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Kentucky, Memphis, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers

For the latest on UK Men’s Golf follow the Wildcats on X and Instagram @UKmensgolf, and online at ukathletics.com.

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South-Carolina

Biden visits Columbia, thanks SC Democrats for 2020 primary support

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Biden visits Columbia, thanks SC Democrats for 2020 primary support

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Former President Joe Biden spoke Friday at the Columbia Art Museum in downtown Columbia at an event hosted by the South Carolina Democratic Party to honor his more than 50 years with the party and to mark his 2020 South Carolina Democratic primary victory.

Biden entered the South Carolina primary having lost Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. His win in the state gave his campaign momentum heading into the rest of the primary calendar.

“People in this room brought my campaign back from the brink — a lot of pundits, people in the press had given up on me,” Biden said.

Biden said South Carolina’s support was central to his path to the presidency.

“If I could just get to South Carolina I could win the nomination, and I knew if I won the nomination I’d win the presidency because I knew what Bill Clinton and Barack Obama knew before me — South Carolina picks presidents,” Biden said.

South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain said Biden’s performance in the state went beyond a primary win.

“Biden didn’t just win, he delivered,” Spain said.

Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., whose endorsement of Biden ahead of the 2020 primary was a key moment in the campaign, attended the event. Clyburn praised Biden’s record of public service.

“There is no American ever who has demonstrated through his service more substance — and I might add sustenance — than Joseph Robinette Biden,” Clyburn said.

Biden also directed remarks at the current Trump administration and called on Democrats to turn out for November’s midterm elections to help flip the House or Senate.

“There’s no time to give up — it’s time to get up, get up, get up, continue to fight,” Biden said.

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