WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Many public school systems including Brunswick County are launching pilot programs with phone-free schools. The school board in New Hanover County is considering a similar move.

The board in New Hanover County heard a presentation this week about students using their phones at school for illegal activities.

The Assistant District Attorney who gave the presentation said she sees a lot of child pornography distributed between minors during school hours. There is disagreement over whether removing cell phones will solve all of the problems, though.

“Taking away the device is probably not solving the problem,” said Linda Higgins, a parent to an incoming freshman at New Hanover County Schools.

Higgins says her son, who has special needs and anxiety issues, relies on his phone to contact her.

“Every time they have those lockdowns, [or] whatever the issue is, that is a time when he wants to be in contact with us just to calm him down,” said Higgins.

But the presentation given to the school board by Assistant District Attorney Ashton Herring showed that many students are not just texting friends and playing games on their phones, instead, they’re sending explicit images.

“They think it’s just something that’s typical adolescent behavior that they’re engaging in, not realizing the severe consequences,” said Herring.

Sending explicit content is a class E felony in North Carolina.

Starting December 1, any 16 and 17-year-old who does it will be charged as an adult.

The punishment could result in spending up to six years in prison.

“We’re talking about adult jail, this isn’t kid jail. This is you go to an adult correctional facility, they house you with other juveniles, but it’s still an adult correctional facility prison,” said Herring.

New Hanover County school board member Pat Bradford says there are cell phone policies in place in every school right now, but she wonders if that’s enough.

She says the board is considering all options when it comes to cell phone use while kids are learning.

“There’s no definite anything other than board members, staff, and even parents have expressed a sincere desire to get the phones out of school,” said Bradford.

But Higgins believes with other devices still used in class, kids will still be distracted and still send explicit content.

“Unless you’re going to tap down all technology, you’re not going to stop that,” said Higgins.

A presentation from Yondr, the company that is launching a phone-free schools pilot program with Brunswick County Schools beginning at Cedar Grove Middle School and Town Creek Middle School, was scheduled for Tuesday’s meeting but was then postponed to the board’s next regularly scheduled meeting.

The program typically has students place their phone in a locked pouch when they enter the school, and then keep the pouch with them throughout the day. Then, students unlock the pouches with the help of staff as they leave the school.

Bradford says the pouches would cost roughly $25 per pouch. She says there are different funding revenues for the pouches including grant money.

She also says if the board moves forward with the pouches, the phones would be easily accessible in case of an emergency. Bradford adds there would still be at least one phone in every classroom as well.

Ultimately, Herring wants parents to know if they see something on their child’s phone, put the phone in airplane mode, and contact law enforcement immediately.

She says parents should not send photos they find to themselves, because then they are distributing sexually explicit images, and ultimately committing a felony.

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