Wareham High School students will be permitted to send text messages on their cell phones during their lunch periods when school begins later this month.

Wareham High School Principal Scott Palladino asked the School Committee to approve the policy at the committee's August 3 meeting.

“We have a huge problem” with students texting during school, said Palladino. After speaking with school administrators who have had success with similar policies, Palladino said he decided to try it in Wareham with the hope that if students are given a set time when they can use their phones, it may cut down on cell phone use in the classroom.

Phones will have to be turned off for the remaining hours of the school day.  Consequences for violating the policy include the confiscation of the phone a detention for the first offense and  confiscation and two detentions for the second offense, with the phones returned only after the detention or detentions are served. A third offense will result in confiscation and a one-day suspension from school. Subsequent offenses would add another day of suspension for each infraction.

School Committee member Cliff Sylvia worried that allowing texting at all could lead to increased instances of academic dishonesty.

“I'm just afraid if they're allowed to text during an entire lunch period, there is going to be a validity problem with exams,” Sylvia said. “My opinion is, if you give [students] a half an hour [at lunch] carte blanche, those afternoon classes are going to see better test scores.”

Other members of the committee agreed with Palladino, noting that the new policy should cut down on classroom distractions.

“If [cell phones] are turned off more of the day it's more productive for you guys,” School Committee member Rachel Gillette told Palladino.

Palladino said students will notified about the new policy on the first day of school and told: “You want to be treated as adults and we hope that you act that way.”

But students are bit skeptical about the new policy.

"I honestly think it's probably not going to work because a lot of the kids that are going to be texting in lunch are going to be texting [students] in classes," said Gracyn Debonise, who will be a junior this upcoming school year. "I think it's going to be the same as it always is."

Other students echoed that sentiment.

"I think maybe it'll just bring more texts to people in class," said soon-to-be senior Billy Peterson.

Peterson said he wasn't sure if he'd take advantage of the new policy. "I'll probably just be talking to kids at lunch," he said. "If someone texts me [during lunch], I'll respond. ... I won't have to worry about getting my phone taken away."

Incoming senior Ian Searles expressed indifference about the policy.

"I have no problem with [it]," he said. But, he added: "Everybody you're going to be texting is in school with you. You'll see them at some point during the day."

So will he be among the students texting during lunch?

"Maybe if I need to tell my mom something," Searles said. "I'll just talk to my friends when I see them."

School begins on August 31.