The Nation - News from Aug. 24, 1988

The Philadelphia School Board voted unanimously to prohibit students from carrying beepers or electronic pagers to school, saying the devices are tools of the drug trade. On an 8-0 vote, board members approved a policy that allows school authorities to confiscate unauthorized beepers and suspend or expel students caught carrying the paging devices without permission. School officials contend the devices often are used to alert student drug dealers when potential customers are ready to make a purchase. The policy allows school officials to grant special permission for some students to carry the devices if they have a legitimate purpose. A similar policy became law in Michigan on July 1.