Fidget spinners get the boot from Rapides Parish Schools

Before school let out for the summer, fidget spinners were on the rise.

But, at the Wednesday board meeting fidget spinners and like devices were banned for the start of the new school year.

Board and audience members agreed that fidget spinners are distracting in the classroom for both students and teachers.

This ban extends beyond schools to include school buses and school sponsored events.

All devices will be confiscated and returned only to a parent upon request.

"Some people were getting them just to play with them and that was a problem," said board member Sandra Franklin. "So, they want to make sure that we are doing it for the right reasons.There are alternatives for special needs students to assist them in that process too."

The board also voted not to relocate the Rapides Training Academy located in Pineville.

Recently, soil in the back of the school tested positive for dioxins, or environmental pollutants.

The board voted to keep the school in its current location and to make minor enhancements.

The next board meeting is set for August 1 at 5 p.m.