SELBYVILLE, Del. - The Indian River School Board ignited debate when it banned students from bringing cell phones onto school grounds; now it's telling teachers to lead by example. 

On Tuesday, the school board passed new restrictions on cell phone use for faculty and staff during school hours. The new policy allows teachers to carry cell phones, but they must be on silent or vibrate. Cell phone use is limited to times when teachers are not supervising students, including planning periods and lunch breaks. Teachers are allowed to use phones in case of an emergency, or if the principal makes a temporary exception to the policy.

School Board President Charles Bireley said the proposal passed with little discussion and only a minor change from the original proposal, a note that cell phones are allowed on lunch breaks only when teachers are not supervising students. Bireley said the policy goes into effect immediately.

The district recently banned students from bringing electronic communication devices onto school grounds, even if they are turned off. The district says cell phones are distracting to students in the classroom.

School board member Donna Mitchell previously told WBOC News the board decided to look into rules for faculty and staff after parents complained that it wasn't fair for teachers to have phones in front of students.

The student ban came after too many students crossed the line on a more lenient cell phone policy, Mitchell said.

Currently, students caught with a cell phone face a range of penalties: surrending the phone, in-school suspension or even out-of-school suspension for the most extreme repeat offenders.

The policy does not include any penalties for faculty and staff who violate the new rules, instead leaving that to school administrators.

The policy also calls for support staff, including custodians and secretaries, to limit cell phone use and keep calls work-related. While several buildings had unofficial rules for cell phones, Mitchell said the restrictions are the first written policy for cell phones affecting faculty members in the district.