Kid screamed for his cell phone back

[thefairlaneman]

Why do kids get to have cell phones at school? Last week a boy in my wifes class was told 2 times to put his phone away and do his classwork. The third time she took it away and said he would get it back at the end of the week(3 days). The bell rang and this little brat wouldnt leave the classroom. He demanded his phone back right then. she said "NO you were warned and she cant have it back now" This little snot then started screaming and got up and started slaming the classroom door. The wife then sent for security who came and took the kid out. His punishment is he now has to wait 2 weeks to get it back. He never would get it back if I had a say about it. People dont know sometimes that teaching isnt spending time taking away cell phones but thats what they have to spend class time doing.

 

[azlakes]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

... its a thankless job sometimes. you'd think school policy would be state no cell fones during class. you use it you loose it. what grade?

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

I know here in my County, if you bring one to school, you loose it till school is over.
3 times and it's the end of the year.
They can't sneak them in.
All the schools here have them detectors and they find them.
If you drive to school, better leave them in the vehicle.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

First let me just say that there's no excuse for that kid's temper tantrum, and he should be serving a week's detention, or suspended for a few days, or given double the normal homework for a week... and THEN the parents should "take him out to the wood shed and tan his hide."

However, that being said... I'm going to throw myself out on the fringe here once again and say that many parents give cell phones to their kids for security purposes, and that I, if I were concerned enough about my son's security to give him a cell phone, would want him to have it on him on his way to and from school, and if the school confiscated the phone, I would probably show up at the school myself and demand the property back, and explain why I expect my child to be able to carry a phone before and after school reguardless of whether or not he got into trouble (endangering a child as punishment for disrupting class is completely inappropriate). That being said, I would also explain that the better solution would be to have him turn the phone in to her at the beginning of each class, and would explain that I would instruct him to do so, and also apologise for him disrupting the class, and explain that I would punish him for doing so.

Now, if the phone wasn't given to the kid for security purposes, then I have no problem with it being confiscated for some set period of time (as long as the teacher wasn't using it/running up a bill on it while in her posession).

PS - If the phone is for security, it doesn't have to be active, since any cell phone can dial 911 reguardless of whether or not you have signed up for service with a cellular provider, so that would for the most part prevent this problem in the first place. I in fact intend to give my son a deactivated phone to carry with him when he goes to school from a very young age (whenever he's old enough to understand when and how to call 911). It is unfortuneate that most parents are ignorant to the fact that phones do not have to have a service plan to call 911, as it would alleviate many problems.

PPS - I don't want you to think though that I am siding against teachers here, being a teacher today is so much tougher than it used to be... I am surprised that anyone would want to be a teacher anymore. I know I don't have the "intestinal fortitude" to do it.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

imho, all electronics, and distractions should go in there locker, until the day is over. the phones is a great convenience, for parents to attempt to know where their children are. unfortunately, children are not disciplined at home the way we were. with both parents working, they are more lax, and give things, to make up for the guilt of 2 working parents, or being a single parent.

teaching used to be a hard job, now it is an almost impossible job. there hands are tied, as far as discipline is concerned.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

In our local schools you can bring the phone into school but, you must leave it turned off in your locker.

 

[cheburashka]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

I teach in a college, and I run into the same problem. Students are very disrespectful. They'll text message during class and distract other students around them, or they'll forget to turn it off or put it on silent mode. I can lower their grade over it, or take away the phone for the entire class period, or humiliate them in front of the class, but I'm not able to keep it after class is over. As far as discipline goes, they're only mine while they're in the classroom.

I was thinking about putting something in my course syllabus that says that if your phone rings in class or I catch you text messaging, I'll grab your phone and dial a 976 number and let the phone rack up a "fine" for the rest of the class period--then you can explain the bill to your parents. I doubt I'd be able to actually do it though.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

Here is another devil's advocate.
I see absolutely no legal justification that allows teachers or schools to seize personal property of anyone.Teachers are just teachers.They are not policemen ,judges or jailors.If discipline is required,it is either the parents job or law enforcement's, but NOT the teachers right to do so.
If a teacher would dare to take my kids property I would file a complaint with my local sheriffs department for theft.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

Sarge, I don't think you are being unreasonable at all. In fact, I was thinking pretty much the same thing as I read the original post. I am also intrigued by the info about deactivated phones - I have one that my son plays with. I don't charge it so it can't call anywhere, but I admit to considering an occassional recarge, so he can see the buttons light up. I'd have been embarrassed (and possibly in trouble) if he had accidentally dialed 911 a bunch of times!

As for the schools, to me the major problem is the parents, and the lack of will on the part of school systems to enforce rules. Those of us who are older remember a time when a teacher could give a kid an appropriately restrained whack somewhere. We also remember the nuns in Catholic school, who were famous for reddening a few knuckles with the old wooden rulers. Best of all, we remember getting our butts tanned when we got home because our parents found out we had to be disiplined at school. As we all know, now the ridiculous parents don't even spend time determining whether or not the teacher really did anything wrong - they immediately file a lawsuit.

Now that our schools have gotten out of control and kids know that they can get away with just about anything, we have but one solution in my opinion - big, ugly, intimidating policemen all over the school buildings. Give the schools the authority to give frequent detentions, suspensions and expulsions and make sure that these cops keep things in order while those punishments are applied. Have them roaming the halls and sitting in the classrooms. In short, have a pair of those dangly things that you sometimes see hanging from the trailer hitch on someone's pickup truck, and enforce the rules!

Would this cost a fortune? You bet. That said, why is it so hard to justify when we waste unbelievable amounts of money on this country on nonsense. Furthermore, I would submit that the cost to our productivity as a nation outweighs any amount that we might spend by a huge margin. At this point in time, we have been raising a percentage of illiterate children that is just scary!

While I am pretty much a liberal democrat by nature, and don't get too upset about a lot of stuff that other might be uncomfortable with, this is a subject that just saddens me. Simply put, we are failing our children by not demanding that they be given proper disipline. It isn't their fault - its ours because we are not willing to be the adults in the relationship.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

rolmops, i totally disagree with you, you are advocating anarchy. the teacher is an Adult, in the proper upbring of a child, parents have forgotten to teach respect for adults. the parents want to be friends, not parents. you can be a friend with your child until you are a parent first, and they respect you.

if your children are taught not to respect the teacher, please home school them. so they don't waster the teachers time, while trying to educate my grandchildren.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

Fairlaneman, get your wife a cell blocker. They are relatively cheap, very effective and small enough that no one knows you have one. They are just starting to catch on over here in restaurants, churches, etc. I have a low power shirt pocket model that has an effective range of 45' and does wonders on the interstate and in grocery stores. They are mostly made in Europe due to possible privacy issues here. Just a thought. If parents are so concerned about there child's safety in relation to a dang phone, they need to home school.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

Things sure have changed, but the main idea of no distractions in the class room still applies. 40 years ago, most of us guys carried pocket knives and hankys in grade school. I recall in the 6th grade taking a 12 ga, 30.06, 22, and several different styles of handguns. NOBODY FREAKED OUT! + I had the ammo there too!

At that time, severe whoopins was the consequence for getting out of line. It was like once you put your hand on the stove and got burnt, ya jus didn't do it again.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

A case xx, a bag of marbles and I was good to go.
Get in trouble, you went to the coat room for a whooping.
If Dad found out about it, got one when I got home too.
All that is gone now. Parents don't care as long as the kids are out of their hair and then they want to jump on the school system for trying to make something out of their out of control child.

 

[guy74]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

Here is another devil's advocate.
I see absolutely no legal justification that allows teachers or schools to seize personal property of anyone.
If a teacher would dare to take my kids property I would file a complaint with my local sheriffs department for theft.

Go ahead, they could use a good laugh
All I can say is I don't know of a school around here that doesn't consider a cellphone that is on in the classroom as contraband. I know that the schools around here normally release confiscated property back to a student or parents, but that is a district by district regulation. I did some research on this before I wrote this, not just guessing about how it works. I was told by a School Resource Officer and a Crawford County Deputy, when I specifcally asked about this issue: "If you bring contraband items into a school, your rights of ownership to those items are null and void at the door."
This is all I know about the subject, and I will leave it at that.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

The arguement of it being personel property doesnt fly because a knife also is personel property,The RULES SAY NO PHONES TO BE DISPLAYED AT ANY TIME DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. A 12 year old kid has no right to have a phone at school period. School board says the phones are to be taken and turned in by the teacher to the main office. Often parents are called to come and pick them up at the end of the week.,,Any parent coming to school to complain about this just makes a fool out of himself.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

What you guys do not realize is that the rule of law does not stop at a school's entrance and unless there is a special bylaw that has passed the scrutiny of a judge there is no justification of any improvised law that is enforced capriciously in any school district.
So unless there is a law that specifically states "no cell phones in class",there is no teacher allowed to take away aforementioned private property and refuse return of this property upon reasonable request.
All that being said.There is no excuse for parents to bring up kids without proper respect for others.At the same time,it not the teacher's job to teach children manners.Teachers are paid to teach math or biology or other likewise manners

 

[azlakes]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

At the same time,it not the teacher's job to teach children manners.Teachers are paid to teach math or biology or other likewise manners

... manners perhaps but consequences to foolish actions, disruptive behaviors or breaking school policies cannot be ignored.

 

[jameskb2]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

What you guys do not realize is that the rule of law does not stop at a school's entrance and unless there is a special bylaw that has passed the scrutiny of a judge there is no justification of any improvised law that is enforced capriciously in any school district.
So unless there is a law that specifically states "no cell phones in class",there is no teacher allowed to take away aforementioned private property and refuse return of this property upon reasonable request.
All that being said.There is no excuse for parents to bring up kids without proper respect for others.At the same time,it not the teacher's job to teach children manners.Teachers are paid to teach math or biology or other likewise manners

So, according to the law, students can do anything they want in the classroom? Disrupt the class, making it worthless to all? There has to be some order somehow. I'd make it a rule that the phone MUST be off, not silent or vibe, but OFF during class. If not, then you lose your privilege not RIGHT to have the phone.

There is too much confusion in this country about someone's "rights" and their privileges. Driving is a privilege, not a right. Having a cell phone and it's proper use is a privilege, not a right. Abuse a privilege and you lose it. Plain and simple.

I agree that if there are no rules regarding class room behavior that anarchy would be the result. Perhaps those that can't act according to the idea that the classroom is for learning a subject ought not to be allowed there at all. Screw your education, you act like some imbecile animal with your "rights", then go dig ditches.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

Teachers need to keep a big magnet in their desk. Devices confiscated during class should be attached to the magnet and returned after class. No mention of a magnet should be made.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Kid screamed for his cell phone back

I sorta skimmed through most of the posts, but if the kid does need the phone for security purposes, there are certain programs available that allow the phone to only call predetermined phone numbers. That would thereby give the kid security, but give him no reason to have it on in school (texting in class). Above that, it isn't needed, thereby should be a privilege that parents use to there advantage in disciplining. But many don't. They won't even use the wooden spoon or leather belt, or even set some ground rules, which is the reason the cell phone was out and in use during class.