Cell/mobile phone access for students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our K8 bans cell phones during the school day. All cell phones have to be kept in locker until the end of the school day. Is this not common for middle school or are people only talking about high school?

Do kids actually follow the rule? How is it enforced? I taught in a school where this was the policy but I suspect a majority of kids walked around with phones in their bags or pockets and pulled them out when they went to the bathroom or when a teacher’s back was turned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our K8 bans cell phones during the school day. All cell phones have to be kept in locker until the end of the school day. Is this not common for middle school or are people only talking about high school?

Do kids actually follow the rule? How is it enforced? I taught in a school where this was the policy but I suspect a majority of kids walked around with phones in their bags or pockets and pulled them out when they went to the bathroom or when a teacher’s back was turned.

They seem to at our K8. My DD says she rarely sees anyone on their phone during the day. But it’s a small school so enforcement wouldn’t be that difficult — and if the norm is always no phones they kids just get used to that. Much more difficult problem to address at bigger schools or in high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our K8 bans cell phones during the school day. All cell phones have to be kept in locker until the end of the school day. Is this not common for middle school or are people only talking about high school?

Do kids actually follow the rule? How is it enforced? I taught in a school where this was the policy but I suspect a majority of kids walked around with phones in their bags or pockets and pulled them out when they went to the bathroom or when a teacher’s back was turned.

At my DDs MS, the kids had to go to the office every morning and turned in their phones. It was not a problem. There were consequences for not turning in your phone but I don’t remember what it was, probably detention. The cell phone policy and consequences for violating the policy is in the student handbook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our APS bans cell phones during school. It’s actually annoying that I have to go through the office when my kid forgets something.

There are plenty of schools where if a kid forgets something you don't have the option to drop off. Kid forgets lunch or sports uniform or science fair project? Oh well. Probably won't happen again.

Our kid's private banned cell phones during the day. Never a problem. Only issue was they had to find alternative for calculator and legitimate school research.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our APS bans cell phones during school. It’s actually annoying that I have to go through the office when my kid forgets something.

Really??? Kids are on them all day at APS. Maybe they are banned from using inside the classroom during class--but they are out all other times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our APS bans cell phones during school. It’s actually annoying that I have to go through the office when my kid forgets something.

Really??? Kids are on them all day at APS. Maybe they are banned from using inside the classroom during class--but they are out all other times.

^ high school

[Anonymous]

Don't blame iOS. We use the parental controls and school time features and find they work well. Our child cannot download any app (or other content) without our sign-off, cannot call or text with any number not pre-approved by us, cannot use any app outside permitted hours, cannot take their devices out of "schooltime" lockout during the day without us being notified, etc.. There are good parental controls there - if you don't use them, that's on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our APS bans cell phones during school. It’s actually annoying that I have to go through the office when my kid forgets something.

As a middle or high school student, if I had forgotten something at home, my parents would have never dropped it off to me at school. Instead, they would have lectured me on how I need to plan better in the future. If there were any consequences for not having that thing I left at home, I was left to deal with them on my own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our K8 bans cell phones during the school day. All cell phones have to be kept in locker until the end of the school day. Is this not common for middle school or are people only talking about high school?

Same with the K8 our kids went to. I believe this is the policy in many parochial middle schools as well. Why isn't this the standard policy at ALL middle schools, including public school systems?
I would be in favor of having this policy in high school as well. At least for 9th and 10th graders. Attending classes does not require gazing at the screen or snapchatting about inanities throughout the day. Generations of kids have survived school without that (awful) privilege. An exception can be made for flip phones, for kids who have to be contacted frequently by nervous parents or manage complicated logistics.

[Anonymous]

Are there any HS's that discourage use/take a strong stand against phones?
At our k8, the MS kids are on them. A lot. They are not supposed to be, but no consequences are enforced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there any HS's that discourage use/take a strong stand against phones?
At our k8, the MS kids are on them. A lot. They are not supposed to be, but no consequences are enforced.

There’s already a recent thread on this. https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1155664.page