Banning and confiscating phones?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kinda s/o to the fights and drugs threads.

Can the county ban cell phones in schools? I went to high school in the 90s and electronics were banned like beepers and the old brick cell phones. If somebody had a beeper, it would be confiscated and returned at the end of the day.

It's not appropriate for MCPS to make up its own laws based on their or parental whim. These are issues for our elected officials.

Actually, the MCPS policy in the 90s was if you got caught with a beeper or cell phone, they would suspend you for 5 days with an automatic request for an additional 5-day suspension and request for expulsion. They would also call the police. It was really dumb.

I'm surprised nobody took them to court for this. I don't think they have the authority to confiscate private property because some administrator thought it was a good idea. We have rights and actual laws in this county that need to be followed even by public school authoritarian.

Ick

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kinda s/o to the fights and drugs threads.

Can the county ban cell phones in schools? I went to high school in the 90s and electronics were banned like beepers and the old brick cell phones. If somebody had a beeper, it would be confiscated and returned at the end of the day.

It's not appropriate for MCPS to make up its own laws based on their or parental whim. These are issues for our elected officials.

The Board of Ed is a duly elected body. What's your problem with them making it's own rules?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kinda s/o to the fights and drugs threads.

Can the county ban cell phones in schools? I went to high school in the 90s and electronics were banned like beepers and the old brick cell phones. If somebody had a beeper, it would be confiscated and returned at the end of the day.

It's not appropriate for MCPS to make up its own laws based on their or parental whim. These are issues for our elected officials.

The Board of Ed is a duly elected body. What's your problem with them making it's own rules?

The board of ed lacks the ability to pass laws. That would be the state legislature...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kinda s/o to the fights and drugs threads.

Can the county ban cell phones in schools? I went to high school in the 90s and electronics were banned like beepers and the old brick cell phones. If somebody had a beeper, it would be confiscated and returned at the end of the day.

It's not appropriate for MCPS to make up its own laws based on their or parental whim. These are issues for our elected officials.

The Board of Ed is a duly elected body. What's your problem with them making it's own rules?

The board of ed lacks the ability to pass laws. That would be the state legislature...

Why I said "rules". No one but you said "laws" when talking about banning devices at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kinda s/o to the fights and drugs threads.

Can the county ban cell phones in schools? I went to high school in the 90s and electronics were banned like beepers and the old brick cell phones. If somebody had a beeper, it would be confiscated and returned at the end of the day.

It's not appropriate for MCPS to make up its own laws based on their or parental whim. These are issues for our elected officials.

The Board of Ed is a duly elected body. What's your problem with them making it's own rules?

The board of ed lacks the ability to pass laws. That would be the state legislature...

Why I said "rules". No one but you said "laws" when talking about banning devices at school.

If your rules involve the unlawful confiscation of private property then it does involve the law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kinda s/o to the fights and drugs threads.

Can the county ban cell phones in schools? I went to high school in the 90s and electronics were banned like beepers and the old brick cell phones. If somebody had a beeper, it would be confiscated and returned at the end of the day.

It's not appropriate for MCPS to make up its own laws based on their or parental whim. These are issues for our elected officials.

The Board of Ed is a duly elected body. What's your problem with them making it's own rules?

The board of ed lacks the ability to pass laws. That would be the state legislature...

Why I said "rules". No one but you said "laws" when talking about banning devices at school.

If your rules involve the unlawful confiscation of private property then it does involve the law.

In what way is it "unlawful confiscation"? If the school has a rule that a phone will not be used in school or it'll be confiscated, what's the law that's broken?

[Anonymous]

I’m an educator, and I can assure you that the phones issue gets debated a lot on social media fora for teachers. Here are the most common responses to parent concerns:

What about school shootings?
Most teachers and admin don’t care if your child has a phone in a backpack or a storage pouch/container in the back of the classroom. We don’t want to see the phone out during instruction.

What about other emergencies?
If you have a change in pick-up plans, call the office. They probably need to know about it anyway. If your child has an emergency, teachers, nurses, and admin will all allow use of the school landlines. If there is a medical emergency at home, death of a family member, etc., don’t call or text your child in class. If it’s that serious, an adult should tactfully pull the child from class, and a family member should pick the student up from school. If your kid forgets a project, instrument, sports uniform, etc., that’s not an emergency. Natural consequences from poor planning are the way children learn.

A school can’t confiscate personal property!
First of all, schools are not permanently depriving your family of an electronic device, so it’s not confiscation. Second, schools that have rules banning phones during the day will send out behavior contracts to that effect. If you want to avoid a consequence, that’s easily achieved by your child keeping the phone out of sight and following the other provisions of the contract.

Schools will tell you all the time that they are not responsible for what your child brings to campus. If something is too precious to lose, it doesn’t belong at school, whether that’s a favorite toy, jewelry, cash, or electronics.

The fear of parental backlash over “confiscation” has, indeed, prevented many schools from regulating phones well. Unfortunately, the consequences of student phone use in class are myriad.

What works for your one well-behaved child at home doesn’t always work well in a group setting of 25-40 students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m an educator, and I can assure you that the phones issue gets debated a lot on social media fora for teachers. Here are the most common responses to parent concerns:

What about school shootings?
Most teachers and admin don’t care if your child has a phone in a backpack or a storage pouch/container in the back of the classroom. We don’t want to see the phone out during instruction.

What about other emergencies?
If you have a change in pick-up plans, call the office. They probably need to know about it anyway. If your child has an emergency, teachers, nurses, and admin will all allow use of the school landlines. If there is a medical emergency at home, death of a family member, etc., don’t call or text your child in class. If it’s that serious, an adult should tactfully pull the child from class, and a family member should pick the student up from school. If your kid forgets a project, instrument, sports uniform, etc., that’s not an emergency. Natural consequences from poor planning are the way children learn.

A school can’t confiscate personal property!
First of all, schools are not permanently depriving your family of an electronic device, so it’s not confiscation. Second, schools that have rules banning phones during the day will send out behavior contracts to that effect. If you want to avoid a consequence, that’s easily achieved by your child keeping the phone out of sight and following the other provisions of the contract.

Schools will tell you all the time that they are not responsible for what your child brings to campus. If something is too precious to lose, it doesn’t belong at school, whether that’s a favorite toy, jewelry, cash, or electronics.

The fear of parental backlash over “confiscation” has, indeed, prevented many schools from regulating phones well. Unfortunately, the consequences of student phone use in class are myriad.

What works for your one well-behaved child at home doesn’t always work well in a group setting of 25-40 students.

I am sorry more parents do not understand that their very own addiction of their phone and needing to track and talk to their kid 24/7 has ruined education for everyone.

I know how to put downtime on my kid's phone from 8am to 3pm that they can only use apps like calculator, weather, student view, and for messages there is 5 contacts ONLY. They can not use other apps or text/FT anyone else but parents/siblings. There is no work around unless they know the code. But it is WAY too hard for most parents to figure out or care.

There should be a mandatory parent code on all minor's phones and school downtime button M-F 8am to 3pm. Allow basics and 3-5 contacts only.

[Anonymous]

If they were to cut off the wifi access to student non-MCPS devices it would cut down on the use. The kids don’t have much to do on a non internet connected device.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they were to cut off the wifi access to student non-MCPS devices it would cut down on the use. The kids don’t have much to do on a non internet connected device.

But I have also heard from staff that they think there are actually fewer fights and disruptions when the kids are on phones, since they are choosing that rather than interacting inappropriately in class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they were to cut off the wifi access to student non-MCPS devices it would cut down on the use. The kids don’t have much to do on a non internet connected device.

But I have also heard from staff that they think there are actually fewer fights and disruptions when the kids are on phones, since they are choosing that rather than interacting inappropriately in class.

Nice anecdote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m an educator, and I can assure you that the phones issue gets debated a lot on social media fora for teachers. Here are the most common responses to parent concerns:

What about school shootings?
Most teachers and admin don’t care if your child has a phone in a backpack or a storage pouch/container in the back of the classroom. We don’t want to see the phone out during instruction.

What about other emergencies?
If you have a change in pick-up plans, call the office. They probably need to know about it anyway. If your child has an emergency, teachers, nurses, and admin will all allow use of the school landlines. If there is a medical emergency at home, death of a family member, etc., don’t call or text your child in class. If it’s that serious, an adult should tactfully pull the child from class, and a family member should pick the student up from school. If your kid forgets a project, instrument, sports uniform, etc., that’s not an emergency. Natural consequences from poor planning are the way children learn.

A school can’t confiscate personal property!
First of all, schools are not permanently depriving your family of an electronic device, so it’s not confiscation. Second, schools that have rules banning phones during the day will send out behavior contracts to that effect. If you want to avoid a consequence, that’s easily achieved by your child keeping the phone out of sight and following the other provisions of the contract.

Schools will tell you all the time that they are not responsible for what your child brings to campus. If something is too precious to lose, it doesn’t belong at school, whether that’s a favorite toy, jewelry, cash, or electronics.

The fear of parental backlash over “confiscation” has, indeed, prevented many schools from regulating phones well. Unfortunately, the consequences of student phone use in class are myriad.

What works for your one well-behaved child at home doesn’t always work well in a group setting of 25-40 students.

I am sorry more parents do not understand that their very own addiction of their phone and needing to track and talk to their kid 24/7 has ruined education for everyone.

I know how to put downtime on my kid's phone from 8am to 3pm that they can only use apps like calculator, weather, student view, and for messages there is 5 contacts ONLY. They can not use other apps or text/FT anyone else but parents/siblings. There is no work around unless they know the code. But it is WAY too hard for most parents to figure out or care.

There should be a mandatory parent code on all minor's phones and school downtime button M-F 8am to 3pm. Allow basics and 3-5 contacts only.

As usual, it comes down to parenting. My kids phone is in school mode during school hours. Nevertheless, I want my kid to have access to their phone for a variety of reasons and would justifiably be annoyed if the county tried to unlawfully seize my property?.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m an educator, and I can assure you that the phones issue gets debated a lot on social media fora for teachers. Here are the most common responses to parent concerns:

What about school shootings?
Most teachers and admin don’t care if your child has a phone in a backpack or a storage pouch/container in the back of the classroom. We don’t want to see the phone out during instruction.

What about other emergencies?
If you have a change in pick-up plans, call the office. They probably need to know about it anyway. If your child has an emergency, teachers, nurses, and admin will all allow use of the school landlines. If there is a medical emergency at home, death of a family member, etc., don’t call or text your child in class. If it’s that serious, an adult should tactfully pull the child from class, and a family member should pick the student up from school. If your kid forgets a project, instrument, sports uniform, etc., that’s not an emergency. Natural consequences from poor planning are the way children learn.

A school can’t confiscate personal property!
First of all, schools are not permanently depriving your family of an electronic device, so it’s not confiscation. Second, schools that have rules banning phones during the day will send out behavior contracts to that effect. If you want to avoid a consequence, that’s easily achieved by your child keeping the phone out of sight and following the other provisions of the contract.

Schools will tell you all the time that they are not responsible for what your child brings to campus. If something is too precious to lose, it doesn’t belong at school, whether that’s a favorite toy, jewelry, cash, or electronics.

The fear of parental backlash over “confiscation” has, indeed, prevented many schools from regulating phones well. Unfortunately, the consequences of student phone use in class are myriad.

What works for your one well-behaved child at home doesn’t always work well in a group setting of 25-40 students.

I am sorry more parents do not understand that their very own addiction of their phone and needing to track and talk to their kid 24/7 has ruined education for everyone.

I know how to put downtime on my kid's phone from 8am to 3pm that they can only use apps like calculator, weather, student view, and for messages there is 5 contacts ONLY. They can not use other apps or text/FT anyone else but parents/siblings. There is no work around unless they know the code. But it is WAY too hard for most parents to figure out or care.

There should be a mandatory parent code on all minor's phones and school downtime button M-F 8am to 3pm. Allow basics and 3-5 contacts only.

As usual, it comes down to parenting. My kids phone is in school mode during school hours. Nevertheless, I want my kid to have access to their phone for a variety of reasons and would justifiably be annoyed if the county tried to unlawfully seize my property?.

Well tell your kid not to be on their phone. And technically your child has your property. You own the phone. Not them. The school is taking it away from them and giving it back to you when you pick it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can't use your phone when you're going through customs, either. Schools get to impose rules, too. Kids enjoy the break from phones as well, by the way.

Personally, I haven't been through customs in years so it's a non-issue. As a parent, it's my responsibility to control and monitor the phone. See how that works. Its easy to lock it down or shut it off.

How are you monitoring and controlling your kids' phone usage when they are in class?

There are a lot of things kids cannot bring to school, like if they little Jimmy wanted to bring his ps4, the school would confiscate it and return it at the end of the day.

I stated earlier, they can use phone pouches, so your little snowflake won't have their phones taken away; they just won't be able to use it unless the teacher unlocks the pouch.

Easy to see the usage.

If my kid has an allergic reaction, I want them to call me.

If there is an incident at school or somewhere else, I want them to call me as I will go get them.

If I have an issue and cannot get them, I want to be able to contact time.

If they need to let me know something like school supplies or a change, they need to contact me.

As a parent its my job to deal with it, not the teachers.

My snowflakes can just yell out when they need me right now so it's not an issue.

Newsflash:

Kids have had allergies before cell phones

Yes, they did, and imagine if some could have contacted their parents and prevented something serious from happening. A cell phone and prevention is a lot cheaper than an ER bill or worse.

This is the biggest stretch. Did you give a cell phone to your kid in kindergarten? How did they reach you in elementary school?

I got them gizmos after a not so fun er visit due to an irresponsible teacher who had been told repeatedly not to feed anything to my child.

100% that kids with allergies need phones to protect themselves by having the ability to call for help in an emergency rather than depending on school personnel or fellow students. Far too many teachers and administrators, even today, seem to think food allergies are made up or exaggerated. They can’t fathom that something they find benign and tasty, like peanuts, can be life threatening to someone else.

We survived as a species for a pretty long time without phones. You'll be okay.

Phones will continue to be allowed in school. You’ll be OK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can't use your phone when you're going through customs, either. Schools get to impose rules, too. Kids enjoy the break from phones as well, by the way.

Personally, I haven't been through customs in years so it's a non-issue. As a parent, it's my responsibility to control and monitor the phone. See how that works. Its easy to lock it down or shut it off.

How are you monitoring and controlling your kids' phone usage when they are in class?

There are a lot of things kids cannot bring to school, like if they little Jimmy wanted to bring his ps4, the school would confiscate it and return it at the end of the day.

I stated earlier, they can use phone pouches, so your little snowflake won't have their phones taken away; they just won't be able to use it unless the teacher unlocks the pouch.

Easy to see the usage.

If my kid has an allergic reaction, I want them to call me.

If there is an incident at school or somewhere else, I want them to call me as I will go get them.

If I have an issue and cannot get them, I want to be able to contact time.

If they need to let me know something like school supplies or a change, they need to contact me.

As a parent its my job to deal with it, not the teachers.

My snowflakes can just yell out when they need me right now so it's not an issue.

Newsflash:

Kids have had allergies before cell phones

Yes, they did, and imagine if some could have contacted their parents and prevented something serious from happening. A cell phone and prevention is a lot cheaper than an ER bill or worse.

This is the biggest stretch. Did you give a cell phone to your kid in kindergarten? How did they reach you in elementary school?

I got them gizmos after a not so fun er visit due to an irresponsible teacher who had been told repeatedly not to feed anything to my child.

100% that kids with allergies need phones to protect themselves by having the ability to call for help in an emergency rather than depending on school personnel or fellow students. Far too many teachers and administrators, even today, seem to think food allergies are made up or exaggerated. They can’t fathom that something they find benign and tasty, like peanuts, can be life threatening to someone else.

If your kid is having an allergic reaction, who is your kid going to call? You? Do you live 2min away from school? By the time you get there, go through the office to get buzzed in, tell the admin what's going on, what would happen to your kid?

If the allergic reaction is that bad they should have an epi-pen with them at all times. If it's not that bad, they can go to the office and have admin deal with it. That would be a lot faster than calling you.

I think you are the one with a knee jerk reaction and not thinking things through.

I was 5 minutes from the school and yes, I've gone running several times. They have to get the teacher's permission to go to the office and this particular teacher didn't get the particular food allergy and wasn't careful and decided kid was ok. ER said otherwise. Teachers should not be making medical decisions. They also should not be buying food and handing it out without asking parents first. And, if a parent specifically says don't feed my child and don't touch my child if you have xxx on your hands, they should take it seriously.

So you are always 5min from your kid?

Again, the time it takes you to get to the school, get buzzed in and tell the office what's going on, your kid could've just gone down to the health office and got an epipen.

Teach your kids to manage their allergies. You won't be 5min away from them every single time. You must literally have to tag along to every event otherwise.

Unfortunately, if they do what the crazies want, the teachers will be so busy confiscating phones, enforcing the criminal code, and monitoring bathrooms that they just be attentive to real problems like deadly allergies.

again, no need to take away phones. They just need to get phone pouches.

And you need to teach your kid to manage their allergies.

Teachers need to pay attention to teaching, not your kid's allergies.

Pouches aren’t happening. Stoptrying to make pouches happen, Gretchen.