APS Yondr Pouch: Opening at home questions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I took the liberty of ordering a bunch of magnets to open this &$@! Pouch. Here is what works:

MEUOADA Rare Earth Magnet,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6RBXT71?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Put pouch on magnet
Tap the button vigorously
It opens

We went through a few that didn’t work.

Good luck - my kid is one who would have to make a choice between missing a bus and unlocking the pouch and freak out. This pouch was an unnecessary source of anxiety and I feel happy to have defeated it.

Sincere question:Why would you not let your kid deal with the natural consequence of not unlocking the phone?

That is such a weird sincere question. What was the poor behavior that needed a consequence? Locking the phone or choosing not to miss the bus so that her parent needed to leave work to pick her up?

Neither is a choice that requires a consequence. I would recheck your idea of “natural consequences”. Natural consequences in our house - not doing homework and failing a test. Not wearing pants and being cold. Not bringing a snack and being hungry (on a short term). But following the rules and being too overladen with sports equipment to manage getting out the pouch and not missing the bus? Not something that requires a consequence.

Also, I’m replying to myself but - maybe you don’t understand the pouch? It’s that every kid locks up the phone, not just those who are pulling it out and get caught. So if the latter, the pouch is a consequence and not being able to unlock it is a natural consequence of the poor choice to pull it out in class. But if the kid never made that poor choice - the not unlocking it is not a consequence for anything. It’s just stupid.

No, it's a consequence for forgetting to unlock it or for choosing not to for whatever reason.
I think you should look up the definition of "consequence."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write to the school board about the ridiculous pouches. A shoe holder is much less expensive, doesn't but a financial burden on parents for damaged of lost goods and allows phones to be accessed, if necessary. Yondr is a gross misuse of taxpayer funds.

And, yes, you can buy a magnet on Amazon. Put Neodymium into the search bar.

Shoe holders are ridiculous. They don't prevent phone use in hallways, bathrooms, lunch time, etc . . . Phones get stolen regularly from them. Every class loses time spent checking that every kid's phone is there. Kids regularly have decoy phones that they put in the shoe holders. There really are no positives.

If the justification for the pouches is that kids aren't paying attention in class, why are we trying to regulate phone use at lunch? Shoe holders are $20/teacher and Yondr is at least $18/kid (they go for more like $200 online so who knows what APS actually paid). The Yondr pouch can be gamed with a decoy phone to exactly the same extent as the shoe holder so it is confusing to me why we are engaging in expensive overkill. If parents want their kids to not have a phone during non-instructional time, deal with that as a parent. The school's jurisdiction is instructional time and that is easily addressed with the shoe holder.

It’s not just about class it’s about the impact social media and bullying on line has on their mental health and it’s about them staring at their phones instead of interacting with their peers. The phones are obviously also cameras which causes many issues which if you don’t know about that don’t know what to say. Use your imagination.

Yes, but my point is those phone issues are parenting issues. Banning phones at school doesn't stop bullying or social media issues. They can do all that at home, and frankly the kids can figure out how to do that on a FCPS-issued laptop. I watched my school present a Yondr-branded PowerPoint blaming cell phones for depression and suicide. Cell phones are a factor but hardly the only issue. Blaming all of society's ills on cell phone usage in school is specious and it is doubly specious to assert that Yondr will cure these woes. APS and FCPS are Yondr suckers.

That's not what schools claim or are asserting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Write to the school board about the ridiculous pouches. A shoe holder is much less expensive, doesn't but a financial burden on parents for damaged of lost goods and allows phones to be accessed, if necessary. Yondr is a gross misuse of taxpayer funds.

And, yes, you can buy a magnet on Amazon. Put Neodymium into the search bar.

Shoe holders are ridiculous. They don't prevent phone use in hallways, bathrooms, lunch time, etc . . . Phones get stolen regularly from them. Every class loses time spent checking that every kid's phone is there. Kids regularly have decoy phones that they put in the shoe holders. There really are no positives.

If the justification for the pouches is that kids aren't paying attention in class, why are we trying to regulate phone use at lunch? Shoe holders are $20/teacher and Yondr is at least $18/kid (they go for more like $200 online so who knows what APS actually paid). The Yondr pouch can be gamed with a decoy phone to exactly the same extent as the shoe holder so it is confusing to me why we are engaging in expensive overkill. If parents want their kids to not have a phone during non-instructional time, deal with that as a parent. The school's jurisdiction is instructional time and that is easily addressed with the shoe holder.

I know it’s hard to keep up, but the shoe holders make the “phone away” dance for every period the miscreant attends. With the poach, when there phone is out, the teacher has them lock it up and it’s not going to the next teachers problem.

Also, the whole phones at lunch thing is so unhealthy, kids should be socializing — and you know even if your kid wants to be in person, most people will be phubbing them, so might as well pull out their own phone.

Finally, every teacher doing the phone show holder dance every period, that’s a huge waste of time. And of course theft and alleged damage that will be targeted at teachers.

ahh you're one of those who is insistent that in person socializing is the only way kids should be interacting. can't take this seriously, sorry.

DP. You might find this surprising: there is life and time outside of school. The phone ban doesn't extend beyond the actual school day, you know. And, like it or not, in-person face-to-face socializing develops better social skills than texting, Instagram, and video games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I took the liberty of ordering a bunch of magnets to open this &$@! Pouch. Here is what works:

MEUOADA Rare Earth Magnet,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6RBXT71?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Put pouch on magnet
Tap the button vigorously
It opens

We went through a few that didn’t work.

Good luck - my kid is one who would have to make a choice between missing a bus and unlocking the pouch and freak out. This pouch was an unnecessary source of anxiety and I feel happy to have defeated it.

Sincere question:Why would you not let your kid deal with the natural consequence of not unlocking the phone?

That is such a weird sincere question. What was the poor behavior that needed a consequence? Locking the phone or choosing not to miss the bus so that her parent needed to leave work to pick her up?

Neither is a choice that requires a consequence. I would recheck your idea of “natural consequences”. Natural consequences in our house - not doing homework and failing a test. Not wearing pants and being cold. Not bringing a snack and being hungry (on a short term). But following the rules and being too overladen with sports equipment to manage getting out the pouch and not missing the bus? Not something that requires a consequence.

Natural consequences is not just for poor behavior. If you forget your shoes for practice you won’t have them. If you leave your water bottle somewhere carelessly you need to buy a new one. If mom always makes sure to fix everything for you, you’ll never figure it out.

The too overladen with sports equipment to get out the pouch is also quite the sob story though.

Seriously. Since when are consequences only for poor behavior?

Consequences for kids are for decisions kids make. My kid did not decide to have a pouch. My kid did not decide to have a phone. My kid did not pick the school and my kid did not pick the bus ride. My kid didn’t make the decision to have an after school activity a bus ride away. I made the last few decisions and the school made the pouch decision. Where in there should my kid bear a consequence if things don’t go the adult’s way?

Kids didn't make the decision for school to be mandatory.
Kids didn't make the decision to live in the house or home they live in (generally speaking).
Kids don't make the decision on what you serve them for dinner.
Not entirely convinced the kid didn't choose an after-school activity that happens to be a bus ride away, but believe that's true in many instances.
Kids didn't make the decision on how grades are determined.
So I guess what you're really saying is that it's ok for kids to have to bear the effects of decisions YOU make, but not the impacts of decisions made by others (ie, schools).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I took the liberty of ordering a bunch of magnets to open this &$@! Pouch. Here is what works:

MEUOADA Rare Earth Magnet,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6RBXT71?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Put pouch on magnet
Tap the button vigorously
It opens

We went through a few that didn’t work.

Good luck - my kid is one who would have to make a choice between missing a bus and unlocking the pouch and freak out. This pouch was an unnecessary source of anxiety and I feel happy to have defeated it.

Sincere question:Why would you not let your kid deal with the natural consequence of not unlocking the phone?

That is such a weird sincere question. What was the poor behavior that needed a consequence? Locking the phone or choosing not to miss the bus so that her parent needed to leave work to pick her up?

Neither is a choice that requires a consequence. I would recheck your idea of “natural consequences”. Natural consequences in our house - not doing homework and failing a test. Not wearing pants and being cold. Not bringing a snack and being hungry (on a short term). But following the rules and being too overladen with sports equipment to manage getting out the pouch and not missing the bus? Not something that requires a consequence.

Natural consequences is not just for poor behavior. If you forget your shoes for practice you won’t have them. If you leave your water bottle somewhere carelessly you need to buy a new one. If mom always makes sure to fix everything for you, you’ll never figure it out.

The too overladen with sports equipment to get out the pouch is also quite the sob story though.

Seriously. Since when are consequences only for poor behavior?

Consequences for kids are for decisions kids make. My kid did not decide to have a pouch. My kid did not decide to have a phone. My kid did not pick the school and my kid did not pick the bus ride. My kid didn’t make the decision to have an after school activity a bus ride away. I made the last few decisions and the school made the pouch decision. Where in there should my kid bear a consequence if things don’t go the adult’s way?

Eh, we all have to deal with consequences of decisions we didn't make. I pay taxes to support policies I don't agree with, I go into the office 4 days a week because my company decided to RTO. Your kid has to learn to deal with consequences of other people making decisions that impact him. That is life.

You strike me as a very myopic individual who is probably not even an actual parent. Nevertheless, to explain this to you further, you have the luxury of an adult decision should you not like your company’s choices or taxes: you can move. You can get a new job.

Get over yourself.

And the taxes? Are they supposed to engage in tax evasion...without consequences? We're not all Donald Trumps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It just demonstrates the performative nature of this whole thing. The pouches are just to appease the crazy anti tech parents who think cell phones are so evil. But instead of parenting their own kids, they want to control other people’s children.

It takes a village. If others aren't parenting, then we have to step in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I took the liberty of ordering a bunch of magnets to open this &$@! Pouch. Here is what works:

MEUOADA Rare Earth Magnet,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6RBXT71?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Put pouch on magnet
Tap the button vigorously
It opens

We went through a few that didn’t work.

Good luck - my kid is one who would have to make a choice between missing a bus and unlocking the pouch and freak out. This pouch was an unnecessary source of anxiety and I feel happy to have defeated it.

Sincere question:Why would you not let your kid deal with the natural consequence of not unlocking the phone?

That is such a weird sincere question. What was the poor behavior that needed a consequence? Locking the phone or choosing not to miss the bus so that her parent needed to leave work to pick her up?

Neither is a choice that requires a consequence. I would recheck your idea of “natural consequences”. Natural consequences in our house - not doing homework and failing a test. Not wearing pants and being cold. Not bringing a snack and being hungry (on a short term). But following the rules and being too overladen with sports equipment to manage getting out the pouch and not missing the bus? Not something that requires a consequence.

All of these are exactly the same as choosing to not get his phone unlocked.
"Being too overladen with sports equipment to manage getting out the pouch...." Seriously? You put down the equipment. Or you have the pouch out and ready to be unlocked.
I guess this would be a better policy: all kids who have sports equipment or large musical instruments are exempt from having to put their phone in a pouch.

And I'm sure there will be a sudden rush of students joining sports with big equipment and joining band and orchestra....preferring to lug all that extra crap around just to avoid having to unlock a pouch at the end of the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I took the liberty of ordering a bunch of magnets to open this &$@! Pouch. Here is what works:

MEUOADA Rare Earth Magnet,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6RBXT71?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Put pouch on magnet
Tap the button vigorously
It opens

We went through a few that didn’t work.

Good luck - my kid is one who would have to make a choice between missing a bus and unlocking the pouch and freak out. This pouch was an unnecessary source of anxiety and I feel happy to have defeated it.

Sincere question:Why would you not let your kid deal with the natural consequence of not unlocking the phone?

That is such a weird sincere question. What was the poor behavior that needed a consequence? Locking the phone or choosing not to miss the bus so that her parent needed to leave work to pick her up?

Neither is a choice that requires a consequence. I would recheck your idea of “natural consequences”. Natural consequences in our house - not doing homework and failing a test. Not wearing pants and being cold. Not bringing a snack and being hungry (on a short term). But following the rules and being too overladen with sports equipment to manage getting out the pouch and not missing the bus? Not something that requires a consequence.

Also, I’m replying to myself but - maybe you don’t understand the pouch? It’s that every kid locks up the phone, not just those who are pulling it out and get caught. So if the latter, the pouch is a consequence and not being able to unlock it is a natural consequence of the poor choice to pull it out in class. But if the kid never made that poor choice - the not unlocking it is not a consequence for anything. It’s just stupid.

No, it's a consequence for forgetting to unlock it or for choosing not to for whatever reason.
I think you should look up the definition of "consequence."

Thankfully, I see I’m not alone - but I will respond to this stupidity -

A kid LOCKS the pouch because they are following the rules. Kids who don’t follow the rules (using dead-phones, etc) are not following the rules. Those kids - the ones who are rule breakers - are not subject to your “consequences”. So to have a kid deal with the consequences for locking it up, you’re actually punishing the ones who make good choices following the rules.

Moving on. I took stock of my kid’s two arms today: full backpack because the kid works hard and has all honors classes and homework. A project, because the kid works hard and had to work all weekend. A bag for sports practice, because the kid works hard at school so we picked the earliest practice we could find (so it doesn’t interfere with homework). An instrument, because it doesn’t fit in the bags and the kid is diligent about practice.

The kid only has two hands. Pulling out the pouch, to unlock it, to put it back, to gather everything. If they miss the bus or fail to unlock the pouch with their full hands - I see literally nothing there for which my child should pay a consequence.

And you can move to avoid taxes you don’t like. There are lots of places without sales tax or income tax.

[Anonymous]

And you can move since you're kid isn't smart enough to figure this out. Maybe ACPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I took the liberty of ordering a bunch of magnets to open this &$@! Pouch. Here is what works:

MEUOADA Rare Earth Magnet,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6RBXT71?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Put pouch on magnet
Tap the button vigorously
It opens

We went through a few that didn’t work.

Good luck - my kid is one who would have to make a choice between missing a bus and unlocking the pouch and freak out. This pouch was an unnecessary source of anxiety and I feel happy to have defeated it.

Sincere question:Why would you not let your kid deal with the natural consequence of not unlocking the phone?

That is such a weird sincere question. What was the poor behavior that needed a consequence? Locking the phone or choosing not to miss the bus so that her parent needed to leave work to pick her up?

Neither is a choice that requires a consequence. I would recheck your idea of “natural consequences”. Natural consequences in our house - not doing homework and failing a test. Not wearing pants and being cold. Not bringing a snack and being hungry (on a short term). But following the rules and being too overladen with sports equipment to manage getting out the pouch and not missing the bus? Not something that requires a consequence.

Also, I’m replying to myself but - maybe you don’t understand the pouch? It’s that every kid locks up the phone, not just those who are pulling it out and get caught. So if the latter, the pouch is a consequence and not being able to unlock it is a natural consequence of the poor choice to pull it out in class. But if the kid never made that poor choice - the not unlocking it is not a consequence for anything. It’s just stupid.

No, it's a consequence for forgetting to unlock it or for choosing not to for whatever reason.
I think you should look up the definition of "consequence."

Thankfully, I see I’m not alone - but I will respond to this stupidity -

A kid LOCKS the pouch because they are following the rules. Kids who don’t follow the rules (using dead-phones, etc) are not following the rules. Those kids - the ones who are rule breakers - are not subject to your “consequences”. So to have a kid deal with the consequences for locking it up, you’re actually punishing the ones who make good choices following the rules.

Moving on. I took stock of my kid’s two arms today: full backpack because the kid works hard and has all honors classes and homework. A project, because the kid works hard and had to work all weekend. A bag for sports practice, because the kid works hard at school so we picked the earliest practice we could find (so it doesn’t interfere with homework). An instrument, because it doesn’t fit in the bags and the kid is diligent about practice.

The kid only has two hands. Pulling out the pouch, to unlock it, to put it back, to gather everything. If they miss the bus or fail to unlock the pouch with their full hands - I see literally nothing there for which my child should pay a consequence.

And you can move to avoid taxes you don’t like. There are lots of places without sales tax or income tax.

Sounds like he has too much stuff to be carrying a phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It just demonstrates the performative nature of this whole thing. The pouches are just to appease the crazy anti tech parents who think cell phones are so evil. But instead of parenting their own kids, they want to control other people’s children.

It takes a village. If others aren't parenting, then we have to step in.

Because the crazies are paranoid about screens? No, we don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I took the liberty of ordering a bunch of magnets to open this &$@! Pouch. Here is what works:

MEUOADA Rare Earth Magnet,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6RBXT71?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Put pouch on magnet
Tap the button vigorously
It opens

We went through a few that didn’t work.

Good luck - my kid is one who would have to make a choice between missing a bus and unlocking the pouch and freak out. This pouch was an unnecessary source of anxiety and I feel happy to have defeated it.

Sincere question:Why would you not let your kid deal with the natural consequence of not unlocking the phone?

That is such a weird sincere question. What was the poor behavior that needed a consequence? Locking the phone or choosing not to miss the bus so that her parent needed to leave work to pick her up?

Neither is a choice that requires a consequence. I would recheck your idea of “natural consequences”. Natural consequences in our house - not doing homework and failing a test. Not wearing pants and being cold. Not bringing a snack and being hungry (on a short term). But following the rules and being too overladen with sports equipment to manage getting out the pouch and not missing the bus? Not something that requires a consequence.

Also, I’m replying to myself but - maybe you don’t understand the pouch? It’s that every kid locks up the phone, not just those who are pulling it out and get caught. So if the latter, the pouch is a consequence and not being able to unlock it is a natural consequence of the poor choice to pull it out in class. But if the kid never made that poor choice - the not unlocking it is not a consequence for anything. It’s just stupid.

No, it's a consequence for forgetting to unlock it or for choosing not to for whatever reason.
I think you should look up the definition of "consequence."

Thankfully, I see I’m not alone - but I will respond to this stupidity -

A kid LOCKS the pouch because they are following the rules. Kids who don’t follow the rules (using dead-phones, etc) are not following the rules. Those kids - the ones who are rule breakers - are not subject to your “consequences”. So to have a kid deal with the consequences for locking it up, you’re actually punishing the ones who make good choices following the rules.

Moving on. I took stock of my kid’s two arms today: full backpack because the kid works hard and has all honors classes and homework. A project, because the kid works hard and had to work all weekend. A bag for sports practice, because the kid works hard at school so we picked the earliest practice we could find (so it doesn’t interfere with homework). An instrument, because it doesn’t fit in the bags and the kid is diligent about practice.

The kid only has two hands. Pulling out the pouch, to unlock it, to put it back, to gather everything. If they miss the bus or fail to unlock the pouch with their full hands - I see literally nothing there for which my child should pay a consequence.

And you can move to avoid taxes you don’t like. There are lots of places without sales tax or income tax.

PP, you seem to have very low expectations for your kid. Good lord.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I took the liberty of ordering a bunch of magnets to open this &$@! Pouch. Here is what works:

MEUOADA Rare Earth Magnet,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6RBXT71?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Put pouch on magnet
Tap the button vigorously
It opens

We went through a few that didn’t work.

Good luck - my kid is one who would have to make a choice between missing a bus and unlocking the pouch and freak out. This pouch was an unnecessary source of anxiety and I feel happy to have defeated it.

Sincere question:Why would you not let your kid deal with the natural consequence of not unlocking the phone?

That is such a weird sincere question. What was the poor behavior that needed a consequence? Locking the phone or choosing not to miss the bus so that her parent needed to leave work to pick her up?

Neither is a choice that requires a consequence. I would recheck your idea of “natural consequences”. Natural consequences in our house - not doing homework and failing a test. Not wearing pants and being cold. Not bringing a snack and being hungry (on a short term). But following the rules and being too overladen with sports equipment to manage getting out the pouch and not missing the bus? Not something that requires a consequence.

Also, I’m replying to myself but - maybe you don’t understand the pouch? It’s that every kid locks up the phone, not just those who are pulling it out and get caught. So if the latter, the pouch is a consequence and not being able to unlock it is a natural consequence of the poor choice to pull it out in class. But if the kid never made that poor choice - the not unlocking it is not a consequence for anything. It’s just stupid.

No, it's a consequence for forgetting to unlock it or for choosing not to for whatever reason.
I think you should look up the definition of "consequence."

Thankfully, I see I’m not alone - but I will respond to this stupidity -

A kid LOCKS the pouch because they are following the rules. Kids who don’t follow the rules (using dead-phones, etc) are not following the rules. Those kids - the ones who are rule breakers - are not subject to your “consequences”. So to have a kid deal with the consequences for locking it up, you’re actually punishing the ones who make good choices following the rules.

Moving on. I took stock of my kid’s two arms today: full backpack because the kid works hard and has all honors classes and homework. A project, because the kid works hard and had to work all weekend. A bag for sports practice, because the kid works hard at school so we picked the earliest practice we could find (so it doesn’t interfere with homework). An instrument, because it doesn’t fit in the bags and the kid is diligent about practice.

The kid only has two hands. Pulling out the pouch, to unlock it, to put it back, to gather everything. If they miss the bus or fail to unlock the pouch with their full hands - I see literally nothing there for which my child should pay a consequence.

And you can move to avoid taxes you don’t like. There are lots of places without sales tax or income tax.

PP, you seem to have very low expectations for your kid. Good lord.

Yep, I really expected this kid to have at least 4 hands if not more - where did I go wrong? 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I took the liberty of ordering a bunch of magnets to open this &$@! Pouch. Here is what works:

MEUOADA Rare Earth Magnet,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6RBXT71?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Put pouch on magnet
Tap the button vigorously
It opens

We went through a few that didn’t work.

Good luck - my kid is one who would have to make a choice between missing a bus and unlocking the pouch and freak out. This pouch was an unnecessary source of anxiety and I feel happy to have defeated it.

Sincere question:Why would you not let your kid deal with the natural consequence of not unlocking the phone?

That is such a weird sincere question. What was the poor behavior that needed a consequence? Locking the phone or choosing not to miss the bus so that her parent needed to leave work to pick her up?

Neither is a choice that requires a consequence. I would recheck your idea of “natural consequences”. Natural consequences in our house - not doing homework and failing a test. Not wearing pants and being cold. Not bringing a snack and being hungry (on a short term). But following the rules and being too overladen with sports equipment to manage getting out the pouch and not missing the bus? Not something that requires a consequence.

Also, I’m replying to myself but - maybe you don’t understand the pouch? It’s that every kid locks up the phone, not just those who are pulling it out and get caught. So if the latter, the pouch is a consequence and not being able to unlock it is a natural consequence of the poor choice to pull it out in class. But if the kid never made that poor choice - the not unlocking it is not a consequence for anything. It’s just stupid.

No, it's a consequence for forgetting to unlock it or for choosing not to for whatever reason.
I think you should look up the definition of "consequence."

Thankfully, I see I’m not alone - but I will respond to this stupidity -

A kid LOCKS the pouch because they are following the rules. Kids who don’t follow the rules (using dead-phones, etc) are not following the rules. Those kids - the ones who are rule breakers - are not subject to your “consequences”. So to have a kid deal with the consequences for locking it up, you’re actually punishing the ones who make good choices following the rules.

Moving on. I took stock of my kid’s two arms today: full backpack because the kid works hard and has all honors classes and homework. A project, because the kid works hard and had to work all weekend. A bag for sports practice, because the kid works hard at school so we picked the earliest practice we could find (so it doesn’t interfere with homework). An instrument, because it doesn’t fit in the bags and the kid is diligent about practice.

The kid only has two hands. Pulling out the pouch, to unlock it, to put it back, to gather everything. If they miss the bus or fail to unlock the pouch with their full hands - I see literally nothing there for which my child should pay a consequence.

And you can move to avoid taxes you don’t like. There are lots of places without sales tax or income tax.

So is your school have lava floors, and he can’t put the sports bag and instrument down while unlocking his phone?

He probably needs a sling for his pouch, so you could get a fanny pack that holds the yonder for when he is fully loaded. I use that for my kids epipen, so it’s always accessible and not stuffed into huge backpack. It clips to backpack most of the day, but he slings it on when it makes sense to get access to contents.

[Anonymous]

Having a magnet at home seems perfectly fine to me. I really don't understand why it's a big deal.