Cell phone ban in schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Phones should be totally banned. The only option, based on what I see each day, is pouches.

I teach high school. If any parent is on the fence of thinks phone can be handled by students, spend one day inside a high school and then tell me it’s not a problem. The kids that aren’t on phones are also negatively impacted by the kids who are - it is terribly distracting.

Also, laptops are almost as much as a problem as phones. Kids are staring at screens in every class these days and we should try to curb that as well. Yes, we live in a world of screens now. But it’s not the best for kids who are not yet in that world - they have a lot of learning of to do, both on and off a screen.

Also, parents can text kids on their laptops. My school bans phones but that doesn’t stop mom from texting my students all day long. Phones are certainly not needed for parent contact.

You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. You cannot text outside MCPS on the MCPS chromebooks. Nor can you email.

Use Parentvue to send your kid a message. Problem solved. So no. They do NOT need phones to communicate with you.

Maybe offices should ban them too..distractions there too.

It does not work. Yes, they need a phone especially after school hours when the office is closed.

Yes it does. I’ve done it numerous times. It just doesn’t fit your narrative. If your kid is at school late enough for the office to be “closed”, that means they are still with an adult. Who can take them into the office. To use the phone. Just stop.

How does being with an adult help with communication with parents? You think a teacher is going to hand over their cell phone to a child to text a parent to come get them? How does that work when there are 30-60+ students and one teacher? No pay phones, no office phone. The offices are closed and locked after school. Have you ever been to a high school come 4 PM and the office is open, or anywhere from 4-10-11/PM?

Activities have (or shoiuld have) ending times. Rehearsal ends at 4. You pick up at 4. If it runs over you wait for 15 minutes. If it ended early kid hangs out with friends waiting for pick up. If your child becomes ill or you do not show up as expected, teacher can make a call or lend phone.

Or they could just use their cell phone. No need for any of this crazy ban. If you don't want your kids using their phones in class, just set up parental controls. Problem solved and the school doesn't have to spend half their instructional time overseeing these silly bans.

Once again, even one person having access to their phones in class can cause a distraction. This needs to be a whole school ban policy.

Nom there really doesn't need to be any such policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Phones should be totally banned. The only option, based on what I see each day, is pouches.

I teach high school. If any parent is on the fence of thinks phone can be handled by students, spend one day inside a high school and then tell me it’s not a problem. The kids that aren’t on phones are also negatively impacted by the kids who are - it is terribly distracting.

Also, laptops are almost as much as a problem as phones. Kids are staring at screens in every class these days and we should try to curb that as well. Yes, we live in a world of screens now. But it’s not the best for kids who are not yet in that world - they have a lot of learning of to do, both on and off a screen.

Also, parents can text kids on their laptops. My school bans phones but that doesn’t stop mom from texting my students all day long. Phones are certainly not needed for parent contact.

You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. You cannot text outside MCPS on the MCPS chromebooks. Nor can you email.

Use Parentvue to send your kid a message. Problem solved. So no. They do NOT need phones to communicate with you.

It does not work. Yes, they need a phone especially after school hours when the office is closed.

Yes it does. I’ve done it numerous times. It just doesn’t fit your narrative. If your kid is at school late enough for the office to be “closed”, that means they are still with an adult. Who can take them into the office. To use the phone. Just stop.

How does being with an adult help with communication with parents? You think a teacher is going to hand over their cell phone to a child to text a parent to come get them? How does that work when there are 30-60+ students and one teacher? No pay phones, no office phone. The offices are closed and locked after school. Have you ever been to a high school come 4 PM and the office is open, or anywhere from 4-10-11/PM?

Activities have (or shoiuld have) ending times. Rehearsal ends at 4. You pick up at 4. If it runs over you wait for 15 minutes. If it ended early kid hangs out with friends waiting for pick up. If your child becomes ill or you do not show up as expected, teacher can make a call or lend phone.

Or they could just use their cell phone. No need for any of this crazy ban. If you don't want your kids using their phones in class, just set up parental controls. Problem solved and the school doesn't have to spend half their instructional time overseeing these silly bans.

Most parents won't do that but thanks for recognizing that cellphones take up instructional time! Trying to get students to put them away takes away the majority of instructional time. A district wide ban would absolutely prevent this. You played yourself here. Good work!

Exactly! Forcing schools to make more silly rules that they won't be able to enforce like this wacky cell phone ban that nobody is really considering will further detract from the quality of education.

Nice try. You really thought you did something there. Embarrassing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is just the fantasy of a few luddites. There is no cell phone ban, nor do they have any plans for this nonsense.

This whole thread is the fantasy one of person who thinks cellphones will save the world. The rest of the posters recognize how problematic cellphones are in an educational setting. It will happen.

On the contrary, there's one or two posters who want to impose their values on everyone else and a few who seem to understand that phones are integral part of modern life.

They aren't an integral part of any classroom. They do not belong in classrooms. Your precious kid will find a way home. They aren't idiots. They don't need to text you what lunch is. Let your kid live their life. They are going to be crippled in the real world due to your inability to cut the cord.

How will they find a way home without me driving them? You're weird that you let your teens parent themselves with no support. Do your kids in MS and HS have phones? You want a child to walk across major roads, almost two miles in the dark with no sidewalks. No worries, you can relax as I'll drive your kids home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Phones should be totally banned. The only option, based on what I see each day, is pouches.

I teach high school. If any parent is on the fence of thinks phone can be handled by students, spend one day inside a high school and then tell me it’s not a problem. The kids that aren’t on phones are also negatively impacted by the kids who are - it is terribly distracting.

Also, laptops are almost as much as a problem as phones. Kids are staring at screens in every class these days and we should try to curb that as well. Yes, we live in a world of screens now. But it’s not the best for kids who are not yet in that world - they have a lot of learning of to do, both on and off a screen.

Also, parents can text kids on their laptops. My school bans phones but that doesn’t stop mom from texting my students all day long. Phones are certainly not needed for parent contact.

I agree with most of what you’re saying but I don’t see how most HS classes can ban laptops. My kid just graduated and her laptop was essential. Almost all her texts were on laptop (not paper). She needed it to write or do calculations for almost every class. She then carried an iPad as well to take notes so that she could have the texts in front of her as well as the iPads. She did really well in school. (She also had her phone and definitely used it during school but she is pretty academically obsessed so it wasn’t really a problem for her — understand that’s not the case for many kids). But my point is that you can’t ban laptops and most kids can do all the same distracting things on laptops.

Are you MCPS? They don't use iPads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is just the fantasy of a few luddites. There is no cell phone ban, nor do they have any plans for this nonsense.

This whole thread is the fantasy one of person who thinks cellphones will save the world. The rest of the posters recognize how problematic cellphones are in an educational setting. It will happen.

On the contrary, there's one or two posters who want to impose their values on everyone else and a few who seem to understand that phones are integral part of modern life.

They aren't an integral part of any classroom. They do not belong in classrooms. Your precious kid will find a way home. They aren't idiots. They don't need to text you what lunch is. Let your kid live their life. They are going to be crippled in the real world due to your inability to cut the cord.

How will they find a way home without me driving them? You're weird that you let your teens parent themselves with no support. Do your kids in MS and HS have phones? You want a child to walk across major roads, almost two miles in the dark with no sidewalks. No worries, you can relax as I'll drive your kids home.

Other parents. Probably ones who know their kids schedule and pick them up on time, unlike you. Apparently it’s too hard for you to handle without a phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is just the fantasy of a few luddites. There is no cell phone ban, nor do they have any plans for this nonsense.

This whole thread is the fantasy one of person who thinks cellphones will save the world. The rest of the posters recognize how problematic cellphones are in an educational setting. It will happen.

On the contrary, there's one or two posters who want to impose their values on everyone else and a few who seem to understand that phones are integral part of modern life.

They aren't an integral part of any classroom. They do not belong in classrooms. Your precious kid will find a way home. They aren't idiots. They don't need to text you what lunch is. Let your kid live their life. They are going to be crippled in the real world due to your inability to cut the cord.

How will they find a way home without me driving them? You're weird that you let your teens parent themselves with no support. Do your kids in MS and HS have phones? You want a child to walk across major roads, almost two miles in the dark with no sidewalks. No worries, you can relax as I'll drive your kids home.

Other parents. Probably ones who know their kids schedule and pick them up on time, unlike you. Apparently it’s too hard for you to handle without a phone.

You cannot have a HS kid in activities. Some things like band aren't always at the same pick up time as it depends on how much they go over. Or days change depending on when they can get the field or rooms they need.

Do your kids have phones? Are they in HS? Do you actually drive them or are they on their own and you are lazy?

[Anonymous]

I’m an MCPS middle school teacher. Respectfully, anyone who does not support a cell phone ban should shadow their child for a day. You need to witness firsthand how damaging the phones are and how rampantly they are used.

You may think your child doesn’t use their phone during the day, but I assure you, they do. And it is not for academic purposes. Those that claim they have access to their child’s data and phone usage… I’m here to tell you that your child is smart enough to work around being monitored. They know how to access VPNs and work around firewalls and monitoring apps. Those that don’t know quickly learn from their peers. Furthermore, even if you monitor your child’s phone, trust me when I say the parents of MOST of their friends and classmates do not. Your child could be making TikTok’s, sending snapchats, and freely accessing other social media on a classmate’s phone. Giving teens free access to social media is like building a window into their bedroom and allowing anyone in the world to talk to them and observe them freely.

If your child never uses the phone during class, as some of you claim, then you would have no reason to object to a phone ban. Your child’s phone can just remain in their pocket or bag unseen. The last thing teachers want to do is go scrounging through your child’s belongings to find a phone. We’re just trying to survive the day.

I know teachers are often viewed as the enemy, but the vast majority of us only wish positive things for your child. We want them to be safe, healthy, and successful. Personally, after witnessing the behavioral and academic decline of my students over the past few years, I am resolute that my own children will only have access to a flip phone and will attend schools that have a no cell phone policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I’m an MCPS middle school teacher. Respectfully, anyone who does not support a cell phone ban should shadow their child for a day. You need to witness firsthand how damaging the phones are and how rampantly they are used.

You may think your child doesn’t use their phone during the day, but I assure you, they do. And it is not for academic purposes. Those that claim they have access to their child’s data and phone usage… I’m here to tell you that your child is smart enough to work around being monitored. They know how to access VPNs and work around firewalls and monitoring apps. Those that don’t know quickly learn from their peers. Furthermore, even if you monitor your child’s phone, trust me when I say the parents of MOST of their friends and classmates do not. Your child could be making TikTok’s, sending snapchats, and freely accessing other social media on a classmate’s phone. Giving teens free access to social media is like building a window into their bedroom and allowing anyone in the world to talk to them and observe them freely.

If your child never uses the phone during class, as some of you claim, then you would have no reason to object to a phone ban. Your child’s phone can just remain in their pocket or bag unseen. The last thing teachers want to do is go scrounging through your child’s belongings to find a phone. We’re just trying to survive the day.

I know teachers are often viewed as the enemy, but the vast majority of us only wish positive things for your child. We want them to be safe, healthy, and successful. Personally, after witnessing the behavioral and academic decline of my students over the past few years, I am resolute that my own children will only have access to a flip phone and will attend schools that have a no cell phone policy.

Public health poster and fellow (HS) teacher here and I agree with this times one million.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I’m an MCPS middle school teacher. Respectfully, anyone who does not support a cell phone ban should shadow their child for a day. You need to witness firsthand how damaging the phones are and how rampantly they are used.

You may think your child doesn’t use their phone during the day, but I assure you, they do. And it is not for academic purposes. Those that claim they have access to their child’s data and phone usage… I’m here to tell you that your child is smart enough to work around being monitored. They know how to access VPNs and work around firewalls and monitoring apps. Those that don’t know quickly learn from their peers. Furthermore, even if you monitor your child’s phone, trust me when I say the parents of MOST of their friends and classmates do not. Your child could be making TikTok’s, sending snapchats, and freely accessing other social media on a classmate’s phone. Giving teens free access to social media is like building a window into their bedroom and allowing anyone in the world to talk to them and observe them freely.

If your child never uses the phone during class, as some of you claim, then you would have no reason to object to a phone ban. Your child’s phone can just remain in their pocket or bag unseen. The last thing teachers want to do is go scrounging through your child’s belongings to find a phone. We’re just trying to survive the day.

I know teachers are often viewed as the enemy, but the vast majority of us only wish positive things for your child. We want them to be safe, healthy, and successful. Personally, after witnessing the behavioral and academic decline of my students over the past few years, I am resolute that my own children will only have access to a flip phone and will attend schools that have a no cell phone policy.

If you have an issue, reach out to the parents vs. complaining about it. Yes, we can track. There are data trackers on the phones showing usage, you can see your child's posts and likes when you go on their accounts, etc. You can see when they turn on and off the vpn.

I am fine with a teacher taking the phone and holding it or giving it to the office for the rest of the day and we will get it from them at school pick up. If they don't hand it over, there are consequences at home. If I hear of phone use during classes, there are consequences.

Our school tells them to use their digital ID to check in and other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Phones should be totally banned. The only option, based on what I see each day, is pouches.

I teach high school. If any parent is on the fence of thinks phone can be handled by students, spend one day inside a high school and then tell me it’s not a problem. The kids that aren’t on phones are also negatively impacted by the kids who are - it is terribly distracting.

Also, laptops are almost as much as a problem as phones. Kids are staring at screens in every class these days and we should try to curb that as well. Yes, we live in a world of screens now. But it’s not the best for kids who are not yet in that world - they have a lot of learning of to do, both on and off a screen.

Also, parents can text kids on their laptops. My school bans phones but that doesn’t stop mom from texting my students all day long. Phones are certainly not needed for parent contact.

I agree with most of what you’re saying but I don’t see how most HS classes can ban laptops. My kid just graduated and her laptop was essential. Almost all her texts were on laptop (not paper). She needed it to write or do calculations for almost every class. She then carried an iPad as well to take notes so that she could have the texts in front of her as well as the iPads. She did really well in school. (She also had her phone and definitely used it during school but she is pretty academically obsessed so it wasn’t really a problem for her — understand that’s not the case for many kids). But my point is that you can’t ban laptops and most kids can do all the same distracting things on laptops.

Are you MCPS? They don't use iPads.

Yes. McPS. She used her babysitting money to buy an iPad so that she could take notes electronically while also having the laptop. Many of the HS kids are using tech that is not issued by McPS because the chrome books will not support some of the programs needed for advanced classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is just the fantasy of a few luddites. There is no cell phone ban, nor do they have any plans for this nonsense.

This whole thread is the fantasy one of person who thinks cellphones will save the world. The rest of the posters recognize how problematic cellphones are in an educational setting. It will happen.

On the contrary, there's one or two posters who want to impose their values on everyone else and a few who seem to understand that phones are integral part of modern life.

They aren't an integral part of any classroom. They do not belong in classrooms. Your precious kid will find a way home. They aren't idiots. They don't need to text you what lunch is. Let your kid live their life. They are going to be crippled in the real world due to your inability to cut the cord.

How will they find a way home without me driving them? You're weird that you let your teens parent themselves with no support. Do your kids in MS and HS have phones? You want a child to walk across major roads, almost two miles in the dark with no sidewalks. No worries, you can relax as I'll drive your kids home.

Other parents. Probably ones who know their kids schedule and pick them up on time, unlike you. Apparently it’s too hard for you to handle without a phone.

You cannot have a HS kid in activities. Some things like band aren't always at the same pick up time as it depends on how much they go over. Or days change depending on when they can get the field or rooms they need.

Do your kids have phones? Are they in HS? Do you actually drive them or are they on their own and you are lazy?

lol you think kids who have their own cars and transportation are a result of parent laziness? gtfo. You’re the nightmare parents that kids complain to parents like me about. Good grief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I’m an MCPS middle school teacher. Respectfully, anyone who does not support a cell phone ban should shadow their child for a day. You need to witness firsthand how damaging the phones are and how rampantly they are used.

You may think your child doesn’t use their phone during the day, but I assure you, they do. And it is not for academic purposes. Those that claim they have access to their child’s data and phone usage… I’m here to tell you that your child is smart enough to work around being monitored. They know how to access VPNs and work around firewalls and monitoring apps. Those that don’t know quickly learn from their peers. Furthermore, even if you monitor your child’s phone, trust me when I say the parents of MOST of their friends and classmates do not. Your child could be making TikTok’s, sending snapchats, and freely accessing other social media on a classmate’s phone. Giving teens free access to social media is like building a window into their bedroom and allowing anyone in the world to talk to them and observe them freely.

If your child never uses the phone during class, as some of you claim, then you would have no reason to object to a phone ban. Your child’s phone can just remain in their pocket or bag unseen. The last thing teachers want to do is go scrounging through your child’s belongings to find a phone. We’re just trying to survive the day.

I know teachers are often viewed as the enemy, but the vast majority of us only wish positive things for your child. We want them to be safe, healthy, and successful. Personally, after witnessing the behavioral and academic decline of my students over the past few years, I am resolute that my own children will only have access to a flip phone and will attend schools that have a no cell phone policy.

Another teacher here. This 1000%.
Cell phones have no place in schools.
Your neighbor’s kids who attend private school are learning so much more than your kid because most private schools are very strict about cell phone use. Private schools have small class sizes. Their other big advantage is strict rules about cell phone usage. And they also have final exams which help elevate student learning and achievement. We need to get back to higher standards in MCPS and a cell phone ban would help get us there

[Anonymous]

Lets not forget when admin make career determinIng reports about teachers they frame us in a bad light for not being able to control phones and manage classes. Admin has no support. Only blame. I wish we cpuld report them for bullying us when their apathetic behavior management is crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I’m an MCPS middle school teacher. Respectfully, anyone who does not support a cell phone ban should shadow their child for a day. You need to witness firsthand how damaging the phones are and how rampantly they are used.

You may think your child doesn’t use their phone during the day, but I assure you, they do. And it is not for academic purposes. Those that claim they have access to their child’s data and phone usage… I’m here to tell you that your child is smart enough to work around being monitored. They know how to access VPNs and work around firewalls and monitoring apps. Those that don’t know quickly learn from their peers. Furthermore, even if you monitor your child’s phone, trust me when I say the parents of MOST of their friends and classmates do not. Your child could be making TikTok’s, sending snapchats, and freely accessing other social media on a classmate’s phone. Giving teens free access to social media is like building a window into their bedroom and allowing anyone in the world to talk to them and observe them freely.

If your child never uses the phone during class, as some of you claim, then you would have no reason to object to a phone ban. Your child’s phone can just remain in their pocket or bag unseen. The last thing teachers want to do is go scrounging through your child’s belongings to find a phone. We’re just trying to survive the day.

I know teachers are often viewed as the enemy, but the vast majority of us only wish positive things for your child. We want them to be safe, healthy, and successful. Personally, after witnessing the behavioral and academic decline of my students over the past few years, I am resolute that my own children will only have access to a flip phone and will attend schools that have a no cell phone policy.

I agree with basically everything you said but I’m also a little perplexed by it. My kid just finished 7th grade and she says the teachers absolutely take cell phones if they see them. One of her friends had her phone taken because she glanced at it during a passing period. (She does say some girls hang out in the bathrooms so they can use their phones.). I’m really perplexed why this varies between schools or teachers much. She does take her smart phone to school but I’m pretty positive she only checks it at lunch and then at 3, because that’s when she responds to any family texts, unless she is ill in which case she will text me from the bathroom.

[Anonymous]

Do the high schools have closed campuses or are kids allowed to leave during lunch?