S/O phones in the classroom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.

So then explain why private school parents are fine with them being banned.

Private school shootings are less common.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Public school teacher here, based on the responses on the other thread I dont think parents realize how much of a phone problem we have. Kids refuse to put their phones away, it's a major distraction. Parents like to talk about classroom management but teachers are no longer allowed to hand out real consequences. Private schools work because the rules are enforceable!
The last two years have been rough on us teachers! I cope by no longer caring. It's sad but true. If your kid doesn't learn that's on them.
If parents want to help they need to keep phones out of classrooms!

I guess that's probably why our MCPS school doesn't allow them the classroom. They confiscate them if students don't comply so we don't have these problems.

This needs to be the MCPS-wide policy.

I would be in total support of the MCPS policy allowing teachers to confiscate phones if they are disrupting class. First strike, kid can get it at the end of the day. Second strike, parents have to pick it up. Third strike, parents again have to pick it up and student and parent waive the right to bring it to school if it happens again. I’m probably in the minority though.

Back when we were allowed to confiscate them, some teachers got into power struggles with students. There are students who would verbally abuse teachers, trash the classroom, or even physically attack staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.

So then explain why private school parents are fine with them being banned.

Private school shootings are less common.

But not unheard of. And I can tell you, as a private school parent, that I don’t want my kid’s education destroyed by phones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.

So then explain why private school parents are fine with them being banned.

Private school shootings are less common.

But not unheard of. And I can tell you, as a private school parent, that I don’t want my kid’s education destroyed by phones.

Then it's good your kids are in private. Now, back to your private school board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Public school teacher here, based on the responses on the other thread I dont think parents realize how much of a phone problem we have. Kids refuse to put their phones away, it's a major distraction. Parents like to talk about classroom management but teachers are no longer allowed to hand out real consequences. Private schools work because the rules are enforceable!
The last two years have been rough on us teachers! I cope by no longer caring. It's sad but true. If your kid doesn't learn that's on them.
If parents want to help they need to keep phones out of classrooms!

I guess that's probably why our MCPS school doesn't allow them the classroom. They confiscate them if students don't comply so we don't have these problems.

This needs to be the MCPS-wide policy.

I would be in total support of the MCPS policy allowing teachers to confiscate phones if they are disrupting class. First strike, kid can get it at the end of the day. Second strike, parents have to pick it up. Third strike, parents again have to pick it up and student and parent waive the right to bring it to school if it happens again. I’m probably in the minority though.

Back when we were allowed to confiscate them, some teachers got into power struggles with students. There are students who would verbally abuse teachers, trash the classroom, or even physically attack staff.

Simple solution. MCPS needs to hire more security guards and bring more police into the schools since staff cannot handle the students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.

So then explain why private school parents are fine with them being banned.

Private school shootings are less common.

But not unheard of. And I can tell you, as a private school parent, that I don’t want my kid’s education destroyed by phones.

Then it's good your kids are in private. Now, back to your private school board.

Why are you so smarmy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.

So then explain why private school parents are fine with them being banned.

Private school shootings are less common.

But not unheard of. And I can tell you, as a private school parent, that I don’t want my kid’s education destroyed by phones.

Then it's good your kids are in private. Now, back to your private school board.

Why are you so smarmy?

Why are you posting about your private school on the MCPS board? its not relevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.

So then explain why private school parents are fine with them being banned.

Private school shootings are less common.

But not unheard of. And I can tell you, as a private school parent, that I don’t want my kid’s education destroyed by phones.

Then it's good your kids are in private. Now, back to your private school board.

Why are you so smarmy?

Why are you posting about your private school on the MCPS board? its not relevant.

It is when you have MCPS teachers saying phones are the reason they send their own kids to private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.

So then explain why private school parents are fine with them being banned.

Private school shootings are less common.

But not unheard of. And I can tell you, as a private school parent, that I don’t want my kid’s education destroyed by phones.

Then it's good your kids are in private. Now, back to your private school board.

I'm a homeschool parent lurking and feeling pretty good about my decision to hold off on giving my dc a phone until they are driving.

Why are you so smarmy?

Why are you posting about your private school on the MCPS board? its not relevant.

[Anonymous]

And lest you think that’s not happening, this is from this thread:

OP: Private schools work because the rules are enforceable!

Mcps staff member here...I'm thinking the phone issue may be why I send my kids to private high school. I was hearing even if you don't send your kid to school with a phone...it's hard for them to not sit near a friend who has one and be tempted/distracted.

Teacher here - I put my youngest son in private high school primarily because of the phone issue. At school, cell phone use is rampant especially among boys. I don’t even blame the kids. I blame MCPS for not setting clear boundaries and consequences for kids.

[Anonymous]

OP here again. I don't think parents realize how much of a problem the phones are. I think that during covid kids got used to splitting their focus with school.
It was obvious that many kids had other programs open and were doing something else while on zoom. This behavior is has now carried over the classroom.
I'm baffled that parents will pay money to send their kids to a phone free private school, but won't support public school teachers in our effort to combat this problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. I don't think parents realize how much of a problem the phones are. I think that during covid kids got used to splitting their focus with school.
It was obvious that many kids had other programs open and were doing something else while on zoom. This behavior is has now carried over the classroom.
I'm baffled that parents will pay money to send their kids to a phone free private school, but won't support public school teachers in our effort to combat this problem.

And that when people share their private school experiences, they get attacked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Public school teacher here, based on the responses on the other thread I dont think parents realize how much of a phone problem we have. Kids refuse to put their phones away, it's a major distraction. Parents like to talk about classroom management but teachers are no longer allowed to hand out real consequences. Private schools work because the rules are enforceable!
The last two years have been rough on us teachers! I cope by no longer caring. It's sad but true. If your kid doesn't learn that's on them.
If parents want to help they need to keep phones out of classrooms!

I guess that's probably why our MCPS school doesn't allow them the classroom. They confiscate them if students don't comply so we don't have these problems.

This needs to be the MCPS-wide policy.

I would be in total support of the MCPS policy allowing teachers to confiscate phones if they are disrupting class. First strike, kid can get it at the end of the day. Second strike, parents have to pick it up. Third strike, parents again have to pick it up and student and parent waive the right to bring it to school if it happens again. I’m probably in the minority though.

Back when we were allowed to confiscate them, some teachers got into power struggles with students. There are students who would verbally abuse teachers, trash the classroom, or even physically attack staff.

Simple solution. MCPS needs to hire more security guards and bring more police into the schools since staff cannot handle the students.

Enrich and the council oppose having police in schools. They ignored the principals when they first removed SROs. I’m not confident they will listen now, even though the situation is dire and it’s clear SROs are necessary. (No, the current model is NOT the same. The CEOs don't have the same ability to move around the school as the old SROs.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.

So then explain why private school parents are fine with them being banned.

Private school shootings are less common.

During a school shooting, having a phone won't make your kid safer. That's a cop out bc you can't enforce real discipline and tell your kid no phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For better or worse, phones are considered a safety necessity. Parents want kids to have access to their phones if something goes down in school so they can call for help. Parents need to stress emergency only use while in class and free use at lunch. Phones won't be banned.

So then explain why private school parents are fine with them being banned.

Private school shootings are less common.

During a school shooting, having a phone won't make your kid safer. That's a cop out bc you can't enforce real discipline and tell your kid no phone.

Yep. And while I do understand the anxiety of wanting to be able to reach your kid in an emergency, it’s not worth the pretty much guarantee that allowing phones in school will significantly damage their education.