Cell phone ban in schools

[Anonymous]

In our middle school, the rule was phones away except at lunch. Teachers would confiscate phones, even if they were out during passing periods.

In high school, the problem is the rule followers will keep the phones away. But you can't ask a 5'1" female teacher to confront a 6'2" high school guy about a phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:No. I want to be able to reach my child. It’s not like they have pay phones. We’ve had issues where I needed to get my kid.

You can reach your child. You call the front office. You ask to have your child brought down to talk to them. Or, if you need to come pick your kid, you let the school know and they'll communicate that.

Your anxiety and/or entitlement are your problem. Adolescents having unlimited access to cellphones is an enormous societal problem - but it's one we can actually do something about.

Its not the secretary's job and there are 2600 students. That's not reasonable.

You are entitled and have anxiety. You also want others to parent your kids for you. You are on your phone complaining. Bizzare.

2600 kids are not calling home every day. I almost never communicate with my kid during the school day.

Maybe there is a reason for that. Mine usually say hi at lunch or if its important for me to know.

Congratulations? Some of us don't feel the need to be tethered to our children all day long. Likewise, our kids don't feel the need to text mommy at lunch. It doesn't make you a better parent. It doesn't make us lesser parents. We have jobs and lives. So do our kids. You keep trying to make everyone else sound incompetent when really you just sound like an extremely insecure person who projects your on shortcomings on everyone else in this thread.

I’m sorry you do not have a good relationship with your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In our middle school, the rule was phones away except at lunch. Teachers would confiscate phones, even if they were out during passing periods.

In high school, the problem is the rule followers will keep the phones away. But you can't ask a 5'1" female teacher to confront a 6'2" high school guy about a phone.

Of course they can. This is why schools and teachers have issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:No. I want to be able to reach my child. It’s not like they have pay phones. We’ve had issues where I needed to get my kid.

You can reach your child. You call the front office. You ask to have your child brought down to talk to them. Or, if you need to come pick your kid, you let the school know and they'll communicate that.

Your anxiety and/or entitlement are your problem. Adolescents having unlimited access to cellphones is an enormous societal problem - but it's one we can actually do something about.

Its not the secretary's job and there are 2600 students. That's not reasonable.

You are entitled and have anxiety. You also want others to parent your kids for you. You are on your phone complaining. Bizzare.

2600 kids are not calling home every day. I almost never communicate with my kid during the school day.

Maybe there is a reason for that. Mine usually say hi at lunch or if its important for me to know.

Congratulations? Some of us don't feel the need to be tethered to our children all day long. Likewise, our kids don't feel the need to text mommy at lunch. It doesn't make you a better parent. It doesn't make us lesser parents. We have jobs and lives. So do our kids. You keep trying to make everyone else sound incompetent when really you just sound like an extremely insecure person who projects your on shortcomings on everyone else in this thread.

I’m sorry you do not have a good relationship with your kids.

DP, you are just a sad person. I feel sorry for you. Not sure how you'll cope once phones are banned, but I hope you have support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a good question. They revised the policy 2 years ago, and from what I can tell it still gives a lot of discretion to teachers/schools. I could see why it would be hard for some teachers to assert themselves, when they and the kids know that they don't technically have to prohibit them from the classroom at all times. https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/press/index.aspx?pagetype=showrelease&id=13192

First of all, it is unfair to put the burden on teachers. Many rookie teachers feel uncomfortable enforcing it and some older teachers just don’t care and don’t bother enforcing it. This creates an uneven landscape in school which can be confusing for some students. Second, if teachers have to play cell phone police, 5-15 minutes of every class is wasted trying to get kids to put their phones away as there are always a few repeat offenders or kids who will argue about putting it away or insist that mom is about to call for an emergency, etc. Third, at my highschool, teachers have no backup from administrators or security. We are not allowed to send kids to the office and security will not do anything unless there is a fight in the classroom or someone is visibly intoxicated. We have also been told by the principal that we are not allowed to touch student cell phones or take them due to liability concerns. This means that if a kid refuses to put their phone away, there is almost nothing that we can do. Admin tell us to call home if a kid is non-compliant. I have called home and either the parent is non-responsive or they take their kid’s side and claim I am unfairly targeting their child. Sometimes the parent agrees with me and the kid is compliant for the next 3-4 days and then we repeat the entire cycle again. It is an exhausting and draining process that negatively affects teaching for the entire class

I don’t understand how changing the policy will fix any of that. The current policy allows you to ban them, but the problem is enforcing is time consuming and your admin doesn’t help. But changing the policy won’t magically give you someone in your class to enforce it, or change your admin, will it? The issue seems to be that admin isn’t supportive of teachers attempts to control students. Fix that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a good question. They revised the policy 2 years ago, and from what I can tell it still gives a lot of discretion to teachers/schools. I could see why it would be hard for some teachers to assert themselves, when they and the kids know that they don't technically have to prohibit them from the classroom at all times. https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/press/index.aspx?pagetype=showrelease&id=13192

First of all, it is unfair to put the burden on teachers. Many rookie teachers feel uncomfortable enforcing it and some older teachers just don’t care and don’t bother enforcing it. This creates an uneven landscape in school which can be confusing for some students. Second, if teachers have to play cell phone police, 5-15 minutes of every class is wasted trying to get kids to put their phones away as there are always a few repeat offenders or kids who will argue about putting it away or insist that mom is about to call for an emergency, etc. Third, at my highschool, teachers have no backup from administrators or security. We are not allowed to send kids to the office and security will not do anything unless there is a fight in the classroom or someone is visibly intoxicated. We have also been told by the principal that we are not allowed to touch student cell phones or take them due to liability concerns. This means that if a kid refuses to put their phone away, there is almost nothing that we can do. Admin tell us to call home if a kid is non-compliant. I have called home and either the parent is non-responsive or they take their kid’s side and claim I am unfairly targeting their child. Sometimes the parent agrees with me and the kid is compliant for the next 3-4 days and then we repeat the entire cycle again. It is an exhausting and draining process that negatively affects teaching for the entire class

I don’t understand how changing the policy will fix any of that. The current policy allows you to ban them, but the problem is enforcing is time consuming and your admin doesn’t help. But changing the policy won’t magically give you someone in your class to enforce it, or change your admin, will it? The issue seems to be that admin isn’t supportive of teachers attempts to control students. Fix that.

Other school districts use Yondr pouches. They are expensive, so if MCPS enforced students cannot have cell phones on campus without a Yondr pouch which much be purchased by the student or their family, they cannot have a phone. If they are caught with one, it's automatically confiscated. (If you can afford an Iphone, you can afford a $25 pouch).

Because it's MCPS, people would riot, so let's just say that any phone would automatically be confiscated. No exceptions. It MUST be picked up by an adult. That would be district wide policy that must be enforced by every principal in the district. Parents and students would have to sign an agreement that no one from their school or MCPS is liable for something happening to their phone if it's confiscated. These are just suggestions. I'm sure there are more ways to implement it.

The problem right now is that MCPS has a "policy" in place but leaves it up to the principals to really enforce it, so it looks different at every school. If LAUSD can do it district wide, MCPS can too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I want to be able to reach my child. It’s not like they have pay phones. We’ve had issues where I needed to get my kid.

You can reach your child. You call the front office. You ask to have your child brought down to talk to them. Or, if you need to come pick your kid, you let the school know and they'll communicate that.

Your anxiety and/or entitlement are your problem. Adolescents having unlimited access to cellphones is an enormous societal problem - but it's one we can actually do something about.

Its not the secretary's job and there are 2600 students. That's not reasonable.

You are entitled and have anxiety. You also want others to parent your kids for you. You are on your phone complaining. Bizzare.

2600 kids are not calling home every day. I almost never communicate with my kid during the school day.

Maybe there is a reason for that. Mine usually say hi at lunch or if its important for me to know.

Congratulations? Some of us don't feel the need to be tethered to our children all day long. Likewise, our kids don't feel the need to text mommy at lunch. It doesn't make you a better parent. It doesn't make us lesser parents. We have jobs and lives. So do our kids. You keep trying to make everyone else sound incompetent when really you just sound like an extremely insecure person who projects your on shortcomings on everyone else in this thread.

I’m sorry you do not have a good relationship with your kids.

DP, you are just a sad person. I feel sorry for you. Not sure how you'll cope once phones are banned, but I hope you have support.

In sorry that you prefer being hostile and name calling online vs spending time with your kids. If you were a nicer person maybe you’d have a better relationship with them. Mine know we are always there for them even just to talk. Try it.

And put your kids in activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I want to be able to reach my child. It’s not like they have pay phones. We’ve had issues where I needed to get my kid.

You can reach your child. You call the front office. You ask to have your child brought down to talk to them. Or, if you need to come pick your kid, you let the school know and they'll communicate that.

Your anxiety and/or entitlement are your problem. Adolescents having unlimited access to cellphones is an enormous societal problem - but it's one we can actually do something about.

Its not the secretary's job and there are 2600 students. That's not reasonable.

You are entitled and have anxiety. You also want others to parent your kids for you. You are on your phone complaining. Bizzare.

2600 kids are not calling home every day. I almost never communicate with my kid during the school day.

Maybe there is a reason for that. Mine usually say hi at lunch or if its important for me to know.

Congratulations? Some of us don't feel the need to be tethered to our children all day long. Likewise, our kids don't feel the need to text mommy at lunch. It doesn't make you a better parent. It doesn't make us lesser parents. We have jobs and lives. So do our kids. You keep trying to make everyone else sound incompetent when really you just sound like an extremely insecure person who projects your on shortcomings on everyone else in this thread.

I’m sorry you do not have a good relationship with your kids.

DP, you are just a sad person. I feel sorry for you. Not sure how you'll cope once phones are banned, but I hope you have support.

In sorry that you prefer being hostile and name calling online vs spending time with your kids. If you were a nicer person maybe you’d have a better relationship with them. Mine know we are always there for them even just to talk. Try it.

And put your kids in activities.

Lol says the person spending time online replying to all these posts instead of spending time with their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Twice last year my teen texted me because they were evacuated for bomb threats. When I don’t have to worry about my kid’s safety during the school day, I’ll support a cell phone ban.

What if I told you that the kids around your kid beign allowed to have cell phones was more of a danger than the possibility of a bomb going off?

We KNOW the effect of social media on kids, we KNOW what it does to the quality of education to have kids with cell phones in the classroom (even if your little Snooky is perfect and doesn't use her phone)... it's real and very bad. It is much, much more of a threat to your kids than a bomb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. I want to be able to reach my child. It’s not like they have pay phones. We’ve had issues where I needed to get my kid.

in all my years as a school kid, my mother never needed to reach me while i was at school. if she did she would call the office and the office would contact me in class.

all of you who desperately NEED to be able to get in touch with your kids at school, back off, you really don't NEED to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I want to be able to reach my child. It’s not like they have pay phones. We’ve had issues where I needed to get my kid.

Keep in their backpack. Not out in the desk where they constantly message, play games, and watch videos. Your kid is using the phone for entertainment, not communication with you. At the very least be a decent parent and turn on use restrictions to a few hours a day. But also be aware kids will try to download videos and watch things off line to get around your restrictions. You need to be responsible and double check their use. Don’t be the lazy parent who accepts every lie form their kid or order to avoid conflict and be their friend.

And, no it stays in their pocket clipped to them. Otherwise you risk it getting stollen. We had a wallet stollen and other stuff.

looks like you need to go back to school ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I want to be able to reach my child. It’s not like they have pay phones. We’ve had issues where I needed to get my kid.

You can reach your child. You call the front office. You ask to have your child brought down to talk to them. Or, if you need to come pick your kid, you let the school know and they'll communicate that.

Your anxiety and/or entitlement are your problem. Adolescents having unlimited access to cellphones is an enormous societal problem - but it's one we can actually do something about.

Its not the secretary's job and there are 2600 students. That's not reasonable.

You are entitled and have anxiety. You also want others to parent your kids for you. You are on your phone complaining. Bizzare.

2600 kids are not calling home every day. I almost never communicate with my kid during the school day.

Maybe there is a reason for that. Mine usually say hi at lunch or if its important for me to know. [/quote

Yes, there is a reason for that. I’m busy at work and they are busy at school. I chat with them in the morning before school and in the evening. We don’t feel the need to be in constant communication. They are pretty independent kids which I encourage. If there is a lockdown, I would be nervous but there is nothing I can do to help them. They will need to rely on common sense and the adults with them at school.

[Anonymous]

If you want school boards across the DC-MD-VA to ban phones in school, sign the petition now.

[Anonymous]

Per https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1213474.page

phones and similar devices have already been banned since 1992!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keeping phones in backpacks doesn’t work for most kids. At least 60% of students are addicted to their phones. They don’t even realize they have pulled their phone out and are scrolling on insta. It has become an ingrained unconscious habit. And kids have lost the ability to even sit for 1 minute without something to do. If I’m passing out papers in class, kids pull out their phones because they are not used to waiting for a couple of minutes without their phones. Parents who are against the cell phone ban - I wish I could invite you to spend one day in my classroom. I think you would be shocked at what you see and would change your mind.

Those kids parents don't care about school. They just want their kids on screen and out of their hair.