Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another Robinson parent. 8th grader. One thing we love is that it basically removes to endless fear of being on video in class -- there was this sort of constant fear my DD had last year because kids were constantly using videos to bully -- that has dramatically ended pretty much. If a kid has a phone and is taking a video, that's a massive, massive problem.

A few kids tried it early in the year and the discipline was quick, harsh and effective. Basically, taking videos of class on a phone and being caught doing that pretty much ends up being evidence for ISS or out of school suspension according to my DD.

I'm so sorry your daughter had so much anxiety! it shouldn't be that way. I am glad to hear that Robinson is taking appropriate action on it, though. I wish more parents understood this. In my opinion, the main issue with phones in schools is what kids can do to each other through videos, pictures etc.

It's a very interesting thing because my DD wasn't even directly targeted...she just saw it happening constantly and it creates an atmosphere where there's almost this sense of everyone potentially being filmed in class, in the hallway, in the cafeteria eating (this was a big one, people bullied kids eating, which is ridiculous and unhealthy).

I think the surprising thing is the amount of discipline that went down pretty swiftly after the initial period of giving kids time to get used to the pouches. A lot of parents raised hell and complained about their kids being disciplined ("good kids").

On the other hand: the teachers at conferences all mentioned at different times they were thrilled at the policy, the support from admin on their being zero tolerance for kids not following the rules and the clear process for kids who need phones for critical reasons like IEPs or 504s could keep their devices and use them as they need to. Prior to this, it was so ad hoc and kids did whatever and teachers who tried to enforce a policy had to deal with parents fighting them and gave up. Hence, the chaos.

Anonymous wrote:Another Robinson parent. 8th grader. One thing we love is that it basically removes to endless fear of being on video in class -- there was this sort of constant fear my DD had last year because kids were constantly using videos to bully -- that has dramatically ended pretty much. If a kid has a phone and is taking a video, that's a massive, massive problem.

A few kids tried it early in the year and the discipline was quick, harsh and effective. Basically, taking videos of class on a phone and being caught doing that pretty much ends up being evidence for ISS or out of school suspension according to my DD.

I'm so sorry your daughter had so much anxiety! it shouldn't be that way. I am glad to hear that Robinson is taking appropriate action on it, though. I wish more parents understood this. In my opinion, the main issue with phones in schools is what kids can do to each other through videos, pictures etc.

Another Robinson parent. 8th grader. One thing we love is that it basically removes to endless fear of being on video in class -- there was this sort of constant fear my DD had last year because kids were constantly using videos to bully -- that has dramatically ended pretty much. If a kid has a phone and is taking a video, that's a massive, massive problem.

A few kids tried it early in the year and the discipline was quick, harsh and effective. Basically, taking videos of class on a phone and being caught doing that pretty much ends up being evidence for ISS or out of school suspension according to my DD.

Anonymous wrote:If yonder pouches to be implemented in a school next year, when do you think students will be told about it? Week before school starts or first day of school?

We will told about it just after the school year has started...just like the 7x 3-hour early releases that were added at the last minute for ES school. There is less resistance that way.

We have a Robinson middle schooler. She basically decided it wasn't worth the trouble to have the phone at school. She either emails us if she needs us (we all have access to her school email) or she just goes to the office if she's sick or something emergent is going on. Like the early 2000's.

Her teachers all love the system support for no phones in the classroom. And that there is a coherent system of enforcement.

My kid reports many kids have gotten detention/ISS from sneaking phones. Those kids and parents seem to be the loudest complainers about the policy. 90 percent of the kids sort of don't care and get by just fine.

If yonder pouches to be implemented in a school next year, when do you think students will be told about it? Week before school starts or first day of school?

I can't imagine they will keep up the yonder pouch program. Total waste of money. Our middle school was a pilot program and my child reported that after a few months teachers weren't checking that pouches had phones and students were no longer using them as indicated by there no longer being lines to unlock on the way out of school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid has a 4.0 uw and 4.6 weighted. They're not inapprorpiately using their phones or distracted. This is a big waste of money for a school district suffering a shortfall. I'd rather invest in smaller class size/more teachers and higher teacher pay.

Thanks for sharing how perfect your child is. Can I have your name and address so I can send you a gold star?

Seriously, though, some of you have your heads in the sand. It's great that a few kids don't have self-control issues when they have access to their phones all day, but clearly most do. As do most adults. Get real and let's have school policies that are realistic and help teachers teach and kids be less distracted. These kids' only job for 7 hrs a day for far-too-few days a year is to learn...let's not let them dilute it with mindless games, group chats, and doom scrolling.

Anonymous wrote:My kid has a 4.0 uw and 4.6 weighted. They're not inapprorpiately using their phones or distracted. This is a big waste of money for a school district suffering a shortfall. I'd rather invest in smaller class size/more teachers and higher teacher pay.

Thanks for sharing how perfect your child is. Can I have your name and address so I can send you a gold star?

Anonymous wrote:I recently found out that some kids put an old phone in the pouches so staff think they are complying and then they play with their phones when they shouldn’t be.

These kids are quite literally addicted. That's not an exaggeration and they need help. Even with phones away for the day at my MS, I see kids walking down the halls with their laptops open furiously playing the mindless games that make it through the firewall as they walk. This year the students are allowed to bring their brand new Chromebooks outside to break and into the cafeteria...I swear it's just to make behaviour management easier for admin as half the kids stare at screens and pound keyboards rather than interact with other kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:God I hope not our school. My child has zero issues with phone use. We don’t want pouches.

Good for your child, but it’s literally a problem at every single school and it needs to be implemented at every high school. It’s taking away valuable time from kids learning and create so many social issues.

And those who have them are distracting to other kids that don’t even take them to school.

No it doesn’t. If your kid can’t put down the phone at school, maybe you shouldn’t allow your child to bring their phone to school.

You’re an absolute fool if you think you’re precious snowflake isn’t using their phone at inappropriate times at school.

My child doesn’t have it out all day - it’s put away in his backpack in its own area within the backpack. The teachers have made it very clear phones are not to be out and he listens. He’s a rule follower and a straight A student. No issuers whatsoever.

Anonymous wrote:My kid has a 4.0 uw and 4.6 weighted. They're not inapprorpiately using their phones or distracted. This is a big waste of money for a school district suffering a shortfall. I'd rather invest in smaller class size/more teachers and higher teacher pay.

+1 same. My kid has a 4.0 uw but is only a freshman so only has 4.33 weighted (honors only - no APs yet). Phone distractions are not an issue for him either.