Cell phones and grades!

[stashbin]

my husband teaches in a public high school. Some teachers look the other way. If my dh catches a kid with a phone or ipod out at all, he takes it. He then calls the parents and they have to come and get it. He figures parents might get tired of being inconvenienced, and control their kids.

My dd is a high school student in a different district. She has a cell. I check her phone use (online or on the detailed bill) regularly. If she EVER sends a text or answers/makes a call during the school day, her phone is gone. GONE. And she knows it. In a year, it's never happened.

I wish all parents were as supportive as you. Because your dh works in the schools, you probably hear his stories of taking phones. I wonder how he feels about texting (in general) effecting grades....negative/positive.

 

[Cindy F]

Isn't it sad how things have changed? Back in the olden days ~grin~
it rarely had to go past the specific teacher, you wouldn't have to worry about this because all it would take was:
"Are you messing with a phone? Would you like me to call your mother?"

The worst thing EVER was to be threatened with a parent phone call. We knew that if we got in trouble at school to where the school had to call our parents, it was all over with when we got home. My brother did something at school, they called my mom at work and whatever it was-it was so bad she went to the school and spanked him in the bathroom! Pretty rough for a 10 year old boy to get their butt tore up in the ladies bathroom LOL

As far as the small claims court thing, why? I would just go buy a cheap, crap phone with their allowance-they're only $9.99-or better yet, let them use one of the old ones I keep for a spare.

If my girls broke the rules and had their phone taken for the year, I would tell them "Geez, that really bites that your nice camera/video/radio/Mp3 player phone was confiscated but, I need to be able to contact you at ballet, tap, gymnastics etc so here, you'll have to use the old black and white screen Nokia phone with the antenna sticking out.

I'm sorry it's as big as the side of your head and no, I'm not concerned about the other kids laughing at you."

AT&T is great, I can turn any of the phones on or off from my computer (the service not the actual phone itself) in just minutes..

 

[taximomfor4]

I wish all parents were as supportive as you. Because your dh works in the schools, you probably hear his stories of taking phones. I wonder how he feels about texting (in general) effecting grades....negative/positive.

I asked him. He said he has forbidden kids to wear their hood up, during class, because the big problem is IPODS. Kids sit in the classroom ,pretending to pay attention, with the earbuds in their ears (with the wire inside their shirt), and a hood to cover it up. Those kids are definitely the ones with the worst grades.

He does say that texting, IMing, etc, ... some kids use the abbreviations and lingo on essays, etc.

 

[cruisnfamily]

My dd is a high school student in a different district. She has a cell. I check her phone use (online or on the detailed bill) regularly. If she EVER sends a text or answers/makes a call during the school day, her phone is gone. GONE. And she knows it. In a year, it's never happened.

This is exactly what I do with my DD16. Well, I check for phone calls received or made during the school day. And if I find any, the phone is gone...hasn't happened even once since this school year started. I actually block texting during the school year. During the summer, she gets the unlimited plan and she pays...during the school year, texting is blocked. The kids communicate way, way, way more than is necessary and she just doesn't need the added stimulation of the texting. She has the phone and she has her myspace and IMs...that's enough.

 

[MM27]

Isn't it sad how things have changed? Back in the olden days ~grin~
it rarely had to go past the specific teacher, you wouldn't have to worry about this because all it would take was:
"Are you messing with a phone? Would you like me to call your mother?"

The worst thing EVER was to be threatened with a parent phone call. We knew that if we got in trouble at school to where the school had to call our parents, it was all over with when we got home. My brother did something at school, they called my mom at work and whatever it was-it was so bad she went to the school and spanked him in the bathroom! Pretty rough for a 10 year old boy to get their butt tore up in the ladies bathroom LOL

As far as the small claims court thing, why? I would just go buy a cheap, crap phone with their allowance-they're only $9.99-or better yet, let them use one of the old ones I keep for a spare.

If my girls broke the rules and had their phone taken for the year, I would tell them "Geez, that really bites that your nice camera/video/radio/Mp3 player phone was confiscated but, I need to be able to contact you at ballet, tap, gymnastics etc so here, you'll have to use the old black and white screen Nokia phone with the antenna sticking out.

I'm sorry it's as big as the side of your head and no, I'm not concerned about the other kids laughing at you."

AT&T is great, I can turn any of the phones on or off from my computer (the service not the actual phone itself) in just minutes..

But now you have kids that, when you tell them you are going to call their parent, ask if you want their cell phone or work number. There is no fear of being punished at home, because it's not happening. I've had parents stand in front of me and tell their child that they were going to have x, y and z taken away when they get home. The next day the child will tell me that nothing happened to them and they didn't lose any of those things. I guess it's supposed to impress me that they threaten their child and then don't follow through

I've read examples right here on the DIS where parents rant and rave about things that schools and teachers did to their child and there is never any question about what the child did. Kids know that their parents will run in and complain about every little thing so that the child will be happy.

 

[stm61]

I teach at the elementary level this year so I don't have a problem with phones. They're not allowed, period. I had 2 boys bring them in and play with them during class. I confiscated them, the asst. principal made the mothers come get them and they haven't been seen again. The district we live in says no cell phones and will confiscate it if it's seen. Turned off and in a pocket or backpack they won't take it. My cousin lives about an hour away and her kid's hs is much worse. Two of her kids have been suspended several times because they had a phone, turned off and in a pocket. The teacher saw the outline of the phone in the pocket. Mom goes in to explain that her dd's have the phones because they go straight from school to work and are driving alone at night. They can't leave them in the car because several students have had things stolen from cars while they're in the school lot. While she's standing in the hall speaking with the principal, 3 football players, a cheerleader, and 2 kids with very high GPA's all walk past TALKING ON THEIR PHONES! The excuse for why some kids can break the rules openly and other's can't even have a phone in their pocket? We can't catch them all!

 

[golfgal]

That sounds illegal. I would notify police. I am quite sure I would get the phone back. There is no legal basis for taking away a phone like that.

That said, when my kids get a cell phone they will know exactly what it will be used for AND there will be no texting minutes on the plan. In fact, if possible - and I don't know that it is - I will have texting disabled.

PD, schools give out handbooks, these rules are clearly stated in the handbooks. The answer to this is-DON"T TEXT IN SCHOOL. I am sure you could put up all the stink you want if you were in this situation but what are you teaching your girls, you don't have to abide by the rules because Daddy will run to your rescue--not what you intended but that is the result. Many schools have this same rule, it has become necessary unfortunately.

Our middle school has a rule that no phones are on during the day and they are to be kept in your locker. The high school allows kids to text during lunch but their phones are confiscated if they use them in class. I would have NO issue with the school keeping my kid's phone for the year if he broke the rules-he knows not to use the phone in class so it really is a non-issue.

Also, don't be so sure your kids won't have texting. I wasn't a fan of it until I got it. It is faster and easier to text then to make a call. The kids will text me vs call me for things because I can't always take a call but I can usually spend 3 seconds reading a text to know if it something important I need to deal with right away or not.

Texting has had no effect what so ever on our kids' grades.