Saw new policies at school...the kids are going to flip!

[Rock'n Robin]

Looks like they are really going to crack down this year on a few things. We have had 4 principals in 6 years, and some things have slid a little. No problems enforcing these rules here, but the students are going to blow a gasket. The first couple of weeks should be interesting.
There has always been a "no hat" rule, but lately the kids will carry the hats around, just not wear them until school is over. Now they can't even have them--they have to be in lockers.
NO CARD PLAYING!!! This has really grown in the last year with all of the popularity of poker, even in my 13 minute study hall the kids will whip out the cards for a quick game. Not any more!
No CD players--this used to be strictly enforced, but lately kids have been walking around with them on their necks, or between classes--it's a wonder some of these kids aren't stone deaf. I'll gladly enforce this one.
No midriffs--they are very specific--if a girl raises her hand and the midriff shows she has to change (YES!!! HURRAY!!!) Also no tube tops, even under another button down shirt. I guess they can't say "no butt crack!" I'd love to see that rule!
No cell phones--now common sense would tell you that your child, if he has a phone, should keep it out of sight, correct? Our kids don't sometimes. They text message kids in other classes (not in my class, mind you) or sometimes a kid in one class will call another kid in another class. If the kid has it on "ring" and it goes off everything comes to a stop. I am all for kids in HS having phones for safety reasons, esp. after Columbine and all, but since the kids can't behave I guess they are banned. I just hope that one doesn't apply to ME! Anyone who calls my school # during school hours gets my voice mail, and I don't check it every minute, so at least once one of my children sat in the sickroom for over an hour before I had someone get her. Now I give them all my cell Phone # for the first try. If that thing goes off in class, it's either a kid or a school nurse!
Robin M.

 

[WeirdEyes]

These policies have been in force in my DS's high school for quite a while. The kids might grumble and gripe about them, but they'll adjust. Good luck enforcing the rules. You have my admiration for being a teacher.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Wow, I am surprised all that has been allowed! DS's middle school is very strict. Girls can't even wear shorts as the length required is so long that they don't exist . No midriffs, hats, thin straps, boys must wear belts, and no graphics on t-shirts(only logos or teams, no other words). Lots of limits on jewelry too. No backpacks in class either-they must stay in lockers I don't mind the rules at all.

 

[Beauty]

I think kids should be allowed to have their cell phones, just not allowed to use them during class.

Its really nice for parents........my son for example has football practice everyday after school. Sometimes they get out at 3:30 sometimes not until 5........so its very very nice for him to be able to whip out his phone and call me when its time to come pick him up.

Our school is about the same, hats have to be in lockers, no midriff, no pants hanging etc.

My child goes to a Christian School so the principal would flip if they were playing poker....LOL!!

 

[bumcat]

CD players around their necks, text messaging other students during class? You have got to be kidding. My kids would be suspended for that. Never has been allowed.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Yikes.

I can understand the no midriffs, and no hats in class (or any of these things IN class) but what is wrong with kids wearing hats after school, or playing Pokemon (I assume you mean ALL card games) or other card games during lunch?? As long as the kids are not gambling, and just playing for fun, I can think of a LOT worse things kids could be doing.

And I think the no cell phones thing is silly. Maybe they can say they have to be put on vibrate, and no talking during class, but parents need to be able to get ahold of their kids and sometimes cells are the easiest way.

When I was in HS , I used to walk to school and I had a walkman cassette player that I listened to on my walk. I would have been furious if they told me I could not carry my walkman to school anymore.

 

[Maleficent13]

Can someone explain to me why the "no hats" rule? I never got it, to be honest.

 

[monarchsfan16]

We have the no cellphone rule too. And I can assure you no one obeys it. I'm from one of the surrounding communities, not the city that the school is actually in. I've had a cell phone since Christmas of my freshman year, in case I missed the bus, or most recently in case I ran into any problems getting to or from school. The big problem with the text messaging that many teachers at my school are not aware of (my phone doesn't have these capabilities and stays in my bag turned off until I hit the newspaper office after school) is that kids use the text messaging to cheat. Somehow a lot of kids have figured out how to turn the phones to completely silent, hide them in the desk and text answers to each other. It's pathetic. And it's a far bigger problem then phones actually ringing. Our principal is a bit rediculous though, in that he says that phones can be used once the school day is over. Now most people would expect that to be when the final bell rings at 2:35 right? Well he's decided the school day actually ends at 4:30, when if we're still in the building at that hour we're automatically suspended anyway, because he came up with some nutty rule that unless we're there for athletics we have to be out of the building at 3. Now this wouldn't be an issue but we're sometimes hiding in the newspaper office until 8 trying to meet a deadline

Good luck in enforcing the new rules. Yes, the kids will flip.

Maleficent-no hats because some hats can be gang symbols.

 

[Galahad]

DS's middle school did not have a strict no cell phone rule. But his high school (in the same district and right across the street) does. The kids can be suspended for just having one with them. It's not enough for us to make a stink over, but the no cell phone (in your possession) rule is one of the dumbest going, IMO.

 

[snoopy]

Originally posted by Maleficent13
Can someone explain to me why the "no hats" rule? I never got it, to be honest.

I don't understand that one either.

 

[monarchsfan16]

^^
For some crazy reason administrators think that every hat even one with Minnie Mouse on it could be a gang symbol. That's why there are no hats around. At least that's the reasoning at my school.

 

[Maleficent13]

Originally posted by monarchsfan16
^^
For some crazy reason administrators think that every hat even one with Minnie Mouse on it could be a gang symbol. That's why there are no hats around. At least that's the reasoning at my school.

I spend most of my time wondering what on earth people are thinking with arbitrary rules like these. I mean, I went to a Midwest high school...oh, a long time ago...when we didn't even know what gangs were, and if we did, they were something exclusive to NYC or LA...and we still weren't allowed to wear hats. It makes no sense to me.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Originally posted by Maleficent13
I spend most of my time wondering what on earth people are thinking with arbitrary rules like these. I mean, I went to a Midwest high school...oh, a long time ago...when we didn't even know what gangs were, and if we did, they were something exclusive to NYC or LA...and we still weren't allowed to wear hats. It makes no sense to me.

Yeah we had this rule even at my elementary/middle school and I can assure you there were no gangs there. Just nasty, snobby, rich kids that formed cliques. Now though, I've heard of gangs, and supposedly they do exist at my school. I still don't see how the hat rule has anything to do with it, since from what I've heard hats generally aren't the symbol (ah the joys of going to a city school...).

 

[nkjzmom]

Could it be that to some people wearing a hat inside a building is disrespectful?

 

[nkjzmom]

Forgot to add that I don't see why a kid HAS to have a cell phone in their possession during school hours. I recall using the phone at the office for calling home if I forgot something or to let my parents know if I needed to stay late/be picked up early. If they can't do that, then couldn't they leave the cellphone in their locker and make the call during breaks?

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I always thought the no hat rule was a respect issue, as my dad is a real stickler for my son to take off any baseball hat in the house or in a restaurant, etc. But at my school there have been gangs before and I can see that the hat thing could be related to that.
I don't thiink Pokemon cards are an issue; I thiink if anyone pulled out Pokemon cards in my HS they would get beaten up . Poker just came out of nowhere last year and got really popular. But it used to be Euchre too. So now there is no card playing at all.
Not every kid walks around with headphones on, but the ones that do are not the ones that love following the rules anyway.
Monarchsfan, I'd read about kids using their text messaging to cheat. My kids can only have a writing utensil during the tests and their bags have to be on the floor where they can't touch them. I'll probably have to say soon that on test days they have to leave their bookbags by the door to ensure that stuff doesn't happen. I do believe that HS kids should be able to HAVE the phones, just not bring them out during school time.
We used to have a no backpack rule, but our school is pretty big--3 buildings. Some kids have schedules that remind me of landing in terminal A and having to catch a connecting flight in terminal E in 5 minutes!
Robin M.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Originally posted by nkjzmom
Forgot to add that I don't see why a kid HAS to have a cell phone in their possession during school hours. I recall using the phone at the office for calling home if I forgot something or to let my parents know if I needed to stay late/be picked up early. If they can't do that, then couldn't they leave the cellphone in their locker and make the call during breaks?

There are actually schools where the kids are not allowed to call from the office. Generally these schools have pay phones, but the pay phones don't always work (like in my school). So I'd say 90% of us do have cell phones in our posession. Mine always stays in my bag, until I'm either in a corner of the newspaper office where I'm not likely to be busted, or outside the building at the end of the day.

 

[nkjzmom]

Originally posted by monarchsfan16
There are actually schools where the kids are not allowed to call from the office. Generally these schools have pay phones, but the pay phones don't always work (like in my school).

Now that would be frustrating! Still, kids should keep them out of the class and in their locker.

 

[Maleficent13]

Okay, I am totally hijacking this thread (sorry ), but could someone tell me why hats are disrespectful? I have a lot of cute hats and to me they're just fashion accessories, like jewerly or a purse.

Sorry; I'll quit hijacking now and go bug some people on another thread!

 

[MICKEY88]

Originally posted by Maleficent13
Okay, I am totally hijacking this thread (sorry ), but could someone tell me why hats are disrespectful? I have a lot of cute hats and to me they're just fashion accessories, like jewerly or a purse.

Sorry; I'll quit hijacking now and go bug some people on another thread!

hats have historically been worn outdoors not in....and proper etiquette states that a man doesn't wear a hat in a public building, not sure for females.. this site will explain it better..

Hat Etiquette