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

[Maleficent13]

Thanks, Mickey88!

 

[MICKEY88]

one other thought,,in some areas hats are very much a gang thing,

the problem is, although most peple wouldn't think A Minnie Mouse hat was a gang symbol as someone posted..... it's easier to ban all hats, than to fight a lawsuit when you ban some but not others and someone decides you are discriminating,


I forget where it was, but I did read once about a gang that adopted Mickey as their symbol,
I was horrified.. Mickey is simply too pure to be part of the gang scene...

 

[monarchsfan16]

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

I agree. The cell phones should be kept out of class. I can't safely keep mine in my locker though, which is why it stays in my bag, turned off. Just because a locker has a lock on it does not mean that people won't find a way to steal from it. Cell phones are a coveted possession and one of the more frequently stolen items in a school. After all why would someone want to steal text books?

 

[Ronda93]

hats... It's been a long time since I departed from my rural high school, but hats make trouble. Juniors grab them from the heads of freshmen and toss them around the hall. It's a tremendous sign of disrespect to knock someone's hat off as you pass in the hall and a fight will break out in a wink.

Incidently, I was able to complete my formal education without having my parents get "in touch" with me during the school day. I drove, rode the bus, worked, picked up my brother, stopped by my grandmothers's, left early for the doctor and made it to extra band practice all without a cell phone.

 

[krissy3483]

Another reason for the no hats rule: cheating. I went to private school where we had to wear a uniform, so hats weren't allowed anyway. I went to a state university for a semester though, and hats were not allowed to be worn during tests ... I guess because of the possibility of taping answers underneath the brim...so maybe schools have this possibility in mind too.
And I also believe that cell phones should not be in the classroom. They offer numerous ways to cheat....text messages, calculators, and now camera phones. There was a story here recently about students in the morning class taking pictures of their exam and then sending them to students who had the same test later that day.

 

[LScot]

One of my clients is a teacher and said they same thing about the cell phones that are cameras. I don't even know how they work but he said they were having trouble at his school with them (& he teaches at middle school level!)

 

[Az Pirates]

Interesting to see dress codes from other areas.
The high school here sent out a letter saying that the code will be strictly enforced this year. We'll see - it's always been pretty lax in the past.

I think they will have a bit of a battle on their hands with the 'no bare shoulders' that was added.
DD has lots of sleeveless tops - we DO live in a very HOT desert after all. I think the forecast for the first day of school is right about 112.
Guess they figured it was easier to go that route than to decide on a case by case basis how wide the straps must be, etc.

No hats allowed here either - even when we have heat advisories in effect and it is recommended that if you have to be outside - you at least wear a hat. Hmmm

 

[Nancy]

I never thought of the cheating thing with hats. I don't know why kids have to have cell phones with them constantly. My kids do not own one and won't until they can pay for them themselves. If one of them stays after for sports and will need to contact us for a ride they get mine or DH's emergency phones. They have to stay turned off and in their backpacks, which in our district are not allowed with them during the day. I don't see why there should be any problems with those rules. You go to school to learn, not have social time.

Now as far as having to reach my kids during the day. If there was ever an emergency and I had to reach them I know the school would take a message and relay it to them to call me and they would be able to use the phones for emergencies. On 9/11 my MIL actually called my kids school to let them know that their aunt and uncle were ok. The schools passed the messages right on to them.

 

[dancergirl]

We have all the same rules as the OP said at my high school. Cell phones are not allowed, but I would say about 95% of the school has them! The other day in class one rang and there was a mysterious outbreak of coughing! Our teacher of course knew what was going on, and just said that it better not happen again, nicely. I keep mine on silent in my purse all day. Leaving it in my locker is a SURE way to have it stolen! Mine was actually taken during a prom decorating activity. It was in my purse and I had already been at school, band, and in the gym for as long as it took us to finish. Luckily there were only 10 or so students and I knew all but 2 of them. The girl admitted to it (to the principal!) and to make a long story short, she paid the $300 to replace my phone, with some gental reminders from the police!
Anyway, the kids might freak out for a bit, but they will get over it!! Have a good year!

 

[tiggerdog]

Gang members use their hats as a billboard. They will write under the bill and on the inside of the hat. They will flip the bill up to show the threat to a rival gang member.

We have a no cell phone policy as well. In the case of an emergency, parents can call the office and the office can get the student within a few minutes. If you have a phone either leave it in your locker or at home. If you don't want it stolen from your locker then don't give your combo out to others. Maybe our lockers are just stronger than other lockers, but we have never had a locker forcefully broken in to.

Students are also using the picture phones to take pictures of others in lockerrooms and restrooms.

Oh, as far as Columbine goes, those of us in the area couldn't get out through our cell phones because the cells were jammed. (I teach a few miles from Columbine).

I don't see a problem playing cards at lunch. If they aren't gambling or fighting then we're happy, right? Pokemon cards are another thing. It is a pain the the rear when a student comes up and says, "Someone just stole my $300 collection."

Robin, we got a new principal last year who actually inforced our rules. It was heaven!

Finally, if a see a cell phone in my class I will take it. I will give it back when and only when I have worn out the battery by playing the games.

 

[Shellie722]

I've been out of HS for several years and never had a cell until a couple of years after graduation but, I can definitely see why a cell phone would be a good thing for students to have. I agree they should not be on durring class but, I think they should be able to have them in their backpack or purse. After incidents like Columbine where the kids w/ cell phones were able to call their families and the police I don't see why anybody would tell kids they can't carry them. If, God forbid, something like that were to happen again what good would a cell phone that is locked in a locker going to do? And wouldn't you want the students to be able to call for help from wherever they are no matter if it is durring class time or not?

 

[jennyanydots]

the rules in our middle school -- no underwear showing, no provocative clothing (you're allowed to wear slogan t's if they're not disruptive), no bare midriffs, shorts and skirts must not be too short. no backpacks -- they have to stay in the locker all day. cell phones are not to come out of the pocket or purse.

older dd is so excited to be going to high school "because you get to carry your backpack to class and the dress code is not enforced."

 

[mom2boys]

Originally posted by snoopy
I don't understand that one either.

Way back before there was text messaging, there was a no hats rule at my college druing finals. Seems some "students" had been caught with answers in their hats. I can recall more than one insturctor walking around making people roll up their sleeves to ensure there were no notes written on arms.

 

[tiggerdog]

Originally posted by Shellie722
I've been out of HS for several years and never had a cell until a couple of years after graduation but, I can definitely see why a cell phone would be a good thing for students to have. I agree they should not be on durring class but, I think they should be able to have them in their backpack or purse. After incidents like Columbine where the kids w/ cell phones were able to call their families and the police I don't see why anybody would tell kids they can't carry them. If, God forbid, something like that were to happen again what good would a cell phone that is locked in a locker going to do? And wouldn't you want the students to be able to call for help from wherever they are no matter if it is durring class time or not?

We couldn't use our cell phones during "Columbine" because the cells were jammed with people trying to make calls.

Also, cell phones don't always get reception in the schools. If you were in my classroom trying to use your cell phone 99% of teh time you would just be waisting your battery. So, basically cell phones become useless objects.

Finally, most classrooms have phones in them now. If something were to happen all I would have to do is dial 911 myself.

 

[jennyanydots]

when my older dd was in 7th grade, a pipe burst in the middle school basement, and the building was rendered temporarily unusable. they bussed the entire middle school population -- about 900 kids -- to the larger of our two high schools, the one with a "concert hall' sized auditorium and two gyms. the kids were kept in the auditorium and one fo the gyms. it was a totally wasted day.

no one was allowed to use a pay phone -- if you let one, you let 900, right?

but kids with cell phones were able to call home. their parents came to get them and sign them out of school.

of course, anyone with a cell phone became very popular.

 

[Talking Hands]

Originally posted by Nancy
I never thought of the cheating thing with hats. I don't know why kids have to have cell phones with them constantly. My kids do not own one and won't until they can pay for them themselves. If one of them stays after for sports and will need to contact us for a ride they get mine or DH's emergency phones. They have to stay turned off and in their backpacks, which in our district are not allowed with them during the day. I don't see why there should be any problems with those rules. You go to school to learn, not have social time.

Now as far as having to reach my kids during the day. If there was ever an emergency and I had to reach them I know the school would take a message and relay it to them to call me and they would be able to use the phones for emergencies. On 9/11 my MIL actually called my kids school to let them know that their aunt and uncle were ok. The schools passed the messages right on to them.

That is all good as long as your school is in one building and spread out over several different buildings that are shared with the community college. This was the case with my oldest. No intercom system which meant a runner had to be sent to contact a student and if they were 2 blocks away it had to be a security guard as the weren't sending an office aid. It worked out better to allow students cell phones. Rule was no cell use during class.

 

[LeftCoaster]

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.

Oh man, don't get me started on those administrators! Ugh!!! I was having a conversation with a local parent who said that her kids school had banned the brand "Independent". The reason being that Independent has a logo that a lot of people confuse with the iron cross. She told the school that it's not an iron cross and the owners of the company had seen the cross on a robe that The Pope had been wearing and thought it looked cool. The school shot back with "We don't care. It's the perception."
Talk about taking ignorance to a new level.
When I was younger, we'd have some schools banning the brand Billabong because you had the word "bong" in it. A few years ago, I guess Billabong got so sick of it, I guess they decided to thumb their noses and just started using "bong" on a lot of their shirts.

 

[GeorgeG]

I'm feeling really old right now...

I read through all the posts thinking how none of this was ever a problem when I was in school. Then, after a quick check of my driver's license, it struck me that it was over forty years ago.

Cell phones and walkman radios weren't invented yet. CDs were still a long way off and record and 8-track tape players weren't all that portable.

Hats were strickly for outside and worn backwards only if there was a catchers mask over it, shirts had to be collared and tucked into slacks, not jeans (even chinos were iffy), footwear was leather shoes with sneakers strictly for gym class. Hair even had to be combed!

Gangs in school? Well, maybe in some inner cities, but not in everyday America.

Well, like I said, I'm feeling old, and maybe a little perplexed. I think things were pretty good forty years ago when school was school. We still had a lot of fun, but we also had and showed respect. Maybe it was because we knew we were still kids and that was okay.

 

[disney4us2002]

Well George, I'm just turning 40 but I guess I have an old mindset because I don't see the need for all this instant technology either. In our school setting, cell phones are considered drug paraphenalia and not permitted. I'm fine with that.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

DD's highschool has the above policies as well. Sometimes following the dress code is difficult because most of the banned items are sold in the stores and its the style that is in. Have any of you seen the skirts and tops in the stores? OMG they are so tiny and short! It would probably be easier if the public schools adopted some kind of uniform that way there will be no more problems with buying clothes.

I also work in a highschool and I cannot tell you how many times students are sent down to the office for dress code violation. They actually either have to have a change of clothes, or they have to call home and either have a parent bring appropriate clothes or go home for the day.