Sixth grade boys caught texting in class

[pweyl36]

I also asked whether people thought it was o.k. for employers to go through their employees private phones if they use them during work hours.

I don´t agree that kids don´t have private phones. My kids have phones (I pay for them), but I definitely consider them private and have never gone through their texts. I can´t imagine ever doing so unless I thought there was something major going on.

Really? You dont check up on your kids when the text or on the internet. What if the are texting somebody that is a child pretator,or somebody is cyber bulling them. My dd knows this is the only why she can be on facebook or have a phone. Im sorry but it is my responsablity to keep my kids safe,and not blame somebody else if god forbid something happen. I just dont understand why people think their kids have rights just like adults?

 

[Planogirl]

On my phone (I just looked), in order to see the time stamp of the text, you need to open the text. The "list" view of texts simply shows the date (not the time). So if you're ok with the principal reading text sent/received during school, they may need to actually read the texts to see the time stamp.

Thanks for pointing that out. Maybe when they reach the first text from another date, they could stop? That does make a difference of course.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

The judgment also included that a search was valid if there was asuspected attempt to hide wrongdoing, whuch is where the boys texting in class would fall. They were attempting to text without getting caught, and could have been tecting anything, including answers. The principal was justified in checking the texts.

In order to be reasonable, the search has to be supported by a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing and the search must be reasonable in scope. In the strip search case that people were talking about earlier, the search was supported by reasonable suspicion, but was not reasonable in scope. In other words, the school, under those circumstances, had the right to search the student's binder, purse, bag, etc. The search went beyond reasonable scope when the administrator had the school nurse conduct what amounted to a strip search to find OTC medications.

Here, you have suspicion of wrongdoing. The million-dollar question is whether the scope is reasonable. And there won't be one answer on this. The scope of the search is related to the suspected violation. The more dangerous the violation, the more intrusive the search can be.

 

[dizzkneeland9]

These are kids, not convicts. Unless there is sufficient motivation to believe that the kids are doing something far worse than texting, the phone should just be taken away, not searched. In the case of something like a paper note, the note is already in plain sight and can be read easily, while in the case of the phone, the principle would have to search inside the phone for "bad" text messages among other private conversations. I don't think the fact that they were texting in class is enough of a motivation to allow the principle to violate their privacy.

 

[wvjules]

In order to be reasonable, the search has to be supported by a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing and the search must be reasonable in scope. In the strip search case that people were talking about earlier, the search was supported by reasonable suspicion, but was not reasonable in scope. In other words, the school, under those circumstances, had the right to search the student's binder, purse, bag, etc. The search went beyond reasonable scope when the administrator had the school nurse conduct what amounted to a strip search to find OTC medications.

Here, you have suspicion of wrongdoing. The million-dollar question is whether the scope is reasonable. And there won't be one answer on this. The scope of the search is related to the suspected violation. The more dangerous the violation, the more intrusive the search can be.

Thank you for explaining that. I was hoping some more eloquent and knowledgeble would address it.

The ruling still allows for a lot of leeway in determining reasonable, intrusive, etc. And you're right. No one will ever agree.

 

[RockAndRollBallerina]

Bottom line, it's a lot easier to follow the school rules and policies than it is to break them and deal with the consequences later.

 

[Jessica527]

My teacher would read our notes in front of the class when i was little....this is no different...

 

[wvjules]

My teacher would read our notes in front of the class when i was little....this is no different...

Does your teacher read every note you have written? Does your teacher read note to/from your parents? Does your teacher read notes that you write out of school?

 

[goofy!]

My husband teaches high school and he has said that 9 times out of 10 it's the parents who are texting the kids during class...

On second thought......

Let me give you an alternative viewpoint.

First of all, is it really a crime when parents text their kids? As long as the ringers are off and the kids aren't answering during class, does it really matter?

Texting and phones are the way our kids communicate. It just is whether we like it or not. We can either work with it and set guidelines or we can fight it and forbid it completely.

This may not be the right solution, but it is one solution and it seems to work well in our school. (2000 kids)

Our high school students are allowed to access their phones during passing periods between classes.

Since they know they only have to wait 45 minutes at the longest to see who texted them, there isn't that burning desire to peek at the phone and answer. Most of the kids can wait until the class is over to look and respond. There is little reason to disrupt the class.

And the kids know this is a privilege and they don't want to lose it.

If you forbid them to access their phones for the entire day, remember, this is the way they communicate, you are making the phones like a forbidden apple. They are going to want to devise ways to look at it even more.

It seems to work in our school (may not in others) to tell the kids - you can look at your phones during passing periods and lunches, but in turn, you need to be respectful in class with your phone.

Most kids get this. There is rarely the text or call that happens in class. And if it does, the phone is confiscated.

Will there be kids who break the rules? Absolutely. I have never heard of a high school without kids who test the rules

But the majority of kids really do want to learn and because they are treated as the young adults they will soon be, they respond in kind and most handle their phones maturely.

Again, may not be the solution for everybody's high school as every high school has a different dynamic. But it seems to be working for ours.

I should also add the caveat that this is "my" and most of my friends' perception of our district, based on the schools my kids went / are going to. It is entirely possible that you could talk to another person in one of the other hundred schools who has a completely different perspective of how our district works.

 

[goofy!]

In order to be reasonable, the search has to be supported by a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing and the search must be reasonable in scope. In the strip search case that people were talking about earlier, the search was supported by reasonable suspicion, but was not reasonable in scope. In other words, the school, under those circumstances, had the right to search the student's binder, purse, bag, etc. The search went beyond reasonable scope when the administrator had the school nurse conduct what amounted to a strip search to find OTC medications.

Here, you have suspicion of wrongdoing. The million-dollar question is whether the scope is reasonable. And there won't be one answer on this. The scope of the search is related to the suspected violation. The more dangerous the violation, the more intrusive the search can be.

ahhhh, a voice of reason

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

As I said earlier, searches of texts is a hot issue. Here's a NY Times article about an 8th grade sexting scandal from last year:

A Girl’s Nude Photo, and Altered Lives

One of the things everyone here will probably find the most fascinating is that the initial reaction of many parents was to call the school. Yet the incident had taken place outside of school.

 

[wvjules]

ahhhh, a voice of reason

Wait! I was the one that brought up that case. Am I not reasonable too?

In the interest of full disclosure, DD and I texted this morning. Her eyes have been bothering her (red and swollen and itchy) so she texted me to let me know that they are feeling a little better. I was going to make her an appointmetn but she told me not to since they seem to be ok at the moment. (I'm assuming that this was between classes. lol)

 

[ccgirl]

What a waste of time for a school secretary, not like she doesn't have enough to do.



Another huge waste of time, why do I need to call the office and hope they can get the message to my child when I could just text her and be done with it. In this world of budget cuts and reduced staff that is a total waste of time.



I would much rather have a quick "I'm ok" text from my daughter than some random voice mail from the school, somehow it's not as comforting.

Not sure why you feel those are a waste of time at all. It was actually the secretary who brought up this solution. Again, if it is allowed to text your child go for it. But, if it's not follow the rules and call the office (or whatever the rules might be).

Does your teacher read every note you have written? Does your teacher read note to/from your parents? Does your teacher read notes that you write out of school?

If a note from my parents was with the note that was passed during class I say it's fair game. Same thing with the note written out of school. If it was with the note passed in school it's fair game.

On second thought......

Let me give you an alternative viewpoint.

First of all, is it really a crime when parents text their kids? As long as the ringers are off and the kids aren't answering during class, does it really matter?

Texting and phones are the way our kids communicate. It just is whether we like it or not. We can either work with it and set guidelines or we can fight it and forbid it completely.

This may not be the right solution, but it is one solution and it seems to work well in our school. (2000 kids)

Our high school students are allowed to access their phones during passing periods between classes.

Since they know they only have to wait 45 minutes at the longest to see who texted them, there isn't that burning desire to peek at the phone and answer. Most of the kids can wait until the class is over to look and respond. There is little reason to disrupt the class.

And the kids know this is a privilege and they don't want to lose it.

If you forbid them to access their phones for the entire day, remember, this is the way they communicate, you are making the phones like a forbidden apple. They are going to want to devise ways to look at it even more.

It seems to work in our school (may not in others) to tell the kids - you can look at your phones during passing periods and lunches, but in turn, you need to be respectful in class with your phone.

Most kids get this. There is rarely the text or call that happens in class. And if it does, the phone is confiscated.

Will there be kids who break the rules? Absolutely. I have never heard of a high school without kids who test the rules

But the majority of kids really do want to learn and because they are treated as the young adults they will soon be, they respond in kind and most handle their phones maturely.

Again, may not be the solution for everybody's high school as every high school has a different dynamic. But it seems to be working for ours.

I should also add the caveat that this is "my" and most of my friends' perception of our district, based on the schools my kids went / are going to. It is entirely possible that you could talk to another person in one of the other hundred schools who has a completely different perspective of how our district works.

Exactly. What works for one does not work for all. What works in my DD's school is they do not have the phones on them at all so they are not tempted to look at them at all. It is also a very strict school. Those that break the rules are kicked out and have to go elsewhere.

 

[pweyl36]

I would be upset at the teacher for making the class so boring that students would even have time to text each other.

Are you for real???? I can solve the whole problem, to all the parents who think it is so cruel and unfair for their little snowflake, just home school!
problem solved.