So at my son's middle school orientation..

[edandcolleen1995]

We went the other morning.. Son is entering 6th grade. They had us tour the school, meet with folks etc etc

At the end was a Q&A.

One mother was freaking out because the school does not allow cell phones for the kids. They can carry them in a backpack, etc but have to be stored in locker till end of day and not used while in the school. They have pay phones, free phone in school office, phones in all classrooms.

So the Mom won't get off it. Claiming her daughter might need to call someone in an emergency. Now mind you the WHOLE time this is going on, her daughter is doing non stop texting while sitting next to the Mom.

After 10 mins of this Mom whinining, the principal said the Mom could just take it up with him after the orientation.

I just don't get some parents. It is a rule. They have phones all over in case you have a true emergency. Your daughter has not looked up (even during the tours, cause she caught my eye earlier) from her phone for 2 hours..

 

[ChrizJen]

In all seriousness, I think cell phones/texting are becoming a true addiction for kids, and parents like her are enablers.
Seriously? You really have to wonder about some parents. You just want to tell them to get their heads out of the sand and take a long hard look at their kids' habits...
Maybe there will be a little "rehab" for the daughter. There may be withdrawal and temper tantrums, but it will all be for the best.

 

[Handbag Lady]

We went the other morning.. Son is entering 6th grade. They had us tour the school, meet with folks etc etc

At the end was a Q&A.

One mother was freaking out because the school does not allow cell phones for the kids. They can carry them in a backpack, etc but have to be stored in locker till end of day and not used while in the school. They have pay phones, free phone in school office, phones in all classrooms.

So the Mom won't get off it. Claiming her daughter might need to call someone in an emergency. Now mind you the WHOLE time this is going on, her daughter is doing non stop texting while sitting next to the Mom.

After 10 mins of this Mom whinining, the principal said the Mom could just take it up with him after the orientation.

I just don't get some parents. It is a rule. They have phones all over in case you have a true emergency. Your daughter has not looked up (even during the tours, cause she caught my eye earlier) from her phone for 2 hours..

I guess it depends on where you live.


Texting, like the daughter in your post, would be wrong and that's why there are no cell phones in the classroom.

But, if you lived where I live, if I were a mom, I'd insist she be able to have a cell phone on her (turned off) at all times.

We've had far too many lockdowns in our area and at the school where my mom works to NOT allow kids to have cell phones at all times.


I think the difference here is that the phone has to be always off for it to work and I agree the mom in your post is a bit of a dunce.

 

[Shutterbug]

kinda reminds me of this picture:

 

[TerryKitten]

Sheesh... Um, we seemed to survive school just fine without a phone strapped to us. I wonder if the daughter got to carry her phone in elementary school?

 

[mumom95]

We went the other morning.. Son is entering 6th grade. They had us tour the school, meet with folks etc etc

At the end was a Q&A.

One mother was freaking out because the school does not allow cell phones for the kids. They can carry them in a backpack, etc but have to be stored in locker till end of day and not used while in the school. They have pay phones, free phone in school office, phones in all classrooms.

So the Mom won't get off it. Claiming her daughter might need to call someone in an emergency. Now mind you the WHOLE time this is going on, her daughter is doing non stop texting while sitting next to the Mom.

After 10 mins of this Mom whinining, the principal said the Mom could just take it up with him after the orientation.

I just don't get some parents. It is a rule. They have phones all over in case you have a true emergency. Your daughter has not looked up (even during the tours, cause she caught my eye earlier) from her phone for 2 hours..

I used to teach high school. We had some parents that were the same way. Insisted their kid had to have a cell phone with them at all time, so the parent could reach them if they needed to. Hello, your kid is in school. If you need to reach them, call the school and the school will have the student call you back on the office phone.


Somehow I managed to survive going through school without my parents being able to instantly reach me, I'm sure these kids will too.

 

[MIGrandma]

Goodness, how in the world did children survive 20 years ago with no cell phones attached to their ear...or fingers?

I feel sorry for the schools having to deal with cell phone issues.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I guess it depends on where you live.


Texting, like the daughter in your post, would be wrong and that's why there are no cell phones in the classroom.

But, if you lived where I live, if I were a mom, I'd insist she be able to have a cell phone on her (turned off) at all times.

We've had far too many lockdowns in our area and at the school where my mom works to NOT allow kids to have cell phones at all times.


I think the difference here is that the phone has to be always off for it to work and I agree the mom in your post is a bit of a dunce.

What would having a cell phone do? I am lucky enough to be able to say my kids school have never been on lockdown, but even if they had a cell phone, what would they do with it? If it were a school shooting, God forbid, a cell phone might get them killed. The school is on lock down, a Connect-ed phone call would go out to every family that has a child in the school and inform them of the situation and what the protocol is.

I'm sorry, but I don't care what the situation is, a middle schooler does not need a cell phone in school.

 

[MushyMushy]

When I went to school, we had payphones on every block, two phones in the schools, and a dime (yes, I'm that old ), then a quarter eventually in our pockets.

There's not one working payphone within the walking range of our middle school (kids within 2 miles don't get busing) these days, no payphone in the school and the secretaries won't allow anyone to use the office phone.

Yes, I'm sending a cell phone with my daughter. No, she's not addicted. In fact, her phone has been next to my chair all day.

 

[jen0610]

I used to teach high school. We had some parents that were the same way. Insisted their kid had to have a cell phone with them at all time, so the parent could reach them if they needed to. Hello, your kid is in school. If you need to reach them, call the school and the school will have the student call you back on the office phone.

Somehow I managed to survive going through school without my parents being able to instantly reach me, I'm sure these kids will too.

Last year, DS kept forgetting to take in money for his lunch account. He had already gone a couple of days with little or no lunch. Only because they had a field trip planned for the afternoon, did I go outta my way and take money in and had it put in his account. He has a cell, but it was turned off as per the school guidelines. I left a message, just in case, but after I had the money put on the account, I called into the office and left a message to forwarded to him. The office was busy when I was actually at the school. I just wanted to make sure the kid knew he could eat that day. No need to call me or freak out that I couldn't reach him personnaly. Just give the kid the message.

 

[edandcolleen1995]

I don't have an issue with the kids having the phone. We are going to get my 11 year old one because he will be getting off the bus solo and staying in the house alone for 2 hours.

BUT the phone is for that. After school if there is any issues. He won't be able to text with it, or stuff like that. During school hours there is zero need for a cell phone in middle school for him.

For other kids sure, maybe they need it more before or after. But during school hours, I totally agree with the school saying NO to it. They actually hold it if they find it on the child and depending on the number of times, the parents has to come pick it up.

BTW this goes for Nintendo DS, Mp3, etc etc. School is for school. Now they can clearly have them in a backpack, school bag etc and store in their locker. They can use before coming into the school and once outside. Not during recess. Seems very fair to 99% of the parents there.

Was just that one Mom that could not grasp it.

 

[mickeyboat]

We've had far too many lockdowns in our area and at the school where my mom works to NOT allow kids to have cell phones at all times.

Our school does lockdown drills, during which the children are to be completely quiet and still, shades are to be pulled, lights are to be off and doors are to be locked. They want to make the bad guy think there is no one in the room. 20 kids scrambling for and talking on their cell phones or ringing phones with calls from nervous parents will put the entire class in more danger in the event an intruder is actually in the building.

 

[ChrizJen]

When I went to school, we had payphones on every block, two phones in the schools, and a dime (yes, I'm that old ), then a quarter eventually in our pockets.

There's not one working payphone within the walking range of our middle school (kids within 2 miles don't get busing) these days, no payphone in the school and the secretaries won't allow anyone to use the office phone.

Yes, I'm sending a cell phone with my daughter. No, she's not addicted. In fact, her phone has been next to my chair all day.

That's great that your DD is not addicted...but many are, and clearly the young lady in the OP's narrative is.
I'm not questioning your decision to send a cell phone to school with your DD. If there is a rule at her school regarding cell phones at her school, I'm sure you fully prepared to deal with the consequences if she gets caught.
Regarding access to phones, I'm sure that any school staff member would be more than happy to let a child use an office phone if there was a true emergency. Otherwise (in my opinion), anything else can probably wait until the end of the day. But again, that's just my opinion.


ETA...I also want to state that I really don't see an issue with a student having a cell phone in a backpack, kept in a locker all day turned off. In that instance, even if there is a rule about cell phones, that student isn't going to get caught. Then he/she will have it for the trip home/after school when they're likely to actually need it.

 

[Metsfan520]

Sheesh... Um, we seemed to survive school just fine without a phone strapped to us. I wonder if the daughter got to carry her phone in elementary school?

Yeah we did. But if we had to, we could call home from a pay phone--they are almost none existent now. And how many times did you experience a lock down during your school days? I know I never heard of that word at all when I was in school.

 

[Handbag Lady]

What would having a cell phone do? I am lucky enough to be able to say my kids school have never been on lockdown, but even if they had a cell phone, what would they do with it? If it were a school shooting, God forbid, a cell phone might get them killed. The school is on lock down, a Connect-ed phone call would go out to every family that has a child in the school and inform them of the situation and what the protocol is.

I'm sorry, but I don't care what the situation is, a middle schooler does not need a cell phone in school.

I kindly disagree. The student can text or call to mom or dad directly and calm down both the parent and the child by both knowing they are connected. The school does not let the kids use the phones in the classroom for an emergency like this.

A cell phone could let the police on the outside know where the shooter is on the inside.

I understand you haven't been in that situation, but is has come up here (a kid with a gun in school) and my niece was able to text her mom that she was okay and locked in room x. (and not to be over-dramatic, it turned out the gun was fake and nothing happened, but at the time, an automated phone call home would have done nothing to ease the stress.)

But, again, the child needs to understand WHY they are allowed a phone. My niece was NEVER allowed (and my sister checked phone records) to use her phone for non-emergency use during school hours. It doesn't sound to me that the lady in the OP story would enforce this.

 

[ChrizJen]

But, again, the child needs to understand WHY they are allowed a phone.

I guess that mostly sums up what I meant...I don't actually see a problem with kids having the phones in their possession per se. I think they should have them to use in the event that there is a TRUE need to get ahold of a parent and they have no other phone access. But the 2 issues I have with it are A) Where do you draw the line between a TRUE need to call a parent and a kid who just has a tummy ache or wants to go home? And B) Not every kid is mature enough to know when it's appropriate and when it's not appropriate to use a phone at school.
So then you have the school making the decision of whether a kid using a cell phone in school should be reprimanded for breaking the rules, or should be allowed because he/she had an emergency.

 

[Micca]

I can understand and respect both sides of the phone debate. What mystifies me is why anyone would argue school policy in front of everyone at school orientation. Like the principal is going to say "You know what? You're right. I'm going to go ahead and make an executive decision and say we will allow kids to have phones". Sheesh.

 

[TwinsinCA]

Seems very fair to 99% of the parents there.

Was just that one Mom that could not grasp it.

I wouldn't assume that just because no one else said anything that they all thought it was fair.

I'm with handbag lady on this one.

 

[CharityLynn]

I am just going to my 10 year class reunion and obviously we didn't have cell phones in school back then (they may have become popular shortly after that) I can not think of one time in my life let alone school that I needed a phone and couldn't get to one.

My school was fine with letting you use the phone as long as it was for a reason, I can't understand why a school wouldn't let a child use the phone for something important. The problem is most kids using phones in school aren't using them for important reasons, just as another way to communicate and probably when they should be working on school things.

 

[MM27]

Our school does lockdown drills, during which the children are to be completely quiet and still, shades are to be pulled, lights are to be off and doors are to be locked. They want to make the bad guy think there is no one in the room. 20 kids scrambling for and talking on their cell phones or ringing phones with calls from nervous parents will put the entire class in more danger in the event an intruder is actually in the building.

Mine too. One of the "rules" in our lockdown procedures is to make sure that kids are aware that cell phones are not to be taken out and used. After we lock our classroom doors, we are to sit by our computer for communication via email, if possible. We practice the lockdown during the year and one of the big things is to make sure that the kids are silent.