Can Public Schools Ban Cell Phones in Class?

[j brown's body]

Yep.

I’d be ALL for saying no cell phones in school…but considering American kids get gunned down in their classrooms, we can’t cross the cell phone bridge until we can assure the safety of our kids when they go to school.

It’s quite sad.

Cellphones are not helpful in mass shootings. In fact, they can make matters worse.

 

[j brown's body]

This has become a HEATED topic on social media lately.

Schools are trying to do so and parents are pushing back hard and saying “nope - you can’t guarantee my child’s safety at school they’re going to have a way to call for help if they need it”

I think a reasonable compromise is that kids simply have to keep their phones put away during class time

These are folks Republicans want to put I charge of education.

When few kids put away their phones, what is a teacher supposed to do?

 

[BirdinHand]

Cellphones are not helpful in mass shootings. In fact, they can make matters worse.

It has nothing to do with being “helpful”. Throwing a stapler at a shooter isn’t going to necessarily be helpful either.

Our kids should be able to call or text their family when they face one of the scariest experiences of their life and potentially the end of their life.

 

[j brown's body]

School phone bans benefit the kids..

No-phone day at Saint George's school leaves students feeling free: 'I would do this every day'

Something was missing in Saint George’s School on Thursday. A lot of somethings.

www.spokesman.com

Teachers know it.

72% of U.S. high school teachers say cellphone distraction is a major problem in the classroom

Some 72% of high school teachers say that students being distracted by cellphones is a major problem in their classroom.

www.pewresearch.org

 

[BirdinHand]

These are folks Republicans want to put I charge of education.

Not necessarily. I’m firmly in the camp of “nope, my kid will have a phone and I’ll fight you over it” and I’m an actively involved parent that strongly believes in the value of an education and has strong expectations for my child‘a behavior at school and academic participation.

That’s still MY kid, and if god forbid the worst happens - my kid is going to want to talk to or text ME.

When few kids put away their phones, what is a teacher supposed to do?

Contact the parent and tell them.

Tell the kid to put it in their backpack.

If they break that rule, follow whatever the disciplinary procedure is at your school.

 

[j brown's body]

It has nothing to do with being “helpful”. Throwing a stapler at a shooter isn’t going to necessarily be helpful either.

Our kids should be able to call or text their family when they face one of the scariest experiences of their life and potentially the end of their life.

Cellphone communucation during a school shooting can include false information rpthat could make the situation worse.

 

[j brown's body]

Not necessarily. I’m firmly in the camp of “nope, my kid will have a phone and I’ll fight you over it” and I’m an actively involved parent that strongly believes in the value of an education and has strong expectations for my child‘a behavior at school and academic participation.

That’s still MY kid, and if god forbid the worst happens - my kid is going to want to talk to or text ME.

Contact the parent and tell them.

Tell the kid to put it in their backpack.

If they break that rule, follow whatever the disciplinary procedure is at your school.

Yeah, I got tired of admonishing kids to put their phones away and contacting parents over and over and over and over again. The policy is a joke. Being a phone cop is not what I signed up for.


It sounds like you're putting yourself ahead of the needs of your kid. Sending your kid to school without a phone is what's best for the kid. Again:

No-phone day at Saint George's school leaves students feeling free: 'I would do this every day'

Something was missing in Saint George’s School on Thursday. A lot of somethings.

www.spokesman.com

 

[BirdinHand]

Yeah, I got tired of admonishing kids to put their phones away and contacting parents over and over and over and over again. The policy is a joke. Being a phone cop is not what I signed up for.


It sounds like you're putting yourself ahead of the needs of your kid. Sending your kid to school without a phone is what's best for the kid. Again:

No-phone day at Saint George's school leaves students feeling free: 'I would do this every day'

Something was missing in Saint George’s School on Thursday. A lot of somethings.

www.spokesman.com

I agree that no, you didn’t sign up to be a cell phone monitor.

And I’m sorry kids don’t listen.

But many of us have kids that do. Don’t drag us into the conversation. The only person that even likely knows my kid carries a phone is his helper. It’s in the front pouch of his backpack and he doesn’t touch it during the day. I know that because I have parental controls and can see anything he does on it.

The problem is the parents that aren’t teaching their kids to respect their teachers and rules. No phone use means no phone use. It’s quite simple to tell your kid to put them phone in their bag and don’t touch it unless an emergency. And then - as a parent - enforce that rule.


My son knows that if he touches that phone during school and it isn’t an emergency, he loses his iPad time at home. And he knows I’m serious when I say that, because I don’t make arbitrary rules and if I give him an ultimatum, I follow through with a consequence. Every.single.time.


Your problem is the parents - and it sucks and I’m sorry.

 

[NatMorton]

You may be under the false illusion that it is the schools which are responsible for educating the students.

It is the parents' responsibility to see to it their kids are educated.

That is bullshit. Blaming parents is a copout.

 

[BirdinHand]

That is bullshit. Blaming parents is a copout.

How is it a cop out?

It’s your kid. Do your job and make sure the kid is doing their school work and following the rules at school.

Set that expectation from day 1, and then follow through on that expectation daily. Year in and year out.


Parenting is an active job…not a passive one.

And educating your child is a big part of the job.

 

[j brown's body]

That is bullshit. Blaming parents is a copout.

There is a very successful charter school in New York City, and when they accept applicants, they don't evaluate the students, they evaluate the parents.

The reason should be obvious.

 

[BirdinHand]

There is a very successful charter school in New York City, and when they accept applicants, they don't evaluate the students, they evaluate the parents.

The reason should be obvious.

That’s the advantage of private education. They get to be selective in who they admit.

 

[NatMorton]

How is it a cop out?

It’s your kid. Do your job and make sure the kid is doing their school work and following the rules at school.

Set that expectation from day 1, and then follow through on that expectation daily. Year in and year out.


Parenting is an active job…not a passive one.

And educating your child is a big part of the job.

Well bleated.

Educators, do your job.

 

[BirdinHand]

Well bleated.

Educators, do your job.

I guarantee you that ANY teacher you talk to would prefer to have a classroom of kids who have supportive parents that prioritize education and reinforce education and school policies at home.

Sadly, many of our public school teachers have classrooms where at least a handful of parents don’t even bother to show up for parent-teacher conferences, let alone reinforce anything being taught at school.

The problem isn’t the teachers - it is the parents.

 

[j brown's body]

I agree that no, you didn’t sign up to be a cell phone monitor.

And I’m sorry kids don’t listen.

But many of us have kids that do. Don’t drag us into the conversation. The only person that even likely knows my kid carries a phone is his helper. It’s in the front pouch of his backpack and he doesn’t touch it during the day. I know that because I have parental controls and can see anything he does on it.

The problem is the parents that aren’t teaching their kids to respect their teachers and rules. No phone use means no phone use. It’s quite simple to tell your kid to put them phone in their bag and don’t touch it unless an emergency. And then - as a parent - enforce that rule.


My son knows that if he touches that phone during school and it isn’t an emergency, he loses his iPad time at home. And he knows I’m serious when I say that, because I don’t make arbitrary rules and if I give him an ultimatum, I follow through with a consequence. Every.single.time.


Your problem is the parents - and it sucks and I’m sorry.

So schools should allow kids to have cellphones in school, to the detriment of their learning and psychological well-being because you want your kid to be able to call you in the event of a school shooting.

I get it, but I disagree. The negatives far outweigh the positives.

 

[j brown's body]

I guarantee you that ANY teacher you talk to would prefer to have a classroom of kids who have supportive parents that prioritize education and reinforce education and school policies at home.

Sadly, many of our public school teachers have classrooms where at least a handful of parents don’t even bother to show up for parent-teacher conferences, let alone reinforce anything being taught at school.

The problem isn’t the teachers - it is the parents.

Teaching at a struggling school, I often wondered if my students had a single book in the house. Do their parents model reading? Did they read to their kids as infants?

I wondered.

 

[BirdinHand]

Teaching at a struggling school, I often wondered if my students had a single book in the house. Do their parents model reading? Did they read to their kids as infants?

I wondered.

I’ve been there before myself, it’s not an easy job and in addition to being professionally challenging it can be personally heart breaking.

You get my empathy. You’re doing the hard work and trying your best. That’s all you can do.

So schools should allow kids to have cellphones in school, to the detriment of their learning and psychological well-being because you want your kid to be able to call you in the event of a school shooting.

I get it, but I disagree. The negatives far outweigh the positives.

A phone on silent in the pocket of a backpack isn’t a detriment or impediment to anything.

This wouldn’t even be a conversation if kids could all do that.

 

[NatMorton]

There is a very successful charter school in New York City, and when they accept applicants, they don't evaluate the students, they evaluate the parents.

The reason should be obvious.

There are highly successful public charters here in MA, and it's illegal for them to select students. They take all applicants and when they're oversubscribed, it's a lottery.

These charters dramatically outperform MA's traditional public schools, and they do it with the same types of kids (and parents).

The assertion public education can't be improved with greater accountability for outcomes is a cruel lie.

 

[bomberfox]

Im certainly in favor of not allowing phones in classes.

 

[bomberfox]

Of course i went through school without a phone and didnt really bat an eye at it.

 

[cpwill]

Yep.

I’d be ALL for saying no cell phones in school…but considering American kids get gunned down in their classrooms, we can’t cross the cell phone bridge until we can assure the safety of our kids when they go to school.

It’s quite sad.

....just to note:

1. Cell Phones do not protect you from a shooter.

2. The odds of a shooter coming to your school is vanishingly small (thankfully)

3. The odds of phones in school degrading kids' education is incredibly high.


I am not certain this is an effective counter argument to the evidence of the efficacy of students not having phones in schools.

 

[Rumpel]

Of course i went through school without a phone and didnt really bat an eye at it.

same here …

 

[bomberfox]

....just to note:

1. Cell Phones do not protect you from a shooter.

2. The odds of a shooter coming to your school is vanishingly small (thankfully)

3. The odds of phones in school degrading kids' education is incredibly high.


I am not certain this is an effective counter argument to the evidence of the efficacy of students not having phones in schools.

Yeah i mean worse comes to worse parents can contact personnel to ensure their children’s safety. I would have been in big trouble if i brought a nokia to school but by the time i got out of high school blackberries were just falling out of fashion.

 

[cpwill]

Yeah i mean worse comes to worse parents can contact personnel to ensure their children’s safety. I would have been in big trouble if i brought a nokia to school but by the time i got out of high school blackberries were just falling out of fashion.

Well, to be fair, if a shooter had attacked your school, you could, actually, probably have beaten him to submission (or deflected the bullets) with a Nokia. I do have to grant that argument.

 

[AliHajiSheik]

Phones should be stored in a cabinet along with the phasers and the tricorders. What is the topic again?