Can Public Schools Ban Cell Phones in Class?

[butterfly]

Cell Phone Jammers.

Wall mounted, tied to the building security system. In the even of a safety event when the lockdown system is activated the cell phone jammers are automatically turned off.

WW

As they need to be. A child with a dinging phone is a poor sitting duck.

 

[butterfly]

I think we all know teachers do not want active cellphones in classrooms.

 

[j brown's body]

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.

"It's important to note thought that because of the lottery system, charter schools do not get any transient students, have more dedicated parents, more stable home lives, and have much lower percentages of disadvantaged students."

Link

 

[JMR]

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.

I am sympathetic to a parent's need to be aware if their child is in danger. I also wonder how alarmed parents rushing to the school would be at all helpful if such an awful event were to occur.

 

[Common Sense 1]

Yes to the question.

 

[NatMorton]

"It's important to note thought that because of the lottery system, charter schools do not get any transient students, have more dedicated parents, more stable home lives, and have much lower percentages of disadvantaged students."

Link

Yep, I know all the arguments. Fortunately, I've read the studies on MA charter schools and know those arguments are bullshit. They control for the "involved parent" theory by limiting the comparison to students who applied to charters. Almost every year there are more applicants who lose MA charter lotteries than students in charters, so it creates two sets of students, one in charters and other in traditional public schools, both with parents equally involved enough to attempt to get their student into a charter. The results are the same: superior student outcomes in MA public charter schools.

And if you want to compare MA charter results for special-ed and english language learners, you're in for a disappointment there, too. When you isolate those demographics, MA charters do even better.

Now, if you're working off the same tired teachers' union talking points, your next attempt to explain away the better results will be to claim that charters push out weaker students over the course of the year; those students must be accepted by the traditional public schools, and thus the charters produce better results by getting rid of students who struggle. I can tell you how the studies control for that unfounded accusation, too. So let me know when you're ready to process it.

 

[Helix]

Not sure what this means but it sounds like the voucher thing.
Do schools get to chose the students they accept?

It is the right wing strategy to destroy public schools by diverting their funding.

 

[reinaert]

Yes, but.

Each of the fixes feels like a law suit if things don't go perfectly, which seems like seeing the punch coming and deciding to wait and see if it lands.

 

[NatMorton]

It is the right wing strategy to destroy public schools by diverting their funding.

It’s a strategy to hold educators accountable for student outcomes, something the teachers unions (and their pals) fight against tooth and nail.

 

[acco40]

Yes, leave 'em in the locker.
What's the teacher for if the students have access to a calculator and Wikipedia?

Having access to a calculator and research isn’t the problem. Should we ban libraries from schools? Yes, if one follows your logic.

But I agree with you on the end conclusion, schools should have and should act to ban smart phones. There is overwhelming evidence that shows these devices (so called smart phones with access to social media) can be very, very disruptive to children, adolescents and even adults.

 

[acco40]

Yes, but.

Each of the fixes feels like a law suit if things don't go perfectly, which seems like seeing the punch coming and deciding to wait and see if it lands.

Law suit:

Lawsuit:

 

[Grand Mal]

Having access to a calculator and research isn’t the problem. Should we ban libraries from schools? Yes, if one follows your logic.

Absolutely ridiculous.
Would you allow students to use calculators while they're being taught long division or figuring area and volume?
Should students be allowed to access Wikipedia when asked to describe the events leading up to WW1?

But I agree with you on the end conclusion, schools should have and should act to ban smart phones. Their is overwhelming evidence that shows these devices (so called smart phones with access to social media) can be very, very disruptive to children, adolescents and even adults.

 

[acco40]

That is bullshit. Blaming parents is a copout.

Not really, especially for young kids. A minor cannot purchase a cell phone and sign a contract for service because they are not legally able to enter into a binding agreement for phone/internet service. Now, can an adult who is not the child’s guardian make such transactions? Yes, but that’s not what is happening.

 

[reinaert]

Law suit:

Lawsuit:

Cool.

 

[BirdinHand]

I am sympathetic to a parent's need to be aware if their child is in danger. I also wonder how alarmed parents rushing to the school would be at all helpful if such an awful event were to occur.

That’s going to happen whether or not the kids in a classroom have a cell phone.

It’s a strategy to hold educators accountable for student outcomes, something the teachers unions (and their pals) fight against tooth and nail.

How about the parents be held responsible? Teachers have 20+ kids in a class and cover material in a matter of 40 minutes or so for each subject each day.

It gets very strange for me to hear individuals advocate for personal responsibility, wanting to control books in libraries, wanting to dictate school policy in regards to bathrooms, etc…on one hand.

And then completely abdicate responsibility for student achievement, behavior, etc on the other. And blame the teacher for any failing in those regards.

 

[Helix]

It’s a strategy to hold educators accountable for student outcomes, something the teachers unions (and their pals) fight against tooth and nail.

Save that bullshit for the tourists.

 

[eohrnberger]

Yes they can and yes they should.
Not to the point of confiscation, but no cell phones turned on during class, and no cell phones out during class, unless, of course, instruction related.

 

[mrjurrs]

I think they can. Why would a student need a cell phone while class is in session?

I think schools can and should ban them. Yondr pouches work well for this.

Yes.

 

[NatMorton]

Not really, especially for young kids. A minor cannot purchase a cell phone and sign a contract for service because they are not legally able to enter into a binding agreement for phone/internet service. Now, can an adult who is not the child’s guardian make such transactions? Yes, but that’s not what is happening.

In my state, and in study after study, charter public schools have been proven to produce better student outcomes with same kinds of students as traditional public schools, and especially so in poorer, urban neighborhoods. Why aren’t parents a drag on MA charter school outcomes?

 

[NatMorton]

That’s going to happen whether or not the kids in a classroom have a cell phone.



How about the parents be held responsible? Teachers have 20+ kids in a class and cover material in a matter of 40 minutes or so for each subject each day.

It gets very strange for me to hear individuals advocate for personal responsibility, wanting to control books in libraries, wanting to dictate school policy in regards to bathrooms, etc…on one hand.

And then completely abdicate responsibility for student achievement, behavior, etc on the other. And blame the teacher for any failing in those regards.

How about stop blaming parents for traditional public school system failure?

See post 69.

 

[NatMorton]

Save that bullshit for the tourists.

It’s a fair bet they’d show more of an open mind on this subject than have you.

 

[BirdinHand]

How about stop blaming parents for traditional public school system failure?

See post 69.

Nah.

You do you though

 

[NatMorton]

Nah.

You do you though

Yes, thank you, I'll continue to care more about student outcomes than I will defending the status quo.

 

[BirdinHand]

Yes, thank you, I'll continue to care more about student outcomes than I will defending the status quo.

Sounds to me that you prefer to demonize public schools and public school teachers rather than hold parents accountable for their child’s educational outcomes.

But hey, spin it however you’d like.

 

[NatMorton]

Sounds to me that you prefer to demonize public schools and public school teachers rather than hold parents accountable for their child’s educational outcomes.

It sounds like you don't understand charters are public schools staffed by public school teachers.

But hey, spin it however you’d like.

But hey, continue to speak without an understanding of the facts involved and continue to demonize parents. It serves a purpose.