Cellphones in school

SuperBigFan69

SuperBigFan69

Head Coach
A lot more districts are now banning them. What are your thoughts?

The comments I see the most on social media are one of three

1. "No one is taking my phone, that is my property, they can't take that"

- I mean, if you brought an 80 inch flatscreen to school, we would take that from you, even though it is your property

2. "I am not giving up my phone, what happens if there is a shooter in the school"

- I get this, I do. We had a shooting a few miles from my school and we were in lock down and the kids were getting info and texting their parents. I don't think it is their REAL reason for wanting their phone but I get it.

3. "My kids are not going anywhere where they can't reach me if they need me"

- You are an annoying parent. Shut up. Stop your gentle parenting.

Runner Up: "What about kids that have medical issues and need their phones, like kids with diabetes"

- Tough break, here is a sugar cube! Kidding, clearly those kids would have their phone still.

As a parent or a teacher (hero) what are your thoughts?
 
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The State of Ohio banned them for all students in public schools. I know helicopter parents are going to Helicopter....

There will always be excuses for parents. I always wondered how we all survived without them. It is amazing what parents think kids can't survive without. It is amazing to me that this is the hill that parents want to die on. I say this, not knowing what the percentage of parents is against this policy.

Interesting book for y'all to read. I have read parts of it and have listened to part of it on audiobook.

www.anxiousgeneration.com

The Anxious Generation Out Now. Order the Book.

From New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Coddling of the American Mind, an essential investigation into the collapse of youth mental health—and a plan for a healthier, freer childhood
www.anxiousgeneration.com www.anxiousgeneration.com
 
Crusader Husker said:
The State of Ohio banned them for all students in public schools. I know helicopter parents are going to Helicopter....

There will always be excuses for parents. I always wondered how we all survived without them. It is amazing what parents think kids can't survive without. It is amazing to me that this is the hill that parents want to die on. I say this, not knowing what the percentage of parents is against this policy.

Interesting book for y'all to read. I have read parts of it and have listened to part of it on audiobook.

www.anxiousgeneration.com

The Anxious Generation Out Now. Order the Book.

From New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Coddling of the American Mind, an essential investigation into the collapse of youth mental health—and a plan for a healthier, freer childhood
www.anxiousgeneration.com www.anxiousgeneration.com
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It is the mix of what I coined "Parking Lot Moms" and the "My Rights" parents, when it comes to the "No one is taking my ____________ phone, what if they need to reach me"

I made it through 12 years of school with never once "needing to reach" my parents.
 
I get both sides. I still have one left in high school. He is an honor roll student and doesn't get into much trouble. He also has a pretty rough medical condition so I like him to have his phone.

My two takes-
1- Kids don't need phones in school but that doesn't mean they shouldn't have them. They will spend the rest of their lives relying on electronics and technology at their fingertips. Schools should be incorporating them so students are learning with the tools they will be using the rest of their lives. AI is going to run our world... might as well embrace it from an education standpoint.
2- The biggest argument I have heard for removing them is that phones become problems for one reason or another by students abusing the privilege of having them. My response is always why aren't they punishing the kids who make mistakes instead of creating blanket policies that punish all. The kids who screwed up will learn some lessons in accountability, which benefits them in the long run, and it also provides incentives for the remaining kids to behave.

Bottom line is I don't really care because I think phones are a minor problem compared to so much other crap parents and teachers are dealing with.
 
Hilltop said:
I get both sides. I still have one left in high school. He is an honor roll student and doesn't get into much trouble. He also has a pretty rough medical condition so I like him to have his phone.

My two takes-
1- Kids don't need phones in school but that doesn't mean they shouldn't have them. They will spend the rest of their lives relying on electronics and technology at their fingertips. Schools should be incorporating them so students are learning with the tools they will be using the rest of their lives. AI is going to run our world... might as well embrace it from an education standpoint.
2- The biggest argument I have heard for removing them is that phones become problems for one reason or another by students abusing the privilege of having them. My response is always why aren't they punishing the kids who make mistakes instead of creating blanket policies that punish all. The kids who screwed up will learn some lessons in accountability, which benefits them in the long run, and it also provides incentives for the remaining kids to behave.

Bottom line is I don't really care because I think phones are a minor problem compared to so much other crap parents and teachers are dealing with.
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This is a good response!

Now, I agree with a lot of what you say and you bring up a great point of "why not just punish the kids making the mistakes"

Well, if the policy is to not have your phone and/or to not have it out, I can tell you right now, that even the honor students (I teach tons of them) have their phones out OR take them out. A lot of times, it is just for a few seconds, to hook up to Spotify or something like that, but trust me when I say that even the honor kids have them out or take them out.

So I think that is the reason why there are blanket rules. It would sort of be like saying "Heck, I don't drive fast, why do you need speed limit signs?"

I think they should have them in school if they want to bring them to school but that during class they should be put away into a phone caddy. They can check during passing periods and lunch (and PE since that is not a real class or Shop class right @funhusker I kid, I kid) and that way they are still in the room for them to grab when a school shooter comes in with their guns blazing.
 
Our school has been no phones in classrooms for a long time. They can have them in lockers. So kids can get a quick check between classes but it cuts down on a lot of classroom distractions. That seems to work well.
 
Mavric said:
Our school has been no phones in classrooms for a long time. They can have them in lockers. So kids can get a quick check between classes but it cuts down on a lot of classroom distractions. That seems to work well.
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This is a pretty popular solution and a lot of schools start off with this rule.
 
SuperBigFan69 said:
This is a good response!

Now, I agree with a lot of what you say and you bring up a great point of "why not just punish the kids making the mistakes"

Well, if the policy is to not have your phone and/or to not have it out, I can tell you right now, that even the honor students (I teach tons of them) have their phones out OR take them out. A lot of times, it is just for a few seconds, to hook up to Spotify or something like that, but trust me when I say that even the honor kids have them out or take them out.

So I think that is the reason why there are blanket rules. It would sort of be like saying "Heck, I don't drive fast, why do you need speed limit signs?"

I think they should have them in school if they want to bring them to school but that during class they should be put away into a phone caddy. They can check during passing periods and lunch (and PE since that is not a real class or Shop class right @funhusker I kid, I kid) and that way they are still in the room for them to grab when a school shooter comes in with their guns blazing.
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I think your last paragraph is the solution. Great idea.
Satisfies the parent’s concerns about school shooters and getting messages to their kid throughout the day but also prevents the phones from being a distraction or being used to cheat in class. And the kids can still stay connected to their social media bs between classes. Win win win.
 
admo said:
Taking phones away from kids at school is wrong.

Taking away their Copenhagen is just mean and rude.
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I could not even imagine what it would be like for a student, that is locked in their classroom because of a school shooter...and they reach in their pocket and realize that they don't have their tin of chew with them because of some stupid school rule.
 
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