My son's school doesn't allow cell phones at all, do you agree? We don't! Are we wrong?

Question

We think that they should be allowed but they should be turned off. What good is a phone in the locker in an emergancy situation.

My son is in 10th grade, and the emergancies I am concerned with are the columbine type things, there was a threat at his school last year and they dismissed them early. If that type of thing happened at his school I would like to know that his can reach us or the police quickly.

Answer 1

I don't agree because if you get picked up from school u need to have a cell phone to contact the person that is suppose to pick u up. Also even thought the school has phones the line can get tied up if other kids are trying to use it.

Answer 2

I can understand your concerns. But there was time, once in a long ago world, where there were no cell phones, no pagers and guess what........everything was just fine in this long ago world of about 15 years ago.

Cell phones, I have one, and would not leave home without it. But in a situation like school, work, church and other gathers of large numbers of people where your attention should be focused on the matter at hand, should be kept out.

You and i know that now a days it is not so much just the talking on the phone, the ringing of the phone but........guess? The Texting on the phone. I bet you can text faster than I can write and receive another texted message before I can say....wow look at that. That is disruptive, that is just plane not getting an education. And if I was a teacher, the cells would be checked out at the entrance to the school.

And if I was your parent, I would demand that the school teach the you and the others with as little outside interference as possible. After all the average student in a public school cost each parent about 8900 a year. think it over. what is more important.

The emergency situation will be met by the proper school officials.

Answer 3

If there were a family emergency, you should contact your sons school and notify them of the emergency. If your son had an emergency in school the school would notify you. I do feel that in this day and age kids beyond secondary schools (specifically 8th grade and up) should have a cell phone (even one of the newer kinds where it only lets you call certain numbers orrecieve calls from certain numbers) available but it should remain on silent (at least) if not turned off during classes preferrably in the students locker (how often is an emergency gonna happen over the course of a school day and how likely is it that phone will make any difference). that way the child had it with them during walk/or commute to and from school and that way it would not be a distraction to studying and learning, my daughter is 6 and I can not see her getting a cell phone for another 10 years (unless we lived in downtown and she had to use true public transportation to get to and from school, not the school bus system)

Answer 4

It is a great policy, albeit almost impossible to enforce. If there is really an emergency, a call to the school's front office is all that is necessary; they will call the child to the office and, at the same time, begin any necessary paperwork to dismiss the child from school while informing teachers, principals, and any other staff members. Calling the child first will only delay the dismissal procedure as the school will know nothing about what is happening.

Additionally, if the phone is turned off, it won't do any good in any case, emergency or otherwise.

Answer 5

What grade is your son in? I think that the school is probably not wrong with not allowing cells in the classroom - too distracting. Kids are always text messaging their friends. I don't understand why a child needs a cell phone in class...if there is an emergency, the school should be contacted and they can easily find him and inform him on what is happening - a phone on silent will not be any better! I'm sure the school is not trying to be mean...just looking out for the best interests of the students. Good luck on this.

Answer 6

Yes I agree that phones should NOT be taken to School.
We managed perfectly well without them when I was at school.
Children go to school to learn, not to socialise for heavens sake. The people they are phoning or texting will see them in 8 hours, so let them bloody wait!!
What sort of emergency allows you time to find the key, open the locker, switch on the phone, wait for a signal and then dial out?? Get real!! If there was an emergency the reception has a phone with a constant line and signal!

Also do you know how many children are beaten up and mugged either at school or on their way to and from school for thier phones? Are you really willing to take that risk with your son?

Seriously, come on!!! Phones in School, a definate no no for me!

Answer 7

How old is your son? I suspect that, as often happens, privileges are withdrawn when they are abused. Based on the number of kids I see with cell phones attached to their ears the school probably decided that the cell phones were interfering with the real reason kids are at school: to learn**. If they arent talking, they are I.M - ing. I would see no problem with a turned off cell in a backpack - in case of an emergency - perhaps that could be a reasonable compromise between parents and administration.

Answer 8

What good is the phone if they have to have it off all day, as you suggested? No phone is much easier for the school to police, and you can always call the school office in an emergency. We did without cell phones for a long time and still got messages to kids in school.

Answer 9

After Columbine, there is a law stating that students are allowed cell phones at school. At the elementary school I work at, students may have them, but must keep them turned off and put away during school hours. If we see the phone during class time, we can take it away. As long as your son keeps the phone in his pocket or backpack and turned off, I don't see a problem.

Answer 10

I think the locker is good. All the teachers have phones and panic buttons. The cell phone should be turned off in a locker. But if you really need it write a note excusing him to your Independent school district board, and the principle. Make sure you say you talked to the board.