Teachers can now check students cell phones for...

[millerx]

Click Here.

 

Are their any rights being violated?

[budlitebrad]

The school must protect the students, but this definitely has the potential for abuse. I know the ACLU has been pressuring several school boards with similar cell phone policies to only search phones when they have reasonable cause.

[KSUChiefsTarheelFan]

A. They shouldn't even be allowed to have cell phones in schools.

 

B. If they are caught texting in class the phone should be taken away til the end of class or the entire day, just like when kids would get a love letter taken away if caught writing one. I remember those days, and the teacher was mean for reading it in front of the class but was well within her right to embarrass me in order to keep me from doing it again.

 

3. Why is this news?

Edited May 28, 2008 by KSUChiefsTarheelFan

[SheikYerbuti]

Are their rights being violated?

 

Are there any rights being violated?

 

Double fixed.

[Egret]

A. They shouldn't even be allowed to have cell phones in schools.

 

B. If they are caught texting in class the phone should be taken away til the end of class or the entire day, just like when kids would get a love letter taken away if caught writing one. I remember those days, and the teacher was mean for reading it in front of the class but was well within her right to embarrass me in order to keep me from doing it again.

 

3. Why is this news?

Word. A new technology doesn't change the rules.

[Kid Cid]

I have to agree that there is no reason for kids to have cell phones turned on while at school. No reason to search them if they can't be used.

[Skippy]

I have to agree that there is no reason for kids to have cell phones turned on while at school. No reason to search them if they can't be used.

In total agreement.

 

Having said that, my child does carry a cell phone to school but it is only because there is potential for me to not be home when she gets off the bus. That phone is turned off and given to the teacher until the end of the day.

[AtomicCEO]

This is tough for me. I don't think teachers should have the right to access a kid's cell phone.

 

But I also don't think that any kid should be allowed to use a cell phone in school.

 

So I guess, the common sense thing is to ban cell phone use and provide punishments for getting caught... the #1 punishment being that the teacher is allowed to look at what you were doing.

 

Seriously? I couldn't even wear a baseball hat in high school. How can cell phones not be banned?

[TheShiznit]

agreed, except they should be allowed strictly to communicate with family/guardian. EVERY call or txt should be inspected and if it's not family, then detention.

 

Family and guardians can communicate with the student through the office personel. I absolutely agree with this type of tactic. It is rediculous that kids bring cell phones to school and use them. I think what Skippy has his kid to is appropo.

[The Holy Roller]

Our school policy is that kids can have them but they stay in the locker during school. You get caught with one and the teacher can confiscate it and it stays in the safe in the office until a parent comes and gets it. Kids are using them to text each other during class/tests.

[cliaz]

This is tough for me. I don't think teachers should have the right to access a kid's cell phone.

 

But I also don't think that any kid should be allowed to use a cell phone in school.

 

So I guess, the common sense thing is to ban cell phone use and provide punishments for getting caught... the #1 punishment being that the teacher is allowed to look at what you were doing.

 

Seriously? I couldn't even wear a baseball hat in high school. How can cell phones not be banned?

 

 

Tell me about it. I wore a baseball hat one day in high school and you would have thought I was smuggling drugs. hell, we couldn't even chew gum.

 

But as far as student rights go, children do not have the same rights as we do as adults. So, yes, a teacher does have the rights to view text messages on a cell phone for someone under the age of 17.

[rocknrobn26]

Coulda sworn I read somewhere that after the Columbine and other school shootings, that school's were allowing them in the classroom as a safety measure, so to speak.

[rocknrobn26]

The shooting not too far from Columbine last year allowed a young lady to phone her family and tell them that she loved them before some sick fu(k killed her.

Also, didn't some college in IL send out emergency txt messages when that guy went shooting?

 

My alum....NIU.

[Perchoutofwater]

My wife's school allows the kids to have cell phones, but if they are out during class then they are taken to the office, and the student can get them back at the end of the school day after they pay a $5 fine. It seems to work pretty well.

[KSUChiefsTarheelFan]

Coulda sworn I read somewhere that after the Columbine and other school shootings, that school's were allowing them in the classroom as a safety measure, so to speak.

I can see that, but at the same time thats why they put security cameras in most schools. There is no reason for kids to have cell phones on in school, period. There is too much room for suspicion when it is possible to text during class. I have an 18 year old brother that graduated with just above a 3.0 but can't tell me what year Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Not to mention he texted me ALL the time when he was in high school. I would tell him to turn his phone off and pay attention in class, and he would respond with "I got this all under control bro! LOL"

 

 

Not cool....maybe I am just jealous because I wasn't as spoiled as kids today.

 

Also, didn't some college in IL send out emergency txt messages when that guy went shooting?

Key word....COLLEGE. I go to UNC and have received the same text more than once. Eve Carson was killed just after 5:30am and I received a text at 6am. College is totally different, and not to mention if I am caught with my phone out or the ringer isn't off in ANY of my classes, I will be asked to leave.

 

There is NO excuse for HS kids or below to have them on or out.

Edited May 28, 2008 by KSUChiefsTarheelFan

[budlitebrad]

But the original question wasn't about using cell phones in class, it was: do teachers have the right to search through someone's phone and private information?

 

For example, what if a student was accused of smoking on campus? Does that give a teacher the right to seize their cell phone and look for anything suspicious?

 

Cell phones are like computers now and hold a lot more than just phone numbers. There is a lot of sensitive information that students may not want others to know about.

Edited May 28, 2008 by budlitebrad

[KSUChiefsTarheelFan]

But the original question wasn't about using cell phones in class, it was: do teachers have the right to search through someone's phone and private information?

 

For example, what if a student was accused of smoking on campus? Does that give a teacher the right to seize their cell phone and look for anything suspicious?

 

Cell phones are like computers now and hold a lot more than just phone numbers. There is a lot of sensitive information that students may not want others to know about.

Which is why if there are no cell phones allowed, there is no controversy. If a kid takes a picture of the test and texts it to a friend, that is considered using it.

 

so i think using the phone IS the issue.

Edited May 28, 2008 by KSUChiefsTarheelFan

[budlitebrad]

Which is why if there are no cell phones allowed, there is no controversy. If a kid takes a picture of the test and texts it to a friend, that is considered using it.

 

so i think using the phone IS the issue.

 

But what if there was an incident where the student wasn't even using their phone? What if it was shut off in the student's bag and had no significance in the incident until a teacher went searching through their things, found it and started scrolling through their text messages? It's not like you can keep kids from bringing their phones to school.

Edited May 28, 2008 by budlitebrad

[Kid Cid]

But what if there was an incident where the student wasn't even using their phone? What if it was shut off in the student's bag and had no significance in the incident until a teacher went searching through their things, found it and started scrolling through their text messages?

That's the point really. If there is no use of cell phone (including texting) by the students during school time then there is no need for the teacher to be looking through the contents of the cell phone. Hence solving one problem really solves both.

[rocknrobn26]

I can see that, but at the same time thats why they put security cameras in most schools. There is no reason for kids to have cell phones on in school, period. There is too much room for suspicion when it is possible to text during class. I have an 18 year old brother that graduated with just above a 3.0 but can't tell me what year Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Not to mention he texted me ALL the time when he was in high school. I would tell him to turn his phone off and pay attention in class, and he would respond with "I got this all under control bro! LOL"

 

 

Not cool....maybe I am just jealous because I wasn't as spoiled as kids today.

 

 

Key word....COLLEGE. I go to UNC and have received the same text more than once. Eve Carson was killed just after 5:30am and I received a text at 6am. College is totally different, and not to mention if I am caught with my phone out or the ringer isn't off in ANY of my classes, I will be asked to leave.

 

There is NO excuse for HS kids or below to have them on or out.

 

I am not supporting the premise of them being on, but I can see a reason to allow them to have them in their possession, turned off and put away.

When I was teaching (CC) my first rule was "OFF", no vibrate, "OFF"! If you have someone who needs to contact you in an emergency, have them call the Campus Cops, better and faster response. If/When a phone rang I would stop lecturing, tell them to leave, and have a sit down w/ them after class. I laid down the rules first day in writing. Over the course of several years I had very few instances and the ones that I did have never reoccurred.

[KSUChiefsTarheelFan]

I am not supporting the premise of them being on, but I can see a reason to allow them to have them in their possession, turned off and put away.

When I was teaching (CC) my first rule was "OFF", no vibrate, "OFF"! If you have someone who needs to contact you in an emergency, have them call the Campus Cops, better and faster response. If/When a phone rang I would stop lecturing, tell them to leave, and have a sit down w/ them after class. I laid down the rules first day in writing. Over the course of several years I had very few instances and the ones that I did have never reoccurred.

Which is exactly what ALL of my professors do here at UNC. Kudos to you for doing it at your school.

[yo mama]

My wife's school allows the kids to have cell phones, but if they are out during class then they are taken to the office, and the student can get them back at the end of the school day after they pay a $5 fine. It seems to work pretty well.

That's how I think it ought to be. And if, upon reasonable suspicion of cheating, the school wants to "search" the phone that's fine by me. In places like schools, at the border, airports, etc. we've got a lessened right to privacy and the 4th amendment doesn't apply as firmly as it does in our homes, offices, cars, etc.

[yo mama]

That's the point really. If there is no use of cell phone (including texting) by the students during school time then there is no need for the teacher to be looking through the contents of the cell phone. Hence solving one problem really solves both.

That won't work. Students need to be allowed to use their phones while on campus: just not in class.

[KSUChiefsTarheelFan]

That won't work. Students need to be allowed to use their phones while on campus: just not in class.

In college, but not in high school or middle school.

[yo mama]

In college, but not in high school or middle school.

Sorry. If I want to be able to get in touch with my kids on a non-emergency basis when they are in high school or middle school that's none of your business, so long we're not interrupting classes. You're free to set whatever cell phone policy you want with your kids, though.

Edited May 28, 2008 by yo mama