daughter's iphone stolen at school

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Oh well.


Live & learn...



Not to be so bloody stupid giving a kid a phone like that.....

John_3:16

Surely the insurance will not do anything without a crime number lost or stolen?

hermanmunster_3

A phone for a tenner would be ideal - less if you can manage.

Funnily enough I don't remember having a mobile phone when I travelled on 2 buses to school .. bit of change in my pocket for the public phone ..

hazelwoods

-N34 wrote: »

Again, why have the school not done anything? If I were breaking the law, the police would make sure that I didn't do it again. But the school seem to be "cool" about letting them bring phones? It's obvious that it's there to cover their backs.

Oh I AM enjoying this debate

Various scenarios are possible.
a) Children could be frisked as they enter school to see if they have a banned item with them. This will take time and extra accomodation. Never mind the fact that it is against the law (rules that are there to be ignored anyway)

b) All schools could spend thousands of pounds installing lockers. These thousands of pounds would come out of the school's budget. So what do you suggest the school cuts back on? How about the one subject your child is desperate to take to A level?

c) School insurance could be used to replace high risk items which are stolen. This would add to the insurance costs. Let's just cut back another department that your child's desperate to take to A Level.

d) How about a radical scenario? Parents take responsibility for their children and their phones. If a child has a valid reason for having a phone it could be kept safely in school (possibly in the office) and the child could get it at the end of the day. They don't need it during the day. If a parent desperately needs to get a message to the child they can phone the school and ask for the message to be passed on. Children do not NEED their phone at school but they all WANT them. As for high risk items such as iphones, they are definitely NOT NEEDED in school.

This whole debate started because a high risk item was stolen in school. It was not simply that a phone was stolen. Parents have to at some point take responsibility for their children's actions. High risk items should never be taken to school. They are not the school's responsibility they are the parents' responsibility. If a parent takes the risk and allows a child to take a high risk item to school (against school policy) then they will both learn a very valuable, and expensive, lesson if the high risk item is stolen.

I'd be very interested to know the age of the girl whose iphone was stolen and the child who stole it. That could add a whole new slant onto the "who is responsible?" question. One thing is certain. The school should not be made responsible for the iphone.

Fire_Fox

You can buy a whole range of cases for iPhones -I have this one which has both a belt/ waistband clip and armband:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marware-SportShell-Convertible-Case-iPhone/dp/B002MY524G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1272807996&sr=8-1
This website has a huge range of neck lanyards, carabiners and security straps, a quick Google shows that the company has a good reputation:
http://www.strapya-world.com/categories/12_646.html

I am firmly in the camp of disagreeing that any child NEEDS an iPhone at school, all that is required is a means of communication. If you were unhappy with school policy on mobile phones this should have been addressed with the headteacher, not flouted! :huh:

DarkConvict

I have read though this topic with interest and have come to the same conclusion as many others, common sense has failed.

The policy of the insurer is not to leave the mobile phone unattended in a public place. The phone was left unattended in a public school. Your insurance will not pay out, theft or no theft it is not covered for this reason.

Is the school liable for it? The school already has a policy of no devices in school, this is a clear indication that they are not going to be covered by the schools liability. The school is to look after the welfare of the child not the child personal property. Your daughter should have looked after the phone personally or given it to the teacher. So no they will not pay out for it, as they are in any way liable.

Police, by all means get the police involved this is a case of theft and the school should cooperate fully, this will be a long drawn out process and depending on the age of the kids may or maynot likely get anywhere.

All in all, the childs belongings are always a risk, giving a child a £300-600 phone which is a well known target for thieves is to be honest utterly insane. Children are in lessons allday, If you need to get in touch ring the school they will send someone to the classroom to tell them about, it happens all the time. In the event it is needed that you need to contact the child directly tell me now why a text/phone call cannot be made to a £10 PAYG phone, why did they need an IPhone. That is a rhetorical question, they don't need it they just wanted it, you caved in and brought them one.

I think at the end of it, considering children are still learning and not aware of the consequences of their actions, you should look to yourself and think am i to blame for ignoring the risks of society, you made your daughter a target of crime by giving her the phone. You can blame the thief all you like but as the adverts say don't leave it on display otherwise you are just as much to blame for encouraging human nature and taking the easy route. Your daughter is likely to have shown off the phone is everyone now not many if any kids have IPhones so they would be a very easy target to find in school!

hazelwoods

The majority of replies seemed to agree that an iPhone at school was too much of a risk, but I'm also sure we'd like to hear how this turned out.

skintdragon

DarkConvict wrote: »

I have read though this topic with interest and have come to the same conclusion as many others, common sense has failed.

The policy of the insurer is not to leave the mobile phone unattended in a public place. The phone was left unattended in a public school. Your insurance will not pay out, theft or no theft it is not covered for this reason.

Is the school liable for it? The school already has a policy of no devices in school, this is a clear indication that they are not going to be covered by the schools liability. The school is to look after the welfare of the child not the child personal property. Your daughter should have looked after the phone personally or given it to the teacher. So no they will not pay out for it, as they are in any way liable.

Police, by all means get the police involved this is a case of theft and the school should cooperate fully, this will be a long drawn out process and depending on the age of the kids may or maynot likely get anywhere.

All in all, the childs belongings are always a risk, giving a child a £300-600 phone which is a well known target for thieves is to be honest utterly insane. Children are in lessons allday, If you need to get in touch ring the school they will send someone to the classroom to tell them about, it happens all the time. In the event it is needed that you need to contact the child directly tell me now why a text/phone call cannot be made to a £10 PAYG phone, why did they need an IPhone. That is a rhetorical question, they don't need it they just wanted it, you caved in and brought them one.

I think at the end of it, considering children are still learning and not aware of the consequences of their actions, you should look to yourself and think am i to blame for ignoring the risks of society, you made your daughter a target of crime by giving her the phone. You can blame the thief all you like but as the adverts say don't leave it on display otherwise you are just as much to blame for encouraging human nature and taking the easy route. Your daughter is likely to have shown off the phone is everyone now not many if any kids have IPhones so they would be a very easy target to find in school!

Well said!

I cannot imagine why a child would NEED an iphone in the first place. I wish we were not so materialistic.

anonymousie

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

An iphone taken to school? You must all be cracked!

sorry bit totally agree. Im afraid school will say not to do with us and the insurance wont cover as left unattended...

Even my nearly 17yr old has an alcatel 1 minji which is a smashing cheap phone for exactly these reasons (and yes she has mates with iphones that take them to school- but they are from "moneyed" families and loss wouldn't be a disaster if you can afford to write off £200-400.....

anonymousie

hazelwoods wrote: »

Oh I AM enjoying this debate


c Parents take responsibility for their children and their phones. If a child has a valid reason for having a phone it could be kept safely in school (possibly in the office) and the child could get it at the end of the day. They don't need it during the day. If a parent desperately needs to get a message to the child they can phone the school and ask for the message to be passed on. Children do not NEED their phone at school but they all WANT them. As for high risk items such as iphones, they are definitely NOT NEEDED in school.

This whole debate started because a high risk item was stolen in school. It was not simply that a phone was stolen. Parents have to at some point take responsibility for their children's actions. High risk items should never be taken to school. They are not the school's responsibility they are the parents' responsibility. If a parent takes the risk and allows a child to take a high risk item to school (against school policy) then they will both learn a very valuable, and expensive, lesson if the high risk item is stolen.

I'd be very interested to know the age of the girl whose iphone was stolen and the child who stole it. That could add a whole new slant onto the "who is responsible?" question. One thing is certain. The school should not be made responsible for the iphone.

Interesting thoughts-

On the whole the kids at my elder 2 childrens school do need phones before and after school- they almost all travel by bus/train or rely on parents to collect. Problems/delays/early finishes so happen (eg 2 weeks agothey were both chucked out at 12.30 as no water in schools!).

THe boys school used to say "phones to office" but it didn't happen and if it did they'd be overwhealmed by it! (DD2s primary needs a letter saying why a phone is needed and they do put them in the office). However the kids campained for an official policy change, and both boys and girls keep phones in lockers which is fine.

HOWEVER there isn't any reason why a fairly basic phone isn't good enough, and those who do bring iphones as I said, seem to be those who can afford to loose them. THer isn't any one up manship/ bullying re phones but maybe that is because they are selective schools ? (that doesn't mean bullying doesn't happen though) or maybe my kids can just ignore it I don't know.....THey put up with their cheapy phones (as I said the alcatel one mini is actually a bl**dy high spec phone for few£)

ITA it is my/my kids look out, not the school if they take a high value item in and it gets stolen.