Mobile phone confiscated

halibut2209

Here's an interesting* one

Daughter was using her phone at school and had it confiscated. Fair enough, no problem with that. Mrs H told that we had to go and collect it. Again, don't really have an issue with that.

So she went down there and after about 20 minutes of nobody having a clue what was going on, she was told that she couldn't have it til the end of the day.

I'm not sure they are allowed to do this. It's not their property and surely if the child's parent wants it returned they don't have the right to refuse.

Any thoughts?

*might not be that interesting

bod1467

Technically it is the child's phone, thus the parent may not have the absolute right to demand the child's property from the school?

/straw-clutching.

likelyfran

I would make a BIG complaint over this. Sounds firking ridiculous and like the school or certain staff members are getting above themselves/on a bit of a power trip.
They should have handed phone back to Mrs H. immediately.

halibut2209

According to the Parents Guidebook

"Students who use a mobile phone during Academy hours will have it confiscated and a parent will be requested to come into the Academy to collect it"

Doesn't say anything about when

esuhl

I agree -- confiscating the phone is fine, but they don't have any right to keep the it if they had told Mrs H she could collect it. If they'd explained what had happened and said that it's not convenient for them to see Mrs H until the end of the day then again, fair enough.

I would've been tempted to have suggested (i.e. not actually done so!) that I could have called the police and report that the school had stolen it. They can't expect parents to repeatedly travel to and from the school several times until it happens to be convenient for them to give it back.

Do they have any official policy on confiscated items so you know where you stand if it happens again?

(Wow -- you lot can type quick! Anyway, judging by the Parents Guidebook and the fact that they'd asked Mrs H to collect it, failing to mention any particular time in either case, I'd have been livid and would have demanded they hand back the phone immediately.)

halibut2209

Just what is posted above

ThumbRemote

halibut2209 wrote: »

So she went down there and after about 20 minutes of nobody having a clue what was going on, she was told that she couldn't have it til the end of the day.

Sounds like they've lost it, and want to fob you off to get enough time to try and find it again.

halibut2209

Well, I'll be asking them why they didn't give it to my wife when I go there in a bit. I expect some sort of fobbing.

spacey2012

The police will back up the school, authority never question authority on demand of the public, if it did, it would fail to be authority.

halibut2209

That gives me an idea. I'm friends with the police officer who is assigned to the school in question. I might see what he thinks should I not be happy with the school's response

Hintza

A bit naughty not to give it back after asking her to collect, and the school should then give it back to the daughter at the end of the day to save further hassle.

But I do hope your daughter got a detention for her disregard of school rules.