mobile phones in schools - yay or nay?

gettingtheresometime

peachyprice wrote: »

I wonder how many of the people who voted NO leave their phones at home when they go to work?

I think one of the biggest problems with mobile phones in schools are children playing games/looking at social media during lesson times.


I'm guessing most employers would have a similar issue.

Hillwalker11

My sons, now late 20's were allowed phones at school only because many travelled long distances to school by bus or train.However they were not allowed to use them during the school day at all. It proved a blessing when the driver of the bus my eldest son was on had a heart attack at the wheel along a very rural road. They managed to call an ambulance and keep on hold while they gave CPR. He survived. An instance when a mobile is incredibly useful.

pinkshoes

Our school allows kids to bring them to school (rural location) but during the day they must be switched off and in their bags.

If we so much as spot them in a pocket we are allowed to confiscate them.

The rules are clear. The kids know the rules. If they choose to break them then they know the consequences.

Most parents support the rules. One parent even took 4 days to collect their child's phone after they became verbally abusive to the teacher when it was confiscated.

jackomdj

My children's school have phones off in class, unless a teacher has told them to use them (I've for research, or to take a photo of homework, easier if it is a lot to take a photo than transcribe it all)

Red-Squirrel_2

I do think they should be returned to the child at the end of the day if confiscated. If they have them for safety reasons or because they need to be able to contact a parent for a pick up etc. it could cause issues, some teens are carers or have parents who can't just come in to get a phone at 3pm, and you've solved the problem of disrupting lessons by then so it just seems unnecessary and a bit of a power trip.

PrettyKittyKat

Our local school put a blanket ban on phones on the school site last year. the exception being when the bell goes for the end of the day and they leave lesson they can take their phone out, but not before school on school site. However, if they are in an afterschool club or study session the no phone rule continues. If a phone is seen or heard included the headphones being sneakily put in the ear, then it is confiscated. This has worked well, was communicated in advance in several ways, and is for not only aiding concentration/reducing distraction but also for safeguarding issues. Sadly the incidences of people snap chatting each other and posting it all over the internet to ridicule is on the rise so at least this means your child is safe from this during school times!

Rachel83

I don’t see why phones are not incorporated more into the school day rather than ban them, they’re a great asset with camera facility’s, recording features for notes and internet for research. Yes they can be a distraction but they can also be a great help. I use mine as a dictaphone and photos are great to take quick shots of things rather than write them down.

powerful_Rogue

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

I do think they should be returned to the child at the end of the day if confiscated. If they have them for safety reasons or because they need to be able to contact a parent for a pick up etc. it could cause issues, some teens are carers or have parents who can't just come in to get a phone at 3pm, and you've solved the problem of disrupting lessons by then so it just seems unnecessary and a bit of a power trip.

I don't. Teaches them a valuable lesson that breaking the rules has consequences. It then puts pressure on the parents to instil discipline on their children for breaking the rules if they have to come in and pick the phone up.

If the parent or carer can't pick it up for a week, then i'm pretty sure little Jonny won't be getting it out when he's not allowed again.

SuperPikachu

I voted no.

phryne

clairec79 wrote: »

I don't have a problem with them being turned off, not in use during school time.

However I was annoyed when I ended up having to go down to the school to pick up my daughters phone - not with the fact that they confiscated it, my argument was can't you give it back when school ends as she was going on a trip immediately after school and she needed to ring me to pick her up afterwards (they claim they will be back at a certain time but never works out so she rings or text to say they have left - after me sitting in the school car park for an hour this was the compromise)

The school I'm thinking of has a policy that if a child is caught with their mobile phone it gets taken off them for 24 hours.