We’ve talked in great detail about students bringing their personal electronic devices at school and the complications that may result. We have also covered standards for searching these devices, and have provided a cell phone search checklist which may help administrators in these situations. In keeping with these discussions, I wanted to take some time to focus in on seizure – or confiscation – of these devices while bracketing the thorny subject of search for a while. Specifically, I want to be clear and state that even with a suspected or actual policy violation by a student, it may not be in your school’s best interests to seize that student’s device.
I recently chatted this out with Mark Trachtenbroit, Assistant Principal at Wheeler High School in Georgia. He remarked that his school used to take students’ personal devices when they were displayed or used between the morning bell and the afternoon bell because that contravened the formal rules their school had in place. However, it became a huge chore, leading to many of the complications I wrote about last week and the huge hassle of trying to warehouse, label, and manage all of the confiscated devices (and deal with angry parents who demanded their kid’s device be returned).
As such, the school decided that they would no longer confiscate phones, but just apply moderate penalties to students who broke the rules. For instance, the first violation would be a stern verbal warning. The second violation would lead to Saturday school. The third violation would lead to In-School Suspension. This tended to work in that it reduced the number of negative outcomes but seemed to be a less-than-ideal solution. Administrators felt they were, as they say, cutting off their nose to spite their face because punishing teens in this way kept them out of the classroom where they would be learning. This directly ties into the No Child Left Behind Act and the Adequate Yearly Progress measurement that allows our US Department of Education to determine how each school and school district is doing when it comes to properly educating our students (to do well academically on standardized tests) and meeting annual targets for reading, math, and graduation. The consequences for failing to meet these goals and targets are simply not worth risking, and it just doesn’t make sense to sternly discipline kids in the 21st Century from being kids in the 21st century. That is, the big-picture costs of punishing teens for being tethered to their technology is not worth potentially compromising the achievement of federally-mandated requirements.
This is an extremely important point, and one that many people do not seem to understand.
Perhaps the bottom line is that you cannot keep or deter all students from using their phones at school. It is going to happen. You can therefore decide to be prohibitive or permissive. You can officially ban them from campuses, or allow them during certain times (or all times).
Whatever you do, though, you will have to figure out a way to get students, educators, and parents on board, and probably approach it in a way that represents the climate you are trying to build and maintain. This climate should be all about encouraging the positive and responsible use of technology, and dissuading its misuse and abuse. We’ll be giving you specific advice to make this happen in weeks ahead.
Actually, when it comes to cell phone misuse, I would suggest shifting this statement: "This climate should be all about encouraging the positive and responsible use of technology, and dissuading its misuse and abuse."
The general challenge related to student use of cell phones is really not generally about responsible use of technology – it is use of technology at a time when such use is distracting the student or other students from appropriate attention to instruction. So REALLY the issue is not technology at all – it is doing something that is causing you to be off-task or is interfering with other students.
So the consequences also need to be guided accordingly. If a student is off-task – in any way – or is interfering with the instruction of other students – in any way – what should the consequences be? Why should the consequence for using a cell phone to be off task or interfere be different from shooting spitballs?
we should have been long day for this part wasn't over for sure and i have been experience not much with little insult of my life is really sucks life for being cyberbullying. i'm only the one get picked on and im bullied recently. i agreed already. Thanks!
i totally agree with this!! They havbe no right to confiscate my personal belongings away from me.
P.S- im a sophomore student
i totally agree with this!! They havbe no right to confiscate my personal belongings away from me.
P.S- im a sophomore student
I so agree with Nancy on this one. The teacher should simply note the student was in violation of the policy and the consequence would be whatever the policy would indicate. Allow the child to put the phone away. My own kids have been caught using their phones in class against policy and I get the calls on this. It helps bring me, the parent, into the equation as well. And I have my own consequences when this sort of thing happens too. And I do like the team approach in solving the problem. Honestly I need my kid to keep their phone as much as they do because it's a relief to be in contact throughout the day.
onomonopeia<3
Instead of suspension or taking the phone, why don't teachers create classroom policies that state, if you are caught on your cell phone texting etc…. They get a zero on the next assignment. If parent's have an emergency they need to call the school like they used to and the student can be called out of the classroom.
i dont think its smart to confiscate cellular devices while at school because if someone or yourself gets hurt then you have a way to contact someone if no one is around
we should have been long day for this part wasn't over for sure and i have been experience not much with little insult of my life is really sucks life for being cyberbullying. i'm only the one get picked on and im bullied recently. i agreed already. Thanks!
you can't take away someone's phone if they aren't even using it. that's stupid..
actually. i hated to being bullying over the world from now on….but im single for the one words i says the things…now my life is already sucks for a sure!
actually. i hated to being bullying over the world from now on….but im single for the one words i says the things…now my life is already sucks for a sure!
Are school should talk to are teacher and student about bulling cuz they well kill ther self and get heart … and people should stop taking people on onlying and phone or in school… if people are bullying you tell your teacher or parent or gowrup person to help u out ………..
I have children, they have been caught on there cellphones, I have to pick it up from the school. It is a hardship due to the fact that i work during school hours. Maybe they should take the phone and call me so that I am aware of the problem and give the child the phone back after school. I have had no idea her phone was taken and i called and called her and even left work because i couldn’t reach her and that’s my reasoning for not taking the phone but cyberbullying is definitely not okay and it doesn’t have alot to do with this topic.