<p>So on Saturday, my school sent out the dreaded "school starts soon" newsletters with information about the upcoming year and policy changes. One thing that caught my eye was a change to our cell phone policy.</p>
<p>In school years before 2009-2010, the basic policy was that if you had your cell phone, it was taken up and the parent could retrieve it for you (and you were also given a punishment such as after school detention). If it was taken up again, it was held for the rest of the year and you also received another punishment.</p>
<p>However, last year (2010-2011) they made a change to the policy where they no longer took up the phones. Instead, you simply received the punishment.</p>
<p>Now, for the new school year (2011-2012), their new policy states that if your phone is taken up, it is kept until a parent can pick it up PLUS a fine must be paid to retrieve it (the fine increases per each offense). In addition, a punishment is also given to the student.</p>
<p>Is this even legal? I spoke with my aunt about it who is a teacher at another local high school (in the same district as mine), and she said her school couldn't implement a similar policy due to legal problems. I live in Louisiana if it's any help.</p>
<p>^^^How many times has that happened? Couldn’t you could use a school phone if it did happen? I’m sure they would allow it.</p>
<p>^^What is the issue?</p>
<p>Another thing: how would they even know if you had a cell phone unless you were stupid enough to use it in front of a teacher? Pretty sure they’re not allowed to search your stuff for a cell phone.</p>
<p>I just meant that there’s a difference between discouraging cell phone use by providing punishments when rules that ban them are not followed and taking the phone (unless you’re suspected of some further rulebreaking through the phone, e.g. cheating) and charging fines to return it.</p>
<p>Shouldn’t matter whether or not you have your phone. I personally think you should be able to carry it on you whenever. Also. I’m sure it is legal I mean. It had to go to the board of education I would think. I mean I’m pretty sure schools can’t just implement policies out there ass. So there had to have been some legality in the matter in which we are speaking.</p>
<p>Yeah, you don’t really need a phone at school, and if you do, you should never be using it such that you could be caught. I wouldn’t worry about it.</p>
<p>Per [district] policy, [school] teachers are encouraged to develop lessons and classroom learning activities which may utilize students’ personal internet capable laptops, cellular phones, or other devices. Cellular phones, and other personal electronic devices, will be confiscated when students have them out during instructional time without the teacher’s permission.</p>
<p>Phones are also allowed during passing period and lunch. iPods and other similar devices are not allowed at all (though people still bring them to school regularly without being caught).</p>
<p>It’s not a matter of having or not having the phone. Admittedly, along with 99% of the students at my school, I do bring my cellphone to school. Do I use it during class and interrupt my learning? No, of course not. However, it’s the fact that if confiscated, I’m going to have to pay an increasing fine to retrieve /my/ property. I’ve seen many students have their phones taken up simply because a teacher happens to see it laying in a backpack when it’s not being used. </p>
<p>It’s also stated in our policy (I left it out), that the school district is in no way responsible for any damages or losses while the cell phone is in the school district’s hands. </p>
<p>You’ve been notified of the consequences, so just don’t break the rule if you don’t want to pay. There are fines for littering, so I don’t litter because I don’t want to pay. I’m not going to litter and then say that it is an unjust punishment when I get caught.</p>
<p>My school lets us use our phones at lunch and between classes and during break. If a kid uses his phone in class and gets caught they are supposed to 1) get warned 2) have it taken away until end of day and referral 3) taken away until a parent picks it up and referral. I’m not sure what happens after the third use, but none of my teachers have ever taken my phone away (I only know a handful of teachers who do, and that’s after they’ve already let you off with it once or twice). Most don’t mind me using it after they’re done teaching and I’m done with my work and some don’t really care if I use it in class because they know no matter how much I text I’m still getting an A in the class.</p>
<p>Wow I never knew so many high schools were so strict on cell phone use. At my school it’s fine to have one and do anything with it as long as it’s not the middle of class. If a phone goes off or someone uses it during class, it’s up to the teacher to decide how to deal with it. Most just tell the student to put it away or silence it, some take it for the remainder of class, and the worst I’ve heard is a detention being given for repeat offenders. I think the official policy is supposed to be somewhat more strict (only use during lunch or free periods), but it’s definitely not enforced.</p>
<p>At my school district, they take it up and you must pay ($15 iirc) to get it back. (and a parent must be there to pick it up)</p>
<p>I live in Texas and I know there is a law that allows schools to do that. (they actually put the text up in a few places to stop students from being morons and getting themselves in more trouble too…)</p>
<p>I can think of other (legal) instances where you have to pay to get your property back. For example, if I have too many unpaid parking tickets and my car gets towed . . . I have to pay to get my car back. I’m not sure how this differs from your cell phone example.</p>
<p>I have never heard of having to pay to get your cell phone back if it is confiscated, kinda a novel idea I think. My school’s policy is you can’t have your phone turned on and use it you can keep it in your bag turned off and no one cares. Some teachers don’t care if you use it in study hall of the last period of the day (which is like a study hall).</p>
<p>At our school (in Oklahoma), you CANNOT have a cell phone out from the hours of 8-3. If you are found using one, it is confiscated and your parent has to pick it up. But, most of the teachers don’t even care, so it turns out to be a joke anyways.</p>
Are you kidding? I mean, really, everyone I know brings their phone to school.</p>
<p>I graduated this year, but my high school’s policy is this:
Through my junior year (or was it sophomore year?), if you were caught with your phone during school hours, it was taken away FOR A WEEK! Some people said the school people even read your texts that were in it or even used your phone and tried calling on it…might be just a rumor, idk. The next year, the policy changed. If it was taken, you could get it back by paying $5, which was stupid for such a low fee because just about everyone has $5 with them at school and could get it back. It also depended on the teacher. Some didn’t care and would just say to put it away.</p>
<p>We aren’t allowed to use them during passing time or at lunch- same rules, they confiscate the phone. Same goes for iPod, iPads, laptops, etc. (except for senior exam week, in which seniors can bring whatever they want and use it in between exam periods)</p>
<p>We don’t have any written policy that I know of about using them for lessons in class. Sometimes teachers do though. We could use iPods or iPhones in Physics a few times for some video stuff.</p>