Charging $20 to get cell phones back at school

[WhoGetsTheMoney]

Where does the money go that gets collected for a kid having a cell phone confiscated at school? WGHS has that policy in place that if a kid gets their phone taken to the office , the parent has to redeem it after school and has to pay $20. When my son came home today and told me the new policy I was astounded.

[Scrounger]

They can do whatever they want until somebody calls em on it but I dont see how they can legaly do it when its the persons property.If I paid it I would for sure get a reciept.

[Teacher]

I am a teacher at a county school. We don't allow students to pay to get them. They don't get them back for awhile. 1st time you get it back after a week, 2nd a month, and 3rd time you don't get it back until the end of the year.

[just 2 help]

id take the reciept where u bought the phone the first time and tell the principal i dun bought it once and if i buty it again it'll b in the form of a fine cus ill go to jail! its not a threat cus u didnt say "im gunna whup ur a$$"

[Leave The Phone Home]

A phone is not needed at school. If it were my child, I would tell him or her to leave the phone at home. Our schools need our support as parents.

[NoChance]

Teacher wrote:

I am a teacher at a county school. We don't allow students to pay to get them. They don't get them back for awhile. 1st time you get it back after a week, 2nd a month, and 3rd time you don't get it back until the end of the year.

I don't understand how you can keep their property. I agree with punishing them, but if they really wanted to get their cell phone back I bet they could get it. In reality, those cell phones are owned by the parents who pay for them.

[Teacher]

It is school board policy. You could fight that battle in court and lose or teach your child some responsibility.

I don't make the rules. I would say WGHS has the same policy but allows the students to buy them back early.

It is in the school rules so you can't say you didn't know and neither can the student.

[just 2 help]

if you are a single & busy parent some times you may need to text or call them while on the bus ! if the phone is off they shouldnt take the phone .

[Teacher]

And I would guess most schools let them turn them in when they get there and pick them up when leaving. The problem is students record other students and put it on Facebook, sext, text, etc.

Also, a student has no reason to text or take calls from a parent during school. Maybe on the bus... Maybe. But at school? Call the office and have them give your child a message.

[Opie]

I as a parent consider it a safety device... there are kids LIVES been saved. because they had their there cells with them, few weeks ago kid got kidnapped from school she was saved because they didnt find her cell.... this is your child... are you STUPID....??????I think they should be manditory.....dont believe they should be turnd on in school but safety device to have with them.... glad some of you NOT my parents.... damn..

Schools should re examine the policy... a kid gets kidnapped on their property,,,and the cell that could have saved them taken away. HUGE LAWSUIT..for the school......

[WhoGetsTheMoney]

I fully understand and agree that students don't need cell phones at school. I am simply wondering about the policy of making them pay to get their phone back after it has been confiscated. This actually happened today at WGHS. A student had to pay $20 to get their phone back.

[Bare feet]

It is my understanding that you DON'T have to pay. If you choose not to pay, the phone Will be returned after a period of time. One or two weeks. If you want the phone returned immediately then you pay the money. Also, most teachers won't make a big deal about it unless the phone is out at an inappropriate time.

[NoChance]

That is what I wonder. I fully understand them not wanting the kids to have cell phones in school, but I can't see them being able to keep personal property if a parent wanted to come get it. If I was a parent, I sure wouldn't pay the school $20 to get it back. There are much better ways to punish them than taking their personal property. That phone that they confiscated could be a difference between life and death on their ride home. I don't drive anywhere without a cell phone, and I wouldn't expect some teen to either. If they have a wreck, then that cell phone can get in touch of 911 much quicker than having to wait for someone to drive by. Horrible policy in my opinion, and that sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Punish the kids, but find a better way than taking their method of communication.

[Teacher]

Let me turn it around on you Opie. Let's say you have your cell phone at school and you text Otis to come pick you up. Andy doesn't know you are sneaking off with Otis. Teachers know you have the phone. Talk about a HUGE lawsuit there.

I don't see a lawsuit in your scenario but I guess it could happen.

[NoChance]

Again, there are ways to keep them from using cell phones without keeping the phones for long periods of time. My suggestion is, if they get caught, then keep the phone until school is over for the day and add some severe punishment to go along with it. Don’t make them drive home without it because that will cause problems if something happens.

I don’t have a kid, so I’m just thinking out loud. I know how some people are, and they aren’t going to like this policy and will likely fight it at some point.

[Scrounger]

I'm not gonna argue whether its right or wrong to have a phone at school I just don't understand on what grounds they can hold your personal property for ransome like that.

Teacher wrote:

Let me turn it around on you Opie. Let's say you have your cell phone at school and you text Otis to come pick you up. Andy doesn't know you are sneaking off with Otis. Teachers know you have the phone. Talk about a HUGE lawsuit there.
I don't see a lawsuit in your scenario but I guess it could happen.

I see your point but honestly I cant see how they could sneak off anyway.The schools have such a clamp on the kids they cant do anything w/o somebody knowin it.

[Teacher]

If you don't like the policy I would suggest going to the school board to get it fixed.

[NoChance]

Teacher wrote:

If you don't like the policy I would suggest going to the school board to get it fixed.

Honestly, you seem very defensive about it. No one has said anything out of the way. We are just throwing out concerns and opinions. As a teacher, I would think you’d like to hear all opinions and see if anything can be improved. Although, at this point I doubt you are even a teacher.

[Teacher]

I'm not being defensive. Sorry I come off that way. I really don't have a problem with cell phones as long as students aren't using them. I also don't think students should be allowed to have them in the bathroom, but anything else is fine with me.

I am being serious... If you don't like it, contact the school board.

[NoChance]

Teacher wrote:

I'm not being defensive. Sorry I come off that way. I really don't have a problem with cell phones as long as students aren't using them. I also don't think students should be allowed to have them in the bathroom, but anything else is fine with me.
I am being serious... If you don't like it, contact the school board.

Sorry if I misinterpreted what you were saying. I'll leave any actual complaints to the parents, but I just thought I would throw out some of my concerns over the policy. My only real problems with the policy is the asking for money to return them and concern over safety when they drive home. I've been in a serious wreck before, and I was very thankful to have a cell phone after the wreck. That is my perspective on it.

Other than that, I'm glad they are trying to crack down on cell phones being used in schools. I just think there may be better ways to punish the cell phone users.