Classroom Cell Phones

[Pryderi]

Poll question: Classroom Cell Phones

Should non-college age students be allowed to have cell phones at school?

[Pryderi]

1. How did your parents contact you when you were at school? Mine called the office, then

they called down to my classroom.

[KitchenWitch]

2. Yes, but they should be turned off during class.

[lizziegrace]

3. My mom was at home and she could call the office

I was a single parent when Lelapin was in HS. She had a cell that she took to school and kept it turned off in her locker when she was in class. After school, she checked for messages and would call me when she was staying late so I wouldn't worry.

[Pryderi]

That's very reasonable. I have friends who are teachers and are considering purchasing

cell phone jammers for their classrooms.

[lizziegrace]

11. I don't blame them

there's no reason I can think of for a student to need a phone in the classroom. (every classroom at my daughter's HS had a telephone on the teacher's desk)

[bigwillq]

4. Yes.

As long as they're turned off or on silent.

[Lyric]

5. Yes, but kept in their backpacks with the ringers turned off.

I can easily imagine a situation involving violence in school where student access to cell phones very well might save lives. Still, they should never be permitted to be "out" during class, and the ringers should always be turned off, with consequences like detention if a ringer is left on.

[madeline_con]

13. We had a bomb scare. The kids were told not to turn their cells on.

The first thing they did when they got outside was call home to tell Mom what was happening. They could have detonated something in one of the backpacks, which the Assistant Principal reminded them to bring with them to the tarmac. :crazy:

[LeftyMom]

6. As long as they're not a disruption.

[XemaSab]

7. One of my college teachers

used to walk over to the student with the ringing phone, ask for the phone, answer the phone, and say "He's in class right now. He'll call you later."

Needless to say, she didn't have a lot of problems with ringing phones in her class.

[leftyclimber]

10. I've done that. It's very effective.

:evilgrin:

[sakabatou]

8. Yes, but they should be turned off.

In event in an emergency, they can be outside of class.

[leftyclimber]

9. And if I had my druthers some college-aged ones wouldn't be allowed them either.

I would hereby like to ban the following:

1. Play-by-plays of one's daily activities. Hi. Yeah. I'm walking down the hall. Now I'm getting in the elevator. I'm standing here waiting. When I get there I'm going to go to the bathroom. Then I'm going to Professor so-and-so's class. and on and on and on

2. Driving through campus at high rates of speeds while yakking or texting. This is particularly effective near crowded crosswalks.

3. Thinking the instructor won't notice if you take the call reeeeally discreetly. I let that caller know that her BFF was in class right now, and BFF could call her back after class let out. And if the BFF is getting the play-by-play (see 1.), WTF is she doing calling during class, anyway?

4. Texting across the table in the study area. Everyone else is talking anyway. Your direct interaction with each other won't disturb anyone else. Really.

5. Talking in the restroom while one pees. Also while I pee. And everyone else pees. Do your friends want to hear your tinkle-noises? Because I sure don't want to hear you talking on the phone while I pee!

[Lucian]

12. Fuck no.

College age students shouldn't be allowed to have cell phones in class either. When I was in school, I wanted to beat this person whose cell phone kept ringing at 8:30 am every MWF in lecture. I swear to god, I should have followed that douchebag out of class when he answered his phone and beat the living shit out of him.

Edit to add what's the point of a kid having a cell phone in class if it's turned off?

[leftyclimber]

14. My rule is that if students have a genuine need to have their cell phone on in class

(e.g., they have a child they need to keep track of, a serious illness in the family, are on the organ donor list) they can keep their phone on vibrate and leave the room as discreetly as possible if they get a call.

Everyone else, no soap. It disturbs the other students, most of whom are there to learn something.

There's a professor on another site that makes her students do an interpretive dance to their ringtone if their phone goes off in class. I'm a grad student; I'm saving that one for once I get tenure. :evilgrin:

[Lucian]

15. I like that...

making students do an interpretive dance to their ringtone. :rofl: