Teachers reading texts on students' phones

[mwchris]

Why should it NOT be allowed?

I am assuming that many of you who are posting to this are under the age of 18. So, I can see why you may be so opposed to having "your things" confiscated and/or searched as I am sure I most likely felt that way when I was in school. But, I would like to pose the question:

Why shouldn't a teacher be allowed to confiscate and search your phone/computer/pda, etc. ?

It is a fact the the use of technology in education can be highly beneficial for students. (I just wrote a research paper on this topic.) However, the following are also fact:
1. When on school property you are required to follow all mandated rules. (Many of you have posted information from you handbooks, which I would assume most schools are have similar policies, that states something to the effect of "the use of phones or other electronic devices is/are prohibited on school grounds at <insert time frame> followed by the procedure of what will occur if the rule is broken.)
2. Schools have become significantly more violent than in the past. Just look at any news source you hear of some violent attack almost daily somewhere in the U.S. Before it was notes that passed around information about someone's plot to beat up someone, skip days, etc., but now in this tech savvy age people are using faster methods such as SMS messaging, emailing, blogs, etc.


It is the responsibility of schools to provide for the safety of ALL students in the school. If someone reading one person's "private" messages, aids in protecting the community as a whole, then it was all worth while. This may not work in all cases and the one's who have nothing to worry are most likely not going to break the rule anyway. Simply, if you don't want your privacy to be invaded, don't break the rules.

Now many of you older folks may believe that I agree that "big brother" should be allowed to wire tap our phones, check our e-mail, etc. My answer to that is NO. Schools are a much different place than that of the privacy of your own home where reasonable doubt is required to execute a search. The fact of the matter is that on property when there are specific rules set, you are at the mercy of said owners rules. And since it is a school we are talking about and since most students are under 18, they are not allowed to leave and must following the rules. Further, since most schools are considered public property you are welcome to challenge said rule(s) by way of your local city/county/state government and/or by contacting the school's Site Based Decision Making Council, Parent Teacher Organization, or Parent Teacher Association. However, I can assure you that most schools, and parents will be understanding of the schools desire to search one's phone/pda/computer if a student is caught breaking the rules, and most likely even if the feel the need because the safety of the ENTIRE school is more important than ONE person.

In addition, I would suspect that as phones and other wireless technology become more wide spread among those under 18 the installation of signal blocking devices in building will become equally more and more wide spread.


Ok, off my soap box. Oh, and I suppose I ought to mention that I am a teacher.

 

[iJohnHenry]

Now that we have heard from a teacher, let me speak on this subject.

Where I live for example (Canada), no way does a teacher have the right to do most of the things you mention. The police also don't have the right to just show up at school and randomly search lockers for drugs and guns like they do down there, either.

A school is for learning, not running drugs, guns, or anything illegal.

Contrary to recent events up in the Great White North, I have no problem with drug-sniffing dogs being allowed to cruise the locker areas, looking for anything "suspicious".

Once these little darlings cross the threshold of the institution, their ass is grass, for whatever you can catch them at.

So say I.

 

[zap2]

I am assuming

You know what happens when you do that!

 

[mikes63737]

Why does a student, in high school or lower, need to be passing notes or texting?

Because we're at school to learn, not to text, right?

Honestly, age has nothing to do with it. Have you ever sent a non work-related e-mail or text message, or made a non work-related phone call while you're at work? Played solitaire? Probably everyone has. You're at work to work, not to text.

How many High School/Middle School shootings are there? Really? I'm not saying they don't happen. But what are the odds that it will happen at your school.

There was almost one at my school last year, but they caught the kid a few days before he planned to do it.

http://www.wfsb.com/news/11205093/detail.html

I was assuming they lacked the skills for this, as if they did not, this thread would not have existed in the first place.

Some people do... I send ~50 texts per day while I'm at school and I haven't been caught in the 3 years that I've been texting. Some teachers don't care, but some have a 6th sense for cell phones.

Is there anything a Teacher *can't* do down there?

Nope.

And I didn't intend for this to become a discussion about whether cell phones should be allowed in school or not - I know that most people think that they shouldn't. But we all have to face the reality that cell phones are a big part of our lives and you can't tell kids that they can't use them at school.

 

[iMacZealot]

I think the point was, it less annoying.....but I use my phone all the time for "good" reasons. I text people about setting up bake sales, class meetings what homework we need, etc. I'm not saying everyone does, but you can use phones for useful reasons in school. I've written papers/ paragraphs on my iPhone, look up information.....phones are powerful tools, which can be used for learning, as well as play.

~*~*~*~

Well, if it lets one kid(which it will allow more then one) say good bye to his/her parents, then I'm for it. But not only for shooting cases, but for snow storms, or if something happens to a parent, and a kid needs to be informed quickly, etc...it allows kids to get information faster.

~*~*~*~

I'm sorry those things happened at your school, but that add nothing to your points. I don't care if that stuff happened at your school, your thoughts on the matter aren't suddenly more important then other's.

Well said. That was what my reply to that was going to be.

 

[mwchris]

Extreme/Different Circumstances

Well said. That was what my reply to that was going to be.

Regarding setting up school functions why would you be using your person cell phone to do so? The school has their own phones if I am not mistaken? Additionally, I find it hard for any school to accept that what you are doing is more important than another students education and therefore would not allow you to be sending text messages/e-mails to other students cell phone during the day causing a disruption in their learning. (Which they shouldn't.)

Regarding the extreme situation of a school shooting, they happen more than they should, which I am sure we can all agree. But, I am sure that a teacher or administrator is not going to take it away from you in that sort of situation. lets be realistic here. (I realize you context may be in response to "why should a students have a phone at all?" Thus I must state that I personally am not, nor are most schools, against students having phones, but using them during the regular school day.) Although, most schools have systems in place be it computerized, or by human known as a "phone tree", that notify parents of impending closings or delays. And, most schools submit this information to local TV and Radio stations.


To paraphrase what iJohnHenry stated, schools are for education, not socialization.

 

[EricNau]

Wow. Sounds like Nazi Germany. Is there anything a Teacher *can't* do down there?

Just for perspective... remember that most of these examples and replies only apply to the wonderful land called USA.

Where I live for example (Canada), no way does a teacher have the right to do most of the things you mention. The police also don't have the right to just show up at school and randomly search lockers for drugs and guns like they do down there, either.

.

Like I said before, the police do not have the authority to search lockers or backpacks without a warrant. School officials are the only ones with that power, and it is rarely put to use without cause.

 

[RedTomato]

Well, I'm well over 18. I actually have a daughter of my own.

And I'm outraged at some of the comments here. Sure, I accept that texting in lesson time is unacceptable. So is allowing your phone to ring in lesson time.

I occasionally do freelance lectures myself, and when in a small closed class situation, I do want people's attention to be on the topic, or on the group when in group work. I will ask for no phone calls or texting.

I should say that at other times, when it's an open lecture e.g. in an art gallery, and anyone from the public can attend, often there'll be several people making calls or texting. I accept that - in a public situation, listening to me is optional. It doesn't bother me in that type of situation.

In a school situation, (which isn't the level I lecture at) I also accept that a teacher can confiscate a phone for ringing or texting in class. It's a rude interruption and a distraction.

However, I *cannot* accept at all confiscating a phone for a) merely existing in someone's bag or b) texting in lunchtime or breaktime.

Breaktime is personal time for the students. It could be parents texting to inform their child of a rearrangement, or just people keeping in touch with each other. A phone is a modern communications tool, and using it responsibly is part of growing up. That means not reading texts or making calls *in* lesson time.

Breaktime is a time for socialising, catching up, resting, making arrangements, and that includes checking email, using phones, checking timetables etc.

I'm *not* a schools expert, but I don't think there's many schools in the UK that ban mobile phones. I think there's a few primary schools (for kids under 11) that ban phones, but for secondary schools (kids 11-16), AFAIK guidelines state that personal mobile phones are a vital tool for pupil safety when travelling to and from school.

xRedTomato

 

[iJohnHenry]

If someone wishes to audit one of your lectures, and keeps their mouth shut, I don't see a problem with texting at the same time. IF it is done in an unobtrusive manner.

Others there might actually be hanging on your every word.

 

[tedrjr03]

At my school if you get caught once they take your phone and you get iss for a day, and you have to get your parents to get your phone,

when i got caught i just refused to give them my phone, because i would have got the same punishment regardless

 

[RedTomato]

If someone wishes to audit one of your lectures, and keeps their mouth shut, I don't see a problem with texting at the same time. IF it is done in an unobtrusive manner.

Others there might actually be hanging on your every word.

Well, people tend not to make loud calls in an art gallery anyway. If they do then the gallery staff will shush them as part of their normal gallery duties. It's a public space, so there might be several people having a quiet private conversation at the next painting over. I see no problem with a quiet phone call at the same level as a quiet conversation. Basic politeness.

Sometimes I have up to 60 people on my gallery lectures, so others tend to move away anyway. But this thread isn't about adult activities, it's about use of phones by minors in a school environment. I've made my views clear on that above.

 

[LumbermanSVO]

Because we're at school to learn, not to text, right?

Right. When was the last time you had a class assignment that required the use of a cell phone?

Honestly, age has nothing to do with it. Have you ever sent a non work-related e-mail or text message, or made a non work-related phone call while you're at work? Played solitaire? Probably everyone has. You're at work to work, not to text.

I don't think you want me sending Emails while I'm at work I understand what you are getting at though. If I had a job where it was possible to do such things, I wouldn't include anything I wanted to stay private. I also wouldn't be upset about being caught. If I know what I am doing is against the rules and I get caught, I apologize, take the punishment and move on.

But we all have to face the reality that cell phones are a big part of our lives and you can't tell kids that they can't use them at school.

Why not? You can tell adults not to use phones in a movie theater(you can't take them away but you can remove the person) but not kids in a school? Seems a bit backwards.

Well, if it lets one kid(which it will allow more then one) say good bye to his/her parents, then I'm for it. But not only for shooting cases, but for snow storms, or if something happens to a parent, and a kid needs to be informed quickly, etc...it allows kids to get information faster.

Well, you could say that with many things then. If violating rule/law X allows person A to see/talk to person B in an emergency then we should get rid of rule/law X. You could easily apply this to all sorts of driving laws. If you think drivers are bad now...

I'm sorry those things happened at your school, but that add nothing to your points. I don't care if that stuff happened at your school, your thoughts on the matter aren't suddenly more important then other's.

Well, I guess I kinda came off wrong there. I wasn't trying to say that my opinions were more important or valid that someone else's. I was just trying to show that I'm not someone who thinks "That'll never happen."

 

[teflon]

Why not? You can tell adults not to use phones in a movie theater(you can't take them away but you can remove the person) but not kids in a school? Seems a bit backwards.

No one says its right to talk on your cell phone when the teacher is talking during class. I'm sure no one will remove you from the movie theatre if you used your cell phone during intermission. A movie theatre is also different in that its in almost complete darkness, therefore the light from your cell phone that comes on when you're texting will disturb others. If you're texting in the back of the classroom, you're not gonna disturb anybody. Whether it distract you or not is a different question, but there are plenty of ways to distract yourself during class. When there weren't cell phones, kids still found plenty of ways to not pay attention during class.

 

[EricNau]

I think many of you might be forgetting that at the High School level, teachers are still responsible for their student's learning. If any device is distracting one or more students, they are expected to remove the distraction. Plus, if teachers allowed cellphone use in their classrooms, the parents of the children with poor grades would in turn blame the teacher for allowing their child to be distracted.

While it would be great if we could trust High School students to be responsible for their own learning (like in college), it simply isn't realistic. Many students are in High School because they have to learn, while the majority of college students are in college because they want to learn.

Also keep in mind, the grades of the students reflect directly on the teacher as well as the school. If a teacher has an unusually bad grade average, they may be removed from their position.

 

[RedTomato]

In class, yes it's a problem.

Breaktime is different. In that situation, no way should a phone be taken away, except for exceptional reasons (which I'm sure do happen, but should not be the norm).

Going through someone's messages without due cause and a written reason is an invasion of privacy. Again, there are situations where it may be needed, but these should be exceptional and not the norm.

If a person is texting in classtime, then the bar to a teacher looking at their messages is lower, but it still should not be an automatic right.

I'm surprised at the teacher here who seemed to be saying, if I read him right, that mere possession of a phone in breaktime should be enough to have it automatically confiscated and all messages read. I hope my child never goes to a school like yours.

 

[Counterfit]

(probably un)Interesting factoid: My music theory professor has this policy:
Your phone rings in class: -1 point off your final average
a phone rings and nobody claims it: -2 points for everybody
Professor's phone rings in class: +3 for everybody.

Needless to say, there's only been one ring (in classes I've attended ) this semester.

 

[RedTomato]

(probably un)Interesting factoid: My music theory professor has this policy:
Your phone rings in class: -1 point off your final average
a phone rings and nobody claims it: -2 points for everybody
Professor's phone rings in class: +3 for everybody.

If I was there, I would have sneaked in and turned his phone on while he wasn't looking

 

[CalBoy]

Your phone rings in class: -1 point off your final average
a phone rings and nobody claims it: -2 points for everybody
Professor's phone rings in class: +3 for everybody.

That second one can actually get the teacher in a great deal of trouble.

If your grade is dependent upon the behavior of others, it isn't really your grade to earn anymore. It's suddenly subject to the jackassery of one of your classmates.

Such a policy is unfair and makes me question the logic that teacher uses for his phone-control policy.

A much better policy, I think, is one that simply involves mild humiliation. Teachers I've had have done anything from dance to the tune of your ringtone (surprisingly effective when the teacher is a horrible dancer! ) to simply staring the perpetrator down.

 

[annk]

My personal opinion:

It's good that schools have policies that forbid having phones on during classes, and I understand completely that some schools take them away if the rule is broken.

If a teacher feels a REAL need to check the content of an sms (suspicion of cheating, for example), I can see how that would be acceptable. But otherwise, the reading of students' personal information is an invasion. I'd lose respect for that teacher immediately. A teacher who CALLS from the phone (like the sophomore teacher mentioned) is WAY out of line. If that happened to me, I would make a BIG fuss via all available channels. That's incredibly unprofessional behaviour on the part of the teacher. Sheesh.

Taking points off a grade for something that doesn't have to do with academics is silly. If your behaviour is bad, then there should be consequences, but grades should reflect your academic performance.

I don't see any reason kids need to have their phones on while in class, so I support the schools that forbid that. But I don't see a reason they can't be used during breaks. Someone mentioned parents giving kids messages, and that's a good example of what I mean. You don't want to be calling the office to have them run messages to your kids. I did that once, to remind my son about his chiropractor appointment, and the stupid woman went into the classroom and announced in front of everyone that my son's mother was concerned he might forget his appointment. My son was thrilled.

 

[SBik2]

well im a freshman...
my school does allow cell phones on campus..(as long on silent/vibrate) we can use them any time except during class.. some of my teachers dont mind the texting.. only a couple out of my 6 teachers will take your phone without warning.. but if a parent is calling.. most teachers will allow us to take it..

and my geometry teacher is older.. (over 60 im pretty sure) hes a nice guy and lets me use Mac-calc as my calculatoor for that class. some times i abuse the policy of him allowing(just like all the other kids with smartphones)

but the teachers have no right to read our messages tho.. wen i take my iphone to school.. its on password lock
and with my tilt.. it vibrates loud so its just on slient(no vibe) so they never know

 

[ucfgrad93]

As a former teacher, I taught middle school science for 11 years, I took cell phones away from my students if it rang or caused any sort of a distraction in class. I would usually give it back at the end of the day. However, if they were difficult about the giving it to me I would then give it to the dean and let him deal with it.

As for reading the text message, I never did that. However, I once took a notebook from a female student, 13 years old. I did flip through that and came across an interesting note to another female student. It described how they were going to sneak out and get some beer and meet up with some boys. When I called the mom later that afternoon, she totally went off on me for invading her daughter's privacy and never even let me tell her about what I had read.

 

[Mord]

In light of what's happening in schools these days, student/teacher relations, or the other item, shootings, I say the teacher was right to read the messages. Someone once said, if you don't want it heard, don't say it. That should go for testing too.

That kind of thinking leads to totalitarian states.

 

[7on]

That kind of thinking leads to totalitarian states.

Except they're like what? 18 yrs tops? If you're still in HS or lower you're not legally an adult. Shackle the kids for all I care. My tax money is going to educate you wipper snappers so I better get my money's worth.

If I were a teacher, I would have one phone in my classroom. Landline. That I would allow the students to use for emergencies. And I would install cell phone blockers in my classroom to prevent any tomfoolery.

 

[prostuff1]

I know in our high school we were not allowed to have our phones on our person while school was in session. Between the first start bell and the last ending bell we were not allowed to touch our phones. I never had this problem as i never had a cell phone in high school, but I can remember kids having theirs taken away.

If i remember correctly we had a 3 strikes and your out policy. Basically, if they caught you a third time the phone was taken away for the remainder of the semester (my high school was on semesters).

I don't understand the need for students to carry around there phones while school is in. I have heard arguments that if a family emergency occurs that a student needs there phone for that situation. I find even that situation BS. Is it really that hard for the parent to call the school and have the message forwarded.

Oh well, thats my 2 cents

Except they're like what? 18 yrs tops? If you're still in HS or lower you're not legally an adult. Shackle the kids for all I care. My tax money is going to educate you wipper snappers so I better get my money's worth.

If I were a teacher, I would have one phone in my classroom. Landline. That I would allow the students to use for emergencies. And I would install cell phone blockers in my classroom to prevent any tomfoolery.

I actually had a teacher install those blockers. The funny thing was we had a girl ask why her phone did not work while in the classroom; talk about a blonde moment as it reveled she was using a phone in class.

 

[zflauaus]

You know, I've always wondered one thing since our school has restrictions on computers and cell phones (they banned frickin' Google Images for God's sake).

Do tax dollars go into public schools? As in, our tax dollars? So then wouldn't that make the school the publics, so then we could set whatever rules we want?