To think it is ridiculous that the school have confiscated MY phone????

[Slipperyslopin]

DS (14) was going out last night with a friend to see a movie after school. He didn't know when it ended and then we couldn't find it on the website so I told him to take his phone so he could call me afterwards and I could collect him. He told me his phone wasn't charged, so I gave him my one. He is very trustworthy and careful and I knew he wouldn't lose it, besides I'm not on call at the moment so I wouldn't need it during the day, and I'd rather he had a way to contact me if needed. During school the phone turned on in his pocket (Iphones ) and an alert went off for an update or something. His teacher heard it and confiscated the phone as they are not allowed in school, even if off. DS then had to call me from the office to say he would use his friends phone instead. All fine, fair enough I thought. However I then found out that the school policy is to keep the phone for a fortnight. I have unpredictable shift patterns and I actually do need that phone back, it has important work contacts on and is the number I am generally contacted on by whole family as we don't have a landline atm. So I went in and explained the situation and they REFUSED to return it! They've said they're keeping it for the full 2 weeks. I told them, it's a work phone, it has confidential stuff on it, it has all my work contacts and is an emergency number for DH on his passport, and as he is in France at the moment I needed that phone back. They just kept repeating that it is policy and they can't return it, I even had the head teacher tell me this! Surely it's against the law! I need that phone and they WILL NOT return it to me! What should I do? Can I get some form of legal action done here? This feels a hell of a lot like theft to me. I'm so beyond angry at them, any advice?

I travelled to school on a public bus from the age of 11. Both my parents worked. I coped. When I started teaching in 1997 a mobile phone was a rarity. I remember one girl responding "why in earth would I need one?" when asked by a friend if she was going to ask for one for Christmas. My point is that it seems to have become a necessity over the last 10-15 years, when in fact, no one NEEDS to be contactable all the time. Kids come to school with phones and with the view that they NEED them, that their parents might NEED to contact them at any given point, and they can be incredibly disruptive in the classroom. They are no more a necessity thansn iPod or gameboy in lessons. FWIW, DH works somewhere he is not allowed mobile devices at all. He has to leave his iPhone, BlackBerry (supplied by work (he's a contractor)) and laptop at home. If I need to get hold of him in the day, I have to call the switchboard. All this hysteria about school children NEEDING mobile phones is rubbish.

Hulababy - you may not have travelled far but many of us did before mobiles were invented and we and md our parents coped!

Phones and the fallout from them are a nightmare! It is not just the gossiping/bullying aspect but I have had students in the middle of a lesson "its my mum phoning about tea tonight"

How am I expected to teach a lesson when this happens? Unless there is a clear consequence to using a phone in lessons then students will continue to to flout the rules. My own DS had his mobile go off during a lesson, his school's policy was to confiscate and have a parent collect it - it took me 2 weeks to get round to picking it up and guess what...he never broke the rule again

I too have to call DP through the switchboard if he's at work, but there's a problem. He has to be in at work by 9am, and the board doesn't open until 9:30 am. And if he's on late, again I can't get in touch with him after 5:30 as the switchboard is closed. So in emergencies I can't contact him then. Stupid policy.

And it the same at DD's school. If she's doing an after school activity, I can't reach her via the school I have to contact her mobile as their switchboard is shut.

Policies need to be sensible.

I do think there is a great hysteria about people needing mobile phones these days and a tendency to say that we all managed perfectly well years ago without them. That's all fine up to a point but we all operate very differently nowadays. Thirty years ago (when I were a child, well, no I was already 18) we made arrangements for Saturday night well in advance and had to stick to them because once everyone had left home and were on the bus or train or walking there was no chance to change arrangements or the meeting place or time or whatever. Today, if you don't have a mobile you risk never meeting up with anyone!

I think the problem is that mobile phones have made us all lazy. We are so used to being able to contact people at the drop of a hat that we panic when we can't / think we can't. I remember my mum telling me when I was younger that she used to worry about my dad, who drove a motorbike to and from work- on the odd occasion he was late, she had no way of getting hold of him. In those days, though, that's just the way it was. Nowadays, we would think it outrageous.

Yes - but things are different now; times have moved up; new technology is available, etc.

As said already - I will continue to teach my DD about safe use of mobile technology, this will continue to include appropriate use. Many children ARE capable of sensible and appropriate use. Even though there are increasing instances of misuse, these are still the minority - a significant minority, yes, but still a minority. Most children are sensible and considerate ime.

And yes - I have worked in schools for several years, including secondary school. I maintain a strong interest in the use of ICT and mobile technology both inside and outside of work. I attend various courses and training events. I am not naive, I just believe in education as being the best route rather than banning things for my DD. I will monitor always, especially as my DD grows older and is more vunerable to such things, and will act accordingly.

I agree tht phones should always be off in class. Ideally they should have to be in a locker and not in lessons at all, or handed in securely at the start of each day. I still think a two week confiscation is too much. I think there are better ways personally. Parents having to go in can work better I think. But there are always going to be some children who will break rules - these need to be targeted rather than blanket polices, ime/imo.

I also work where phones have to be locked away and off/silent. Calls go to the office and the office staff come over and pass on any messages.

When I worked in a prison they had to be signed in/out and left in a secure store at the main entrance. However, I did have a phone in my office with a direct line.

I wouldn't leave my phone at home as I like to have my phone when I am travelling, especially by car. Incase of accidents or delays it makes life much easier, and surely that is the purpose of a mobile phone - they are more convenient, they make life easier.

So yes - nobody really NEEDS a mobile phone - but they don't half make life more convenient on the whole.

Blimey, this thread reads like an episode of The Good Wife - lots of MNers are clearly frustrated legal eagles .

I am in Australia so may be different.
We had a policy like this at the school where I teach, it has recently been changed because it is illegal, and is theft.
Personal belongings must be returned at the end of the day, otherwise it is theft.

I'm now fondly remembering the days when people didnt believe they had an absolute right to be able to contact me 24 hours a day no matter what

OP you missed a valuable teaching opportunity for your son. HE should have been the one to go in to the school, apologise and offer his phone in exchange for yours.

I think you should try and arrange for a phone swap - your son's phone Goes into detention and you get yours back. YANBU but I can see their POV too.

Our DDs' school have a no phones in lessons policy and if one goes off it is removed and returned by their HOY at the end of the day. They do have lockers to keep them in so they don't need to keep them in their pockets.

Removing a phone for more than a day becomes a safety issue as students need to be able to contact parents about getting home if they are travelling on public transport or going out at weekends or in the evening. I know they weren't available years ago but as a parent I find they reduce my stress levels and make organisation much easier.

Glad it all got sorted OP, I know rules have to be obeyed but as an experienced teacher I know it is appreciated by parents and students when a bit of leeway is given by the school.

I would suspect that the two weeks confiscation kicks in for repeat offenders. I'd be having a word with my son about that, and I don't believe it switched itself on either.

I also wonder if confiscating something for two weeks is theft, why isn't confiscating something until the end of the lesson?

good points, CuilleR.

I think I am on the fence about OP's AIBU, but glad she resolved it amicably.

CuilleR I agree.

In my experience, sometimes parents are too quick to believe their children do no wrong.

I also agree that it's a bad idea to lend out a work phone

He broke a rule, and confiscation of the phone was the (known, presumably?) consequence. Why would the school give a shiny shite who the phone actually belonged to, and why does it matter to anyone except you?

The issue here is not the confiscation. All schools will have a mobile phone policy that, in this case, the OP's son broke. However the level of confiscation seems to very from school to school. My school requires a parent to come in during school hours to collect it. Sometimes that happens within hours but other parents can't get in for weeks. If the OP's school has a written policy that indicates a 2 week exclusion then I'm afraid you don't have a leg to stand on. You will have signed a contract at the beginning of your son's education at the school that you will abide my the school's rules and policies and that will stand in this case. It's a bit annoying that it occurred just before half term and that they weren't flexible under the circumstances but maybe they have had other parents making similar excuses in the past and it has become an issue. I'm lucky, in my school the parents generally side with the teachers. I confiscated an ipod just before the holidays once and the parents had to leave work early and lose the associated pay in order to collect it for their child before a long flight. They were cross with him not me.

jeez, could the child not fly without an ipod?

YANBU but you knew that phones were not allowed and let him take it anyway?
I would question a high school not allowing phones though.

Hulababy

Who will teach the other pupils safe use of technology?
and you won't be there in lessons when she gets bored and texts her friends or goes on facebook.

Confiscating phones is a behaviour management strategy.

It is important that pupils are aware of a deterrent to having their phones on during lessons so that their learning and that of their classmates is not disrupted.

As with any other behaviour management strategy it is sensible to use the minimum level of deterrent necessary to prevent the unwanted behaviour.

Confiscating the phone removes the problem immediately and inconveniences and embarrasses the pupil. This should be enough of a deterrent to keep lesson disruption to a minimum so their is no reason for them to be kept beyond the end of the school day.

For repeat offenders this could be escalated to requiring the parent to collect or keeping the phone for an extra 24 hours.

Confiscation for two weeks is like giving out ten detentions for one missed homework. It would probably work in that the pupils would remember in future but they would feel angry and resentful for a long time - not helpful for learning or fostering a positive attitude towards discipline.

Any headteacher who decided they are going to keep pupils' phones for two weeks is on a bit of a power trip and has given little thought as to the effect of their policy on their relationship with their pupils or their parents.