Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU- 7 year olds bringing smartphones into class

63 replies

madhenlady · 02/02/2015 23:13

Recently, my DC's school seems to have a bit of a problem with children bringing phones/ipads into class.

The school's policy is that these items must be placed in the school office at the beginning of school, to be collected at hometime

However, some children seem to be sneaking theirs into class. DD's friend got into trouble yesterday, because she hid her phone in her sleeve, was playing games with it under the desk, and ended up taking pictures of other children in the class.

The phone was confiscated, and DD says her teacher was very angry, especially because of the pictures. However it's not the first time- the teachers have had to have numerous talks with the children about not bringing these items in. DD says it's because they are 'very expensive and might get broken'

I feel really annoyed at this, especially now this incident with the child taking photographs. we have to sign the form to allow the school to take photographs of the children, so why on earth do some parents think it's OK to send their small children in with smartphones?

Secondly, it's disruptive- it's disrupting the learning time of my children and others.

Thirdly, what are the implications for cyber bullying?

Quite frankly, I thought the issue of cyber bullying would be a long, long way in the future- secondary school age. But then, I didn't dream for a minute that children would be running around the playground with their phones, taking pictures of my child!

Maybe I'm a bit touchy, but my younger teenage cousin has been bullied horribly this year, over social media, and has started self harming as a result- she's been through a dreadful time, and it's opened my eyes to what a serious issue it is

I am utterly disgusted that due to the idiocy of some parents, this could be something that could soon affect my children, before they even hit their teens!

Also, I know that there are a few fostered/adopted children in the school- why should they potentially have their safety put at risk? Obviously I'm surmising, but the school is strict about pictures taken at events, as it is

These children are 6 and 7!!!! AIBU to think it is utterly ridiculous? I'm not sure what the school is meant to do about it, but surely they have to do something?

OP posts:
Quitethewoodsman · 02/02/2015 23:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

joanne1947 · 02/02/2015 23:17

I think all the fuss about taking photos at events is over the top, public events so anyone should be able to take photos.
Smart phones in class are wrong, kids are there to learn not mess about. I think the school should have a policy that any such item will be confiscated and returned on the last day of the school year.

bettyboop1970 · 02/02/2015 23:19

YANBU. Kids that age should not even have smart phones, let alone taking them to school!
My twins are 6 and don't have smart phone or tablet(but sometimes borrow mine with supervision).
What a nightmare for teachers. I'm sure most schools must have a policy on this.

Original poster
madhenlady · 02/02/2015 23:26

I'm not a raging anti-screen person, the DC enjoy playing on my tablet when they can prise it off me due to tea and mumsnet but fgs why do they need to bring them into school?

Confiscation until the last day of term would be great, but I'm sure the parents in question would be banging the doors down demanding their child's property back.

Meanwhile, class is disrupted, the children are told off en mass, the phones/ipads continue to be smuggled in...

OP posts:
avocadotoast · 02/02/2015 23:27

And these kids are 7?! Shock

YANBU. At all. These parents are idiots. I bet they'd be the first to complain if the phones/tablets got broken.

Original poster
madhenlady · 02/02/2015 23:30

Yes, 6 & 7. Some of them have had phones from age 5, but previously they seemed to follow the rules and leave them in the office, so it wasn't an issue. I'm not sure what has started the trend of bringing them into the classroom- I assume they've had them as Christmas presents and it's still a novelty.

I honestly never thought this would be an issue at this age! DD is really a bit upset about it, because she's fed up of the teacher scolding the class as a whole, when DD and plenty of other children haven't done anything

OP posts:
Quitethewoodsman · 02/02/2015 23:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ringinginthenewyearO · 02/02/2015 23:34

no joanne you're wrong. Data protection act is there for that reason. I for one do not like my photo taken. personal thing but if someone was to take it, even at a public event and upload or use it for promotional purposes I'd have an issue with it. I hate facebook for that reason as have been told i was tagged in a photo and wasn't asked before hand.

Giving children who don't respect boundaries or fully aware of social media reprecussions is wrong and irresponsible.

I know of 3 cases in a school where eventually phones were banned altogether due to bullying by cyber/social media. These were 11 year olds. It caused serious issues and one infact involved the resignation of a teacher due to comments made by the children. All of whom really had no idea the effect and thought it a hilarious joke.

Nowadays there is alot more pressure on children to learn the curriculum, giving them distractions like phones/ipads during school time is hindering their focus in class.
my dc is nearly 11, i know where my child is all the time and therefore do not need my child to have the added responsibility of a phone yet.
It's the parents that should be held accountable not the children. They should monitor and control. Not expect the school to enforce policies.

BigRedBall · 02/02/2015 23:34

Wtf, 6 and 7 year olds? year 2? My dd1 is 7 and I can't imagine her or any of her friends coming in with phones. I don't even think our school has a mobile phone or tablet policy...no one would bring a phone in at primary school.
Yanbu!

Original poster
madhenlady · 02/02/2015 23:39

I agree ringing but these parents clearly don't give a shit. I feel like going and having a chat with the HT about how unhappy I am with the situation, but I won't because it wouldn't be helpful, and I'm sure the school are doing what they can already.

Just really pissed off tbh. If this is what it's like aged 7, I'm dreading secondary school.

OP posts:
atticusclaw · 02/02/2015 23:39

I am anti tablets etc for children and heavily restrict time spent on the play station however DS2 is seven and takes a phone to school. This is because we live 45 minutes away from school and he comes home on the school bus. I need to be able to contact him/for him to contact me in an emergency. There may well be valid reasons for these children having phones.

That being said DS has the cheapest payg phone I could find. It's not a smartphone.

atticusclaw · 02/02/2015 23:48

I give a shit thanks. I think you are making numerous assumptions about why these children are bringing in phones.

Clearly they shouldn't be playing on them in class but that doesn't mean there isn't a good reason for them having a phone with them in the first place.

Original poster
madhenlady · 02/02/2015 23:57

If the children need a phone, then the parents should inform the school and arrange for it to be left in the office during class time. That would be the sensible option. I can't think of any good reason why children need to use their tablets and phones during class, to play games and takepictures of other children.

OP posts:
ringinginthenewyearO · 03/02/2015 00:01

atticus, i think what the op is saying that you can justify why your child needs a phone. but it's not helping with the issue of phones in class.It's contributing to an environment in the school where kids feel they 'need' them. which isn't really the case. They don't. I survived in school without one. My child does too. So it is do-able without phones. Handy at times but causes the issue that OP is highlighting.
Yes the parents who justify won't give a shit that there are problems in class, because they will simply say their little johnny isn't causing it. maybe so but they are contributing to a new craze of kids having to manage their phones. They're too young. So the only solution is to ban phones completely until responsible enough.

Quitethewoodsman · 03/02/2015 00:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RandomNPC · 03/02/2015 02:00

Who in their right mind gives a smartphone to a kid that age? Hmm

depecheNO · 03/02/2015 03:17

This is ludicrous. I was at secondary school right at the time when it became possible to text/Bluetooth pictures to people, and the lack of enforcement of a "no phone visible" policy led to myself and I daresay many others having unsolicited photographs taken by fellow students and sent round the whole year group. Technically, there was nothing stopping other students from photographing us while changing for PE, and it would've been my word against theirs as they could easily send the picture on and then delete it.

While I think it's possible to have a fairly lax policy on phones in secondary schools if the rules are properly enforced, that was far from the case at the time, and I think it's entirely inappropriate for children in primary school to have access to this technology during class or playtime. Most seven year olds are far too young to appreciate the implications of privacy on the level which applies here.

+1 to the no-photo policy needing to apply to other pupils too. I was one of the "no photo" children, and my parents would have been incredibly upset if they knew - especially at seven!

Toadinthehole · 03/02/2015 03:40

Jeepers. Seven year olds with phones in school?

I can't even trust my seven year old not to lose her shoes.

Can't understand why the teacher doesn't just confiscate them and require the parents to retrieve them.

LadyLuck10 · 03/02/2015 04:15

Maybe the parents themselves are not even aware the child is bringing it to school. She seems like a naughty girl, not willing to stick to rules. She's sneaking it in her sleeve already and she's only 7.

Patchworkpatty · 03/02/2015 07:21

A seven year old on the school bus needs a phone to contact/be contacted on in case of emergenciesHmm . Surely there is no point at which a 7yr old is not in the presence of a responsible carer. If it's a teacher then contact the office , the bus driver is surely delivering child to home /childcare who have phones .... I can perfectly well understand a phone for secondary school children is a very helpful addition to modern life but the scenario where one would call a 7 yr old to say 'mummys had to work late, can you walk home with George and I'll pick you up later ' or 'let yourself in I'll be back in 10.mind.' is not one I can imagine any mothers having. We all got through primary school without 'emergency' mobiles and imho do nothing to improve child safety, encourage parents to feel it's fine to change plans at last minute and causes disruption in class. Mobiles have no place in primary school except maybe yr 6, and then left in office during the day.

Patchworkpatty · 03/02/2015 07:33

atticus genuinely intrigued to know what reason could justify a 7yr old having a phone - smart or payg at school. In what scenario in your opinion , does this happen.?

ourglass · 03/02/2015 07:34

Smartphone for a 7 year old?

Crikey I'm old.

YANBU

WowOoo · 03/02/2015 07:39

I agree with you and other posters. It's crazy.

My 8 year old plays games on my old iPhone sometimes, but no way is it 'his phone' and no way could he take it to school.

They should suggest confiscating them if found in a class. At least then the parents need to come and get the phone and they can have words with individual parents.

YouTheCat · 03/02/2015 07:41

Struggling to think of a reason a 7 year old would need a phone at school. Presumably they get dropped off and picked up at school?

As to the pictures, it is a safe-guarding issue. If you had fled a dv situation and didn't want your children on social media then some spoilt child comes along taking photos, how would you feel about having your kids put at risk?

knackered69 · 03/02/2015 07:46

That's what our junior school did - if your child in yr 5 or 6 was likely to need a phone in school we had to fill in a form explaining why and permission granted. Phone was then left in school office until end of day. Ds2 took one to school because I work and on the odd occasion I needed to get in touch with him (emergency at work - go to neighbours house etc) twas only a cheap mobile though!

He rarely used it in an emergency but he did phone me sometimes en route home to ask if it was ok if he brought some friends home for tea... Hmm