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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Want school to offer a replacement or some money

109 replies

craigton0506 · 31/08/2016 19:42

This my first post and need some advice. Two weeks ago my son lost his mobile phone in his school, (The school allows them have phones with them). We live quite far from the school so he needs it in case of emergencies etc. Anyway a member of staff found it and handed it into the office. He was told to come and collect it, but the next day when he went to collect it he was told it had been misplaced. I have phoned several times and have been told they definitely had it but just don't know what has happened to it. It is an iPhone 5c and a relatively new one. I am self employed and cannot afford a new phone for him at the moment. The school has apologised but have offered no further help. Should I insist that they contribute towards a new phone. Thnks

OP posts:

HarrietSchulenberg · 31/08/2016 20:13

School admitted that it was found and handed in, and that it had been "misplaced" while in its care. Therefore school has lost it and should replace or compensate.

How do we know a member of staff hasn't stolen it, or another pupil if it was put somewhere unattended?

BackforGood · 31/08/2016 20:14

Agree with everyone else.
Don't send an 11 yr old (teenager??) out with anything that's too expensive to replace.

Wrongornot · 31/08/2016 20:14

I got similar at work today - complaint from a customer:

her daughter left a toy in one of our stores, phones store, yes they have it, goes back to collect and staff can't find it. Customer buys replacement (discontinued so cost £££ from ebay) and expects my company to foot the bill -

we can't decide what to do! so you (kind of) have my sympathy OP!

MuffyTheUmpireSlayer · 31/08/2016 20:14

Doesn't it have "find my iPhone" set up? It will pinpoint its location on a map and sound an alarm. I think it works even when the phone is off? I'm not 100% sure about that though.

PaulAnkaTheDog · 31/08/2016 20:15

They need to replace it or offer to help towards you replacing it.

They don't need to do anything.

insancerre · 31/08/2016 20:17

Yabu
You should rally have insurance for such an expensive item
I would make your ds pay for a new one
I will teach him to look after his belongings

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 31/08/2016 20:17

How do we know a member of staff hasn't stolen it, or another pupil if it was put somewhere unattended?

I don't think schools are responsible for thefts either are they?

Willywolly · 31/08/2016 20:19

They kind of do.

Fair enough OPs son lost it to start with but it was then found and the school lost it again. That isn't on. I work in a school and any thing handed in to us is put in a locked cupboard straight away. If I had found a students phone and then lost it I would 100% expect to help them pay for a replacement and wouldn't have a problem doing so.

Nzou1050 · 31/08/2016 20:27

YANBU. I'm a teacher and if we confiscate a phone, for example if it's been used in a lesson, we have to sign it into reception and it gets put in the safe until parent comes to get it.

I appreciate this is a different situation as it was originally lost, but once found I would expect whoever had it (sounds like office staff?) to be responsible for it and manage not to loose it! TBH financially I don't know where compensation money should come from, individual? The school? But if I lost a pupils phone that was in my possession I would feel responsible.

Thisismyalias · 31/08/2016 20:29

Someone was kind enough to hand the phone in. He was told the school had it, and now they can't find it.

Usually if a kid loses something it's not the schools fault and they shouldn't replace it, however in this instance the school had custody of the phone and they shouldn't have lost it.

I think it should be replaced by the schools insurance.

MsJamieFraser · 31/08/2016 20:29

Yanbu, the school does have insurance, they lost the phone so they are liable for it.

AndNowItsSeven · 31/08/2016 20:30

The school office lost the phone, it's not the same as the op ds losing it ( even though he did originally. Therefore they should bare some responsibility.

TikTakTok · 31/08/2016 20:30

I don't think there is much you can do but I'd be irritated as I would have thought they would have been more careful.

Do you have Find iPhone activated on it.

Fingers crossed that it turns up.

StarryIllusion · 31/08/2016 20:31

Why should they, though? It isn't their job to guard the lost and found. They are paid to teach not look after students belongings. Even if they find something and put it aside for safekeeping, that doesn't make them liable for it. Different if they had confiscated it and then lost it but it was your son who was careless with it. Sorry OP but I don't think you have a leg to stand on there as he shouldn't be taking expensive items to school if he can't keep track of them. I wouldn't replace it though. Get him the oldest, crappiest phone possible and tell him that it will have to do until he saves up for a new one.

Alansdeepbath · 31/08/2016 20:33

You could try find my iPhone? Has your son set it up? If so, you can log in on another apple device and it will show you on Google maps where it is and sound an alarm to locate it. It will also render the phone unusable if it has been nicked...

Feilin · 31/08/2016 20:34

School lost it school should fork out and replace it .

lifesalongsong · 31/08/2016 20:34

I disagree with pretty much everyone, I do think the school should take some of the responsibility.

It doesn't say much for their organisation that they can't take care of a valuable item regardless of how it came into their possession.

You must all live in a very different world to me, while not every secondary age child has an iphone I don't know any that don't have some kind of smartphone.

Marynary · 31/08/2016 20:36

Although you have every right to be angry with the school, you can't expect a replacement. If they had to do that they would refuse to accept lost property at all. I'm sure that they will find it eventually

PaulAnkaTheDog · 31/08/2016 20:36

Just because you think they need to do something Willy doesn't mean they have to.

Batfurger · 31/08/2016 20:37

Why does he need it because you live far from the school? If there was a problem, surely the school could phone you... How on earth did we manage 15 years ago?
An iphone 5 is a very expensive phone, totally unnecessary if the only reason for having it is "emergencies".

YABU

AndNowItsSeven · 31/08/2016 20:57

A problem on the way home obviously. 15 years ago there were far more public phone boxes that children could use in an emergency. These no longer exist.

quasibex · 31/08/2016 20:58

I agree with most posters. An iphone - even second hand is worth a fair bit of money. Expecting the school to contribute towards a replacement isn't appropriate (likewise for expensive trainers, coats etc).

The staff aren't there to be custodians of belongings, they are there to provide an education and to maintain a safe environment in which to do so.

It's just like if you lost a phone on the train and it was handed to lost property, they'll keep them in one place for you but getting your item back is hit and miss (misfiled/someone chancing their arm to claim it etc).

Lessons learnt I suppose and definitely a cheap phone for school...as long as it texts and calls that does the job you need (you can even get a 'smart' phone for fairly cheap that allows you to install GPS app if that's one of your concerns).

Original poster

craigton0506 · 31/08/2016 21:01

It's giving me a message saying 'no location can be shown because iPhone (2) is currently offline. I will keep trying though. Thanks

OP posts:

Original poster

craigton0506 · 31/08/2016 21:04

Just in case I'm running late for pick up etc. Schools are so busy during these times can be a nightmare trying to get through.

OP posts:

Astoria797 · 31/08/2016 21:11

School didn't lose it, DS lost it. How do they even know the 5c was even his and not some other student's? OP is doing the right thing. Hopefully it'll teach her DS to be careful next time. I can't believe the rest of you asking the school to reimburse them. What has the world come to.

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