Want school to offer a replacement or some money

[craigton0506]

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

[RedHelenB]

YABU toi say he needs a phone if you are driving him to and from school every day! It may well turn up, so just get a cheap one for now.

[Trifleorbust]

An expensive phone taken into school is NOT the responsibity of the school, lost property box or not. A lost property box is there so you have some chance of getting the stuff YOU mislaid back. It isn't the school's job to make sure things that go in there are returned to you. YABVU. Next time, tell him not to take expensive electronics into school.

[Trifleorbust]

And I completely agree that it is different when a phone is confiscated. It is then the responsibility of the school to put the phone somewhere secure.

Simple answer here is to ban phones. More trouble than they are worth. I teach in secondary and would bet on a grade increase for every student if only they weren't glued to screens for every available minute outside the classroom.

[SoupDragon]

I teach in secondary and would bet on a grade increase for every student if only they weren't glued to screens for every available minute outside the classroom.

Every student? Do you think they'd be studying in that time then?

[lovelyupnorth]

Just ping find my iPhone and or block it.

And agree it's your problem not the schools.

[Trifleorbust]

I think they would be a lot less occupied at the start of a lesson by the text they had just received between Maths and English. I think they would be more responsive to and able to retain new information because their attention spans would be less compromised. I think there would be less anxiety caused by a constant sense of social danger/vulnerability, translating into more focused work.

[Ilovenannyplum]

I kind of think the school is at fault, they had taken it to the office and they they misplaced it, it can't be that hard to put it somewhere safe?


How did they know it was your sons phone?

[Trifleorbust]

They didn't take it, they found it. If I find someone's phone in the street and then I lose it, am I responsible for replacing it?

[Creampastry]

Go to the school in person and get them to look for it.

[Lovelydiscusfish]

acasualobserver - your post really made me smile. Yes, most teachers are mainly in it for the loot, I think.

When I worked in a school which allowed phones, we made it clear on all the literature that we took no responsibility for them, and they were bought in at the child's own risk. Think most schools say similar.

[PGPsabitch]

What a piss taker that headteacher is Ptarmigandancinginthegloaming. I hope you refused to pay, took your son's things and complained about her scamming.

Op you can speak to the school about this but I don't know how far you will get. Your ds needs a cheap phone (especially if he ends up often misplacing)or insurance that covers lost phones.

[Rattusn]

Yabu to send an expensive phone to school. Consider this a lesson learnt.

You can get basic models from £5.

Even if the school office had it, I am sure that they cannot be held responsible, as they would have made clear that they cannot be held responsible for loss of valuables.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

I wonder of the school ever had the phone and its DS covering his own back.

In regards to the apology was "I'm sorry, we had it but its gone" or "sorry, Its not here"?

[HermioneJeanGranger]

The fact that it's an iPhone is irrelevant, really. The school admit they lost the phone. The fact that OP's DS lost it beforehand doesn't make any difference. They had it in their posesssion and before DS could go and collect it, it went missing. Why wasn't it kept in a locked drawer or a safe or a locked office until DS picked it up?

I reckon it was probably left on a table in the office somewhere and someone swiped it and school don't want to admit they left it somewhere where it could be taken.

[SouthWindsWesterly]

Next time install where's my iPhone app to help find it. It will make a noise even on silent and can help pinpoint where it is if its switched on

[specialsubject]

unfortunate, but that's expensive sheep stuff for you. Buy him a £10 talk and text job. Doesn't need fawning over like a tamagochi, will stand being dropped, will fit in a pocket and won't get nicked.

[ShelaghTurner]

Mature argument there 🙄

[SoupDragon]

Next time install where's my iPhone app to help find it. It will make a noise even on silent and can help pinpoint where it is if its switched on

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

[scorpionadmin123]

Can you track it?

[HermioneJeanGranger]

Cheap £10 job or iPhone - the school lost it and should replace it! The value of the phone is irrelevant.

[TheCraicDealer]

Agree with Hermione here. Even if OP replaces the phone with a £10 jobby from Tesco to teach her DS a lesson, she should still get reimbursed for her property that was lost whilst in the care of the school. If they a) allow high value items like phones and b) keep a lost property stash, their systems regarding looking after those items in that interim period should be robust enough that things don't just go AWOL. I would reply to the school and just ask them how they're planning on reimbursing you for the phone that they misplaced- don't ask if they will.

[RubbleBubble00]

I wouldn't expect the school to replace it. If you insist then won't they just place blanket ban on Mobil phones?

[MyDressIsInferiorBlue]

If I find someone's phone in the street and then I lose it, am I responsible for replacing it?

Exactly. Trying to be a good Samaritan does not make you liable. Therefore OP WBU and I'm glad to see she's just going to get her DS a cheap phone now.

[SouthWindsWesterly]

Thank you Soup 🙄

OP - offline can mean one of two things. When you installed the tracker, was it actually enabled? If no, sorry about the phone. If yes, then it's either out of juice or has been placed somewhere with no access to cellular or WiFi coverage so can't be located. With any luck, it's in a safe. Put the device in lost mode, have it display a callback number for the person who finds the phone to call.

Also, is the phone locked into a network? Log the IMEI number with the operator so if anyone tries to unlock it, it will be reported and easier to track should it be a case of sticky fingers. Is it PAYG? If not, I would check your online billing to see if it's been used between then and now and get the phone locked. And yes - I would also report to the police (in person or 101) mainly because the provider will insist on it plus it will give you a police ref no for insurance plus any phone calls that may have been made by a third party.

[craigton0506]

Hello again, 5 days ago I tried the 'find my phone' app for the umpteenth time, this time instead of the phone is off line message I received a location on the phone. It was in a location that is over 30 minutes drive away from the school. It was located close to another school and shopping centre. I immediately alerted the school and asked for a call back. I am still waiting to speak to a member of management. I feel it is a serious issue as this is now a matter of theft as opposed to a lost phone. Am I over reacting. The phone went back to offline a few hours later. Thanks again.