To be unhappy my child's phone was confiscated?

[Phoneproblems]

I have no issues with the phone itself being confiscated but apparently it is only to be returned on Friday - surely this cannot be right?

Because @kaytee87 they are apt to do stupid things like the OPs child did and took photos that probably included other children. They could have been showing other children porn on it or using it as a tool to bully other children. Phones must be switched off from the moment before they step into the gates and not back on again until they step back out of the gates at the end of the day. It's not rocket science and the other 900 odd kids at school probably have no problem obeying the rules.

I'm not seeing why a mobile can't be used on their lunch break?
Well for a start you could look at youtube for instructions on how to pierce ears.

Kaytee the school may not want them endangering themselves or others by sending photos in uniform to paedos on snapchat. The school may be sick of dealing with complaints from parents who’s kids are being shown porn by children who’s parents haven’t spoken to them about appropriate use. Just a couple of thoughts

Schools should be mindful of this when setting up punishments.

We are, and we know that if the parent is inconvenienced as well as the child then the problem is much less likely to recur, because the parent will make sure of it!

Cross post zeeboo

When any of mine get their phone confiscated, we will not collect it until end of week. They know that and it annoys them but they should not be using them. I would refuse to let them have phone at school but they are sometimes used in lessons which is annoying

Are we all ignoring the fact that bullying was going on way way before phones came along??

Adults take photos of other adults and post it maliciously online. It's not illegal.

I dread to think what shite rules schools will have in place when my DC start school

Actually @reasonablegiraffe i don't think that's the right reading of that section. It all hinges on what's reasonable- which will no doubt have case law and precedent and vary. Reasonable is normally a computation of the action to be disciplined and the consequences of that - a phone used just for games as the child is picked up dropped off each day would be a different computation to one where a child has far to travel on their own with risk of, I dunno, bullying by children from a different school they have to pass. So depends on specifics of OP case.

"Phones can't be used at lunchtime?!!

That's ridiculous!!"

Why?

Unless they need to make an urgent call, what does a kid ever need a phone at school for?

Agree with wolfie
You have no idea how much time schools spend dealing with mobile phone issues. Yes on this occasion they were taking innocent photos. However it's not unheard of for pupils to film things they shouldn't and pass round via Snapchat - so fights, teachers, nasty comments. so the only way to avoid this happening on school property is to have a blanket ban.
It is supposed to be an inconvenience - to both the student and the parent. The idea being that you will be so naffed off about having to go in and collect it that you will support the school. It is really unhelpful for you to try and undermine the school behaviour policy.

It’s not just bullying, you have no idea what is going on in the lives of students. There are students who are not supposed to be photographed for their’s and their family’s safety. This is a more common occurrence than you would realise. The most sensible measure is to have a universal phone policy. Why do they need their phones during the school day? For what possible reason do they need them?

We live a long way from the school and ds uses the phone to contact me about arrangements for getting home etc... Schools should be mindful of this when setting up punishments.

No you and your child should be mindful before they take a phone out in school.

Phones can't be used at lunchtime?!!

That's ridiculous!!

Maybe you would think differently if your child was on the toilet when a phone was pushed under and a snap sent to snapchat, or your child was being cyber bullied or your child's phone is borrowed by a 'friend' who runs up the bill.

In an emergency the students can always used the school phone, and can be reciprocally contacted also. How do you think a member of my family would reach me in an emergency? I don’t have my phone on me in class. They would call the school office and I could be reached that way. It’s how it works in many workplaces!

Totally agree it is not right not to return it at the end of the day. How do they know whether he has a safe way of getting home? Where would they stand if he was stranded and unable to contact a parent due to their actions? And before someone tells me we all managed fine without phones back in the day, that is true but modern expectations are different and a parent should expect to be able to contact their child. I would not be happy for my secondary school to be travelling on public transport without her phone.

I think it depends on their policy. Dc schools have only just changed the rules so they can no longer use them at break or lunchtime. But yet they can use them in case to interact with the whiteboard.

If it's a no phones school then sorry his problem. Although I would be pissed off if the school thought they were keeping the phone for longer than the school day.

They have no idea if that child is waiting on communication etc and imo causes more problems confiscating it for any longer than the school day.

Yes schools have the power to confiscate and detain property. Comes under the Education And Inspections Act I think.

I am ashamed to say mine used hers to order a bloody dominos. She was suitable punished when her head of year had finished laughing at her audacity and the fact that they actually delivered it.

I think OP you should back the school up - you're undermining their authority by challenging the school

What message are you sending to your DC?

Urgh ‘authority’

Why has every body got to act like little drones on here?

op you bought that phone - if you want it back - go and get it

"Adults take photos of other adults and post it maliciously online. It's not illegal."

sometimes it is:

www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/social-media-guidelines-prosecuting-cases-involving-communications-sent-social-media

They have no idea if that child is waiting on communication etc

If there is a specific communication which is being waited for that is so important it can’t wait until after school then School need to be aware of it anyway and that communication can go via the office.

The police can and do charge children with assault, I know this because I pressed charges against a girl who assaulted me in school aged 15. She was given a caution and excluded from school for a fortnight.

Anyway, beside the point. Agreed it is your property therefore they should return it to you. It’s a long shot but if someone misplaced the phone or it was stolen (say a break in for example which can and does happen in schools) then would they be liable to replace it? I agree it should be confiscated for the day but they have no right to keep it for a few days.

The taking photos is the issue, and I'm so glad I now work in a school with no tolerance for misuse of phones. Schools are responsible for the safety of their pupils, photos can be changed, mocked online or at the extreme end, a child could be recognised by an abusive ex partner of their parents...
presumably, students are wearing school uniform too, so any seemingly innocent silliness could bring the school's name into disrepute.
I think the consequence is fitting and that you should back up the school.

If it was my ds I would say tough luck- hope you've learnt a lesson, and yes he commutes home via public transport. We never had phones and we managed.

sweeneytodd snort . The HOY was probably glad of the light relief! The amount of time schools spend dealing with incidents involving phones that need police involvement is depressing!