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?

Pengggwyn. No it doesn’t say that. What the law says is that schools can confiscate items that belong to the pupil (which this phone doesn’t) and that are either dangerous, stolen or pornographic etc. In which case they should be handed over immediately to the police not kept by the school for a week.

Oh ffs, this is how we’re raising children who have no respect for authority and who are entitled. He broke the rules and needs to manage the consequences.

I very much disagree with phones being confiscated for longer than the length of a lesson and would be kicking off if I was you. Children have phones for a reason, what if something had happened to them on the way home and they didn't have their phone.
Detentions are equally out dated. School punishments need a good re-think in my opinion.

In my schools, teachers' phones must be locked and switched off during lesson time. They certainly would not be allowed to take photos at lunchtime!

dorset
Any item which is banned under school rules can be dealt with as the member of staff in their professional judgment thinks fit.

childlawadvice.org.uk/information-pages/school-powers-to-search-and-screen-pupils/

If they can't get home without a phone then they'll have to wait at school until Mummy or Daddy can collect them then. Then maybe the parents will be cross enough to get the DC to follow the school rules in future.

I am shocked at some of these posts and disgusted. Porn? What is wrong with you? They were innocently taking photographs of them on the field having fun. Absolutely they shouldn't have been on their phones but PORN?

And Dorset yes, that is what I was asking.

Dorsetdays

I do not think it is a reasonable argument that an item in the pupil's possession which is used by them, does not belong to them. For the purposes of this argument, as a school leader I would say "If it is yours, keep it at home." Let the parent call the police.

Link, anyway?

My daughter had this happen, I called them and asked them to take it off her each day rather than just keep until the Friday which they agreed. I'm not sure I was right to go against them to be honest but in this day and age I wanted to be able to contact my daughter after school when I was at work.

If you are shocked then you are a bit innocent. It happens. Quite a bit. No one is saying that it is what your child did, but it happens and is part of the reason for such strict rules. You’d moan if someone did put your child at risk so please back the school on this.

The law has already been linked on here. Schools have the right to confiscate.

OP would be the first to complain if some pupil took photos of her child without permission and then got to skip home with their phone at the end of the day (and do the same thing all the way home).

Tell your kid to follow the rules.

Come on then dragon I am sure teachers up and down the country can’t wait to hear your genius suggestions!

I can accept that we now live in a world where y7 kids need a mobile phone. I don’t accept that that necessarily needs to be a smartphone

Very well said; it beats me why parents who seem terrified of DCs being out of contact while travelling to/from school don't just provide the cheapest needed for the job

Bereft of the very latest gizmo, most likely the kids would only use it if really necessary, wouldn't be irresistibly drawn to it during the school day, wouldn't be able to take silly photos, wouldn't end up with confiscations but would still have their all singing, all dancing plastic pal in their own time at home

A win win, I'd say

I can see that the school would take it seriously that a phone was being used to take images of other children, I'm not saying indecent images, just images. The new data protection laws are pretty hot on it and if it's the schools rules that no phones, the. There definitely should be consequences. However, having said that, if that is the reason they've decided to withhold it for that length of time then it's clearly serious enough in their eyes that they should contact you direct to discuss.

Do your kids not have to sign a contract with the school agreeing to abide by the rules? And you too? Our kids are not allowed to turn on phones on school property. I'd be fine with a weeks confiscation if those are the rules. I think parents that undermine the rules make it really hard for schools.

Phones have only been part of a school aged teens life for 15/20 years if that. What do you think they did before that getting to and from school?

Some of you have warped minds, I'm sorry. This was a small group of eleven year old girls taking pictures of HAIR.

Check what their policy is regarding phones..which you agreed to when you chose to send your child to that school. If its by the end of the week (which is quiet lenient now) then you will get it back by the end if the week. I dont see a point in demanding it back when the rules have been broken and the consequences are in place for a reason.

I’m not sure of the legality of the phone actually being your property though OP.

You may pay for it and have brought it initially but you have then gifted it to your DC, unless they have taken it without your permission?

Although as I said I have no idea of the actual legality regarding it being a gift and now belonging to your DC. Maybe a legally train MN’er could tell us.

Wow how did we survive the 70s,80s and 90s?

My ds has had his phone confiscated for a day after being caught on it briefly and we know the next step next is a week ban which I'd applaud. I wish all phones were collected in daily. Teenagers really need to learn how to cope without being attached to a phone,aside from anything else it's a distraction for others.Everybody is aware of the policy and I would never in a million years challenge a school sanction. You'd be bonkers to. He broke the rules so tough.

If the school rule is no phones what they where doing is irrelevant. They should obey the rules or face the consequences. Lesson learnt for them (unless mummy goes crying how unfair it is and undermines the school)

Some of you have warped minds, I'm sorry. This was a small group of eleven year old girls taking pictures of HAIR.

Oh well maybe they should make a rule that it’s ok to take pictures of HAIR. And if they’re 11.

Fact is that the school will have a blanket rule for very good reasons, and pps have explained some of the really serious issues related to phone use in schools. Why should they bend the rule for your dd?

Our school policy is no phones visible at any point during the day or they are confiscated and not returned until a parent collects in person. The idea being the parent will be mightily pissed off and the kid will get an extra bollocking!