About schools confiscating phones for a fixed period of time

[palebluepalepink]

I’ve no dog in this race, I am genuinely wondering.

I’ve no objection to phones being confiscated or even requiring parents to pick them up, but how can schools legally keep them overnight or until the end of the week? If the parent is paying for it, or if the phone belonged to the parent in the first place, isn’t that theft?

But Darbs there's no point in going in, you've agreed to it and your children understand it. The school are not responsible for the way your children get home. Your children are responsible for ensuring phone's not on or out in school.

Darbs why don’t you just tell your kids not to get their phones out at school? That would be easier than deciding that you will go in and kick off as and when they break the rules.

If they break the rules and you need them to still have a phone, you can buy a burner phone or lend them an old one. Still better than kicking off at the school.

Can’t believe this is even a point for discussion. I’m a teacher and so many hours are wasted picking up complaints from parents who want a quiet life so support their kids’ whinging when their phone is taken. Let schools do their job and discipline kids who flout the phone rules.

You're in the minority op because you're wrong

I didn’t agree to it as this policy came in after my kids joined the school. I think it’s excessive 5 days and leave children with no phone when travelling on public transport alone. My daughter is 11 and has to walk through a woods (generally with friends) and get a bus. If she forgot her key or was locked out how would I know? Or if something happened to her on the way home I wouldn’t know. I also wouldn’t know she didn’t have the phone, so would be calling her worried. I agree with the no phones rule, and agree confiscating until the end of the day. But I don’t have a spare phone to send her to school with for the remaining 4 days. It’s unlikely to happen as she is too scared to use her phone in school anyway but I’d want to speak to the teachers about it as I believe it’s excessive. It might not make any difference but I’d want to let them know she would be traveling to school without a phone. I just don’t see why they need to keep it for 5 days.

Just tell her not to get it out in school then @Darbs76 , problem solved

@noblegiraffe - my children don’t get their phones out at school. But they do take a phone to school and if they forget to turn it off for example and a text comes (their dad is working overseas and often messages forgetting the time as he’s 6hrs ahead) then their phone could be confiscated for 5 days. It’s excessive.

But I don’t have a spare phone to send her to school with for the remaining 4 days

You are spectacularly missing the point. Pick her up. Get a mate to pick her up. Pay for a taxi. If she has lost her phone through her own decision-making, your responsibility is to support the school in this, not to try to find ways round it or argue with it.

It’s the refusal to hand it over even to a parent that I think is perhaps a bit murky.

Has this happened? You are quite correct that the school can legally confiscate a phone but certainly can't refuse to hand it over to the owner.

I think most people's point is that the law is irrelevant. If your child's school confiscates a phone for a week, you should support them.

And within less than 10 posts Darbs has illustrated my point that there are always entitled parents who think the rules shouldn't apply to them.

Maybe the problem is with your children, they know the rules and presumably don't feel the need to have their phones to walk home. How is it difficult to stick to a no phones rule?

if they forget to turn it off for example and a text comes (their dad is working overseas and often messages forgetting the time as he’s 6hrs ahead)

He’s a grown man. He can be responsible for not messaging his child during school hours.

You are quite correct that the school can legally confiscate a phone but certainly can't refuse to hand it over to the owner.

Yes. Yes, they can.

Remind her dad not to text her during school hours then He’s an adult, surely he can manage this?!

Parents ringing or messaging their children was the worst when I worked in a school that allowed phones. Of all people YOU are supposed to know that your child is in a lesson, what on Earth are you ringing them for?!

Your car analogy wouldn’t be theft either as you haven’t the mens rea (intention) to permanently deprive your friend of the car.

Entitled parents? My children and I follow all the rules of the school. Their phones haven’t been confiscated but as I said if they forgot to turn it off (easily done, adults do all the time in theatres etc) then I think it’s an excessive amount of time to keep the phone. I won’t be telling my children I support it as I don’t. Anyway, I’ve said what my view is, I’ve nothing else to add. Enjoy your debate

The faces on the kids I have taught when I have reminded them that “It’s my mum” (yeah, sure it is!) isn’t a reason to have their phones out, because their mum, surely knows better than anyone that they are in a lesson.

But they do take a phone to school and if they forget to turn it off for example and a text comes (their dad is working overseas and often messages forgetting the time as he’s 6hrs ahead) then their phone could be confiscated for 5 days. It’s excessive

My daughter is 11 and has to walk through a woods (generally with friends) and get a bus. If she forgot her key or was locked out how would I know?

You seem to be surrounded by the forgetful. Why can't your DH work out time differences, why don't you make sure the phones turned off before your DD leaves the house.

You can't exepct the school rules to take into account your family's inability to remember stuff

@Darbs76
You do know that before the recent advent of mobile phones, children safely get themselves to school and back don't you? Neither of my DDs had phones until they were 16 and both managed to get to school and back, one on a 10 mile two bus journey the other walking (through the woods coincidentally) with no trouble at all, for 7 years!

@coconuttelegraph - maybe the problem with my children? If you read my comments you will see my children have done nothing wrong. Their phones haven’t been confiscated. So maybe you can stop making accusations and learn to read. So rude and unnecessary.

Darbs.... for hundreds of years we all happily got ourselves to and from school without mobile phones and now it is suddenly a major safety issue???? Get your child to write down your number and there will be plenty of people around with phones who she can ask for help if she has an emergency. Kids need to learn that rules are rules and if broken have consequences without parents bailing them out.

Darbs

Your children sound great. But your excuses sound rubbish.

I’m guessing you wanted people to say it’s wrong

School policy don’t like it find another school

Teach kids not to get phone out at school. Simple really.

And my children are not forgetful I’m talking about a scenario that could happen. Not has happened. Again read the comments before calling my children entitled and forgetful and whatever else you’d like to call them.

Yes. Yes, they can.

I have received training in this area from a lawyer specialising in education law. A school can't just keep a phone as a punishment without a reason.

(Assuming no police involved, or other valid reason) Keeping the phone for a short period, in line with a behaviour policy, is more of a grey area. It comes down to what is reasonable. I would not do it, personally, but I think there is little a parent could do in practice.

A school can't just keep a phone as a punishment without a reason

It’s not without a reason. If they can show that retaining the phone is proportionate they can do it.