Think this school policy is ridiculous

[sadbutdontknowwhy]

Secondary school
DS15 has had his phone confiscated for the 3rd time this term.
Absolutely fine, he shouldn't have had it out so deserves the punishment
However, they won't give it back to him at 3.15. A parent has to go and collect it.
Tried to explain that 1, it means one of us leaving work, and 2, he needs it to access the gym straight after school, and 3, it his property but they won't budge. It stays with school until a parent can collect
In no way am I kicking off about the confiscation, but I'm fuming I'm also being punished as well!
Arghhhhh. Rant over.

Time to start backing the school… if it’s too much of an inconvenience for you, make your son wait until after Christmas. This will be a lesson learned hopefully.
please don’t moan about the school in front of your child. Instead you need to be a united force. It’s not the school inconveniencing you, it’s your child

What do you think should be the punishment if you use your phone inappropriately 3 times?

No, I would do exactly as this school has done and make it available for a parent to collect.

Then at the end of term any uncollected items would be returned. I don't think it's reasonable to keep them indefinitely (which was the question I was replying too).

They may well call for a lift when they finish at the gym? They may need to call as they leave the gym to let their parents know when they are due home?

When my kids are old enough to have phones and are wandering around by themselves I do not consent to a teacher deciding my kids don;t need their phone to be safe getting home.

I don’t agree with this policy but I’d think totally appropriately for dc to be without a phone for a couple of days until it was convenient for me to pick up

admittedly it’s a bit different just before the holidays. Are you sure it’s not inset on Friday? If so there is a Chance you could collect then. Worth checking. Either way dc would be getting a stern talking to and consequences

They absolutely can refuse. I'm not sure why you believe that.

It’s the 3rd time…
Clearly handing it back at 3.15pm isn’t getting through to him. If you take your frustration out on him, not the school, he might learn not to do it again.

Anonny - do you honestly not think the parent is ranting at the wrong auidence?

Three times and he still doesnt get it.....

No, there can be all sorts of consequences, just not consequences that prevent him going to the gum, make him less safe going home, or which inconvenience an innocent parent.

The kid needs punishing. That doesn't make the punishment this PoS headteacher has imposed right.

So what? He had two warnings before it was confiscated.
Seems he’s a slow learner. Tough.

Ok fine. Choose a school based on that policy.
And don't complain when school lessons are constantly being disrupted by classmates being on their phones.

Alternatively, teach your kids to follow the school rules and there won' be any issues.

The phone should have been in a bag (under the desk)/locker to start with, hence there being no opportunity to use it.

I think it's ok.
My DC school policy is that any confiscated phones are returned at the end of school on Friday, but will be released earlier in the week if a parent turns up at 3.05. I have pre-emptively told my DC that no, I won't be giving up my hard-earned flexitime credit to get their phone back early.

Omg! So you agree with the school! What a turnaround!

The parent isnt innocent in all of this. What have they been saying to the boy? Unless they cannot be bothered and let him do what he likes. Until of course they need to get off their bottoms and actually address the issue with the SON because the inconvience is now for them to suffer. No one has time to take off phones every single day from kids who cannot follow simple rules.

Its the son who is doing what the hell he likes.

You seriously think taking someone else's property and refusing to return it is ok?
It's not.

Schools have precious few effective deterrents to poor behaviour, because many students simply don't give a monkey's, won't turn up to detention etc. Exerting pressure or inconvenience on parents is one of the few ways they can actually discourage poor behaviour, so of course they will use it.

Your work arrangements are not the school's problem. If you don't want to have to traipse into school to pick up your child's phone, you need to address your child's habit of using their phone in school. The school are doing their job. If you don't like the rules, find another school.

From what I've heard schools are already an undisciplined mess and you want to let them all keep their phones? Aaarggh

But it wasn't!
Our school has a "phones should not be seen at any time" policy.
Doesn't stop the kids sneakily getting them out.
So imagine my DC is caught on his phone three times within a week. What should happen?

Sorry, what now?
From the start I have been stating that the phone should have been in a locker/bag, thus dramatically reducing the chance of it being used!
(Read back, because I have stated this several times).
The problem is that some schools create a problem themselves because they allow phones to be used some of the time in some of the classes....thus preventing the child from leaving it somewhere they are less tempted to touch it!

You seriously think taking someone else's property and refusing to return it is ok? It's not.

It is... if the policy clearly states that those are the consequences of the child using their phone in school. By enrolling your child in the school you are agreeing to follow the school's rules.

Except they are not refusing to return it. They have already said they will return it to a parent.

Our school has the same policy, which I don’t agree with as many parents are unable to get there on the same day to collect and a large majority of children either walk or get the bus/train home so need their phone in an emergency. The chance of an emergency might be small but there is still a chance a child or parent may need to contact one another.
Luckily this hasn’t happened to mine…yet, but if or when it does and I get the call to let me know the school has his phone I will be making sure they give it straight back to him at the end of the day so he can travel home with it, they can give a detention instead.

But teeny, tiny brain, they are not refusing to return it are they? They are just returning it to an allegedly responsible adult at the time of their choosing. And however much you protest they are allowed to do this.