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.

It’s a very common school policy and the idea is that the child and parents are inconvenienced and hopefully won’t do it again

That rather depends, doesn't it? If the school is arbitrarily bringing out lots of new rules and changing the goalposts, it needs to allow some slack, particularly to children with possible disabilities.

No, not picking it up in a hurry would be a far better consequence. Your method is condoning her son as well as no consequences for him.

I'm really not sure how you are getting that from my comments.
I have always said the phones should be out of reach (unless it's in one of the classes they are allowed to use them some of the time), it's the school taking and it and not returning it/making it difficult to get back that I have issue with.

Now we have the “possible disabilities” thing 🙄
Being too dumb to learn your lesson until the third time you’re told doesn’t qualify.

I don't agree with the school.
They confiscated something that isn't theirs to confiscate.
Read my posts properly before appearing so smug in your wrong assertions.

But if you did have a local school that allowed kids to use their phones as and when with no fear of sanctions you'd pick it right? Strangely, in my city, hardly anyone does.

Bombay has said what others are thinking! There are some really entitled pain in the bottoms on this thread who think the world revolves around what THEY want for themselves and their kids. Phones are a massive issue in schools now.

I am not always the greatest fan of teachers but honestly they cannot be messing around moving people's bags, making sure they have what they want, moving bags to the back of the class etc.

Jesus - no wonder some schools struggle with discipline.

The boy cannot follow simple rules. You need to take a half day leave or better still move him to a school where they dont have rules like this and they can just do what they like and you dont get bothered like this.

FGS - speak to your son and tell him that him messing around has caused you to have to take his consequences. Unless of course you are teaching him that doing what he likes is just fine with you.

That comment doesn't sound as clever as you think it does.

Of course sanctions are needed, but they don't have to involve physically taking someone else's property.

yabu
our dc school has a similar policy.
4th time it's parents pick up the phone after a week...
they learn quickly.
dc put their phones into their lockers as soon as they arrive at school.

But that’s getting home from the gym, not school. He could get home safe.y without the gym. Or ask the gym to phone. What would he do if his phone froze/died/was stolen because he keeps showing it around at school?

What would be your sanctions?
Especially after three occasions of unauthorised phone use.

The trouble with just confiscating it and giving it back to the child is that it’s not an adequate punishment or deterrent. Where’s the deterrent? Your child shouldn’t be using his phone during the school day, so whether it’s in his bag switched off or in a teacher’s drawer it’s all the same to your DS. He can’t use it. So he may as well try to use it and risk getting caught.

Unless there’s a stronger deterrent like parents having to collect it, confiscation doesn’t work. You can’t confiscate it for a week as parents may argue it’s needed in the evenings etc. So parents being inconvenienced and angry with their children works much better as a deterrent.

If you scroll back you'll see I have already explained.

Yes. It should. It wasn’t.
Next.

I can't see where you explained.
You said about moving the bag, what else did you say?
(Sorry, there are a lot of posts)

Tell him you'll pick it up after Christmas when you have time.

Don’t be ridiculous - they’re not stealing it

The boy clearly cannot understand simple rules yet he is allowed to go to a gym and needs his phone to what - make arrangements for a pick up? What is wrong with organising it the night before bearing in mind he wont have his phone.. He will know what time he is finishing.

Three times is ridiculous. Is there a consequence at home for inconveniencing his parents this way?

@AnonnyMouseDave I teach In a PRU. None of that happens.
For really generally naughty kids they are read the riot act pre starting and they just do it.
If they (on the rare occasion) smuggle something in it goes in their polly pocket.
I have to say that's quite rare though. They love their phones and vapes and want them back at the end of the day.
We are strict and disciplined as to be honest that's generally what they have lacked. We are their safe haven. We hardly have any absence either.

Of course he can be without it. He won 't die.
Maybe he'll learn not to disrupt classes.

The policy is fulfilling its purpose. It is supposed to be inconvenient and frustrating. That is the whole point of a deterrent.

Perhaps you could request a membership card or other form of secondary ID as a backup for his gym so that there is less urgency to retrieve the phone.

I mean my phone has alarms on it. But it could easily be done with a watch.

my friends daughter has T1D and needs her phone for her blood sugar. But they do allow that….however she can’t message…..