3 day suspension for having phone out in school

[TooBored1]

Would you think this was reasonable?

For context my DC's school is consulting on going phone free - pupils will have to put their phone into a lockable pouch when they enter school. They will be subject to random bag checks, and if your phone is not in the locked pouch, or if you are caught using it, there will be an automatic 3 day suspension.

Overall, I'm in favour of going phone free, but I think the punishment is too much, especially as it is harsher than that given for fighting/bullying or disrupting lessons.

I also don't think it will prevent cyber bullying, as, as experienced by both my children, this happens in the evening, rather than during the day.

The punishment is ok - your are being unreasonable
The punishment is not ok - you are not being unreasonable

There's got to be more to it than that. Repeated warnings, continued sanctions that have had no effect, responding badly to being told to put it away or hand it over. The devil's in the detail here.

It's not a complicated rule.
Switched off, in pouch and in your bag out of sight.
3 days may seem extreme but how hard is it follow that rule?

They are consulting on changing the rules.

3 days does sound a bit extreme but they are telling you first. The deterrent has to be enough to actually work.

I can believe it, OP. My eldest's school is like this and I elected to send my younger ones elsewhere because of it. I'd consider moving him too, but he's made friends. It's draconian and I can't see how missing three days of education is proportionate.

Edited for grammar.

If they are telling everyone well in advance what the policy will be and you are going to continue to send them to the school that has this policy, then yes, everyone has to abide by it or face the well publicised consequence. I do think 3 days is a bit much (and it will affect their attendance figures so they may well roll back a bit). The disruption phones cause is off the scale believe me.

We are a phone free school. It's seen or heard (even if off) it's gone until July.

Works really well!

It's ok as long as they're all aware of the punishment.

If they're not going to break the rule, then it doesn't really matter what the consequence is.

But why can't your child just follow the phone rules?

This. Why would you be complaining about a punishment your DC need not ever incur?

They're aware of the rules, as are you, so you can remind them.
If the get suspended for not following clearly communicated rules - them the breaks.

Well... Why can't you just read my post properly? At no point did I say he wasn't.

He hasn't fallen foul of this personally. It's more a general sense that the school isn't preparing kids for the 'real world', unless that's working somewhere like the Amazon warehouse where they're treated like shit for the smallest misdemeanour.

The other school (where my younger ones go) - they confiscate the phone and they have to collect it the next day. If it happens again, the parents have to go and collect the phone. I think this is a better system and doesn't involve them missing education.

Simple consequence for a simple rule, and advance warning has been given to get used to it! Fighting and disruption aren’t always as clean cut but if you don’t think they deal with that harshly enough then I’d pursue that with the school separately.

Respond to the consultation, agree I suggest with the pouch etc, just say what you feel a reasonable sanction should be. I don't think the school could keep the phone for a period of time which would be an alternative.

So how is the strict rule not preparing them for the real world? Can’t see how your preferred method prepares them any further, it’s just your preference.

They do, although I must admit I’m never sure how it works in terms of the legalities of the situation.

My ds' school already uses the yonder system. It has killed cyber bullying and after the first week or so, everyone stopped moaning and complied. It worked well for us.

Sounds good to me.

And then you'll have parents calling complaining that they are VIPs and can't possibly come to the school to collect and giving grief and abuse to the staff enforcing the rule. Yes, this happens.
Clearly they've gone OTT on the consequence to make sure the students won't even consider it. Phones in pouches done. They are completely unnecessary and only a hindrance during the school day. I'd be thrilled as a parent if I had a school so strong on their policy. Why is it not preparing then for the real world? Don't get this angle. Phones are not ideal for younger students and they're an absolute scourge in schools.

Because it's actually a consequence that relates to the 'crime', so to speak. Use the phone... lose the phone.

The real world isn’t always that fair. Plenty of jobs also have a rule of no phone on your person even if you aren’t using it, plenty of retail and manufacturing jobs for example. So your example doesn’t really work, it’s just preference

Schools have a legal obligation to provide pupils with a suitable full time education.

I think a 3 day suspension for having a phone not in a locked pouch is too extreme and could be challenged on the basis that they are not providing the hours of education they are legally obliged to.

A 3 day suspension is a last resort and only suitable for extreme behaviour not a minor phone violation.

Does the school struggle with behaviour? Schools that go to extremes like this always make me suspicious that they're trying too hard to make it look like they are in control. Schools that really do have generally well behaved pupils don't need to make such a show of rules and consequences.

At my daughter's school they put phones in their bags on silent. The kids comply. If they use their phone it gets confiscated for the day. No need for locked pouches or suspensions.

@ToKittyornottoKitty

Ok dear, yes. It's my preference. My preferred method for disciplining kids is 'actions have consequences', and I think this lesson is better learned in this way.

I think if you read The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, you would have no problem with anything which helps reduce the enormous problems smart phones are causing.

So what’s your issue with it if your method is actions have consequences? Don’t follow policy of putting phone in secure pouch… have a consequence. Not sure what’s with the patronising ‘dear’ when we are having a simple discussion but whatever makes you feel good 👍

It’s an easy punishment to avoid though, no? Take phone to school, put in lockable pouch, take out at end of day.