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

But it does? They are telling the children that their personal safety is less important than not using a phone.

Btw, I doubt that my children WILL use their phone and id have no issues with a justified punishment, same as for breaking any other rule.

I think pouches are a great idea, I think bag checks are inappropriate and often misused- creating trust>demanding answers.

My other concern is regarding students with longterm illness or disability- becoming unwell and wanting advice or comfort from parents, being stuck physically if in a lift, inaccessible area etc and unable to get help, forgotten about inside during fire drills (as in news recently, and witnessed myself) and also parents have a right to be able to hear from and about their children. I remember a fellow student at school who was put in isolation (in a corridor, alone, next to head teacher's office) who wasn't allowed to use the toilet, go outside or access their bag for water/no access to food at lunchtime and had no way of contacting their parent or even police because their phone was confiscated.

Unfortunately schools are not always a safe space, and I would be hesitant to allow my children with additional needs to not have access to their own phone. They would however be expected and instructed by me to not access their phone unless in dire emergency.

If the deterrent isn’t strong enough some students will just flout the rules. It’s a simple rule to follow and, if the expectations are outlined clearly, I think this is fair and will hopefully ensure that all students comply.

Sadly phones off and in bags does not work in my school. So many break the rule that it is then hard to enforce. We are moving to lockers and I think this will be positive for the students.

Oh yes, I do apologise. Missed that with all the questions. I don't think there's anything else to add here, clearly we have differing opinions. All the best.

I agree with phones not being used in school. But the punishment has to make sense when compared to the punishments they give for other offences.

They aren’t really telling the kids that. And using phones in school time can also compromise their safety. I think this rule is just easier and more clear cut to implement. With fighting how can they accurately determine who instigated it in every case? Surely not having quite a fixed punishment for that allows them more leeway in more severe circumstances? I can see what you mean and I do think punishments for fighting should also be strict, I just think it’s a little more complicated. And I’m not certain it would be an effective argument if it’s the one you are think of using to oppose this plan

But the harsh punishment is only for BREAKING the rule, which you will absolutely make sure your kids don't. I think they will come down harsh ly, make an example of someone who will probably be someone who never abides by the rule and it will put good kids off breaking it.

Exactly.

Phones are a NIGHTMARE in schools. Some schools make students hand their phones in at the beginning of the day. Some have specific lockers for them.

At least the students keep them this way.

Ridiculous. How does it work on reality though, a couple of examples...

How are they meant to pay for lunch if their phone is locked in a pouch?

What about kids with blood sugar monitoring via an app?

Confiscating the phone means that they won't have the phone in the situation where they are a lot more vulnerable.. outside school.

3 days suspension may be a bit extreme on first offence. Repeated offences yes.

I know if I was 14yrs old, I'd have a dummy phone to lock away and keep my actual phone with me (and not get caught with it).

Easy, medical exemptions can exist, it’s not like half the school will need it to monitor blood sugar, and seen as they will already no phones are locked away well in advance they can take a bank card or cash to school. In reality it works fine

Why can't your child just follow the rules?

A three day suspension is focusing your mind. And therefore your child has to take it seriously.

Other punishments don't work because they aren't severe enough.

The pouch system is the dumbest idea ever. Yet there's 'really positive results from it'. Which are in no way related to having phones kept overnight and could be done without the cost of the bags.

I managed to pay for things with cash and cards.

Our school is cashless and school meals are paid for via an app, scanned at the checkout. Most kids don't stay in school for lunch though and my son uses Apple pay to pay for his lunch.

There’ll always be medical exemptions, and a lot of schools use an account system for lunch, fingerprint access. I think it’s brilliant. It should be a harsh punishment because it’s an easy rule to follow!

Ds school uses an app to pay for school lunches. School is cashless. The app is scanned at the till to pay. No option to use cash or cards.

Ours too. Paying by cash or card is not an option.

And they wonder why kids take phones to school... The schools are part of the problem here.

Serious question - you'd be happy for the child to have the 'phone confiscated for 3 days (or perhaps longer) rather than the 3 day suspension?

Fine with the phone free school, fine to confiscate the phone for three days but wouldn’t be happy with no education for three days. It feels like the punishment doesn’t fit the crime.

I would ban phones from schools completely tbh, zero need for them.

Honestly this is another problem. Because parents will insist their child must have the phone. Yet separating child from phone is probably better than a suspension and will drive the message home.

Then this probably wouldn’t work for your school. Many schools don’t do this though and obviously wouldn’t leave their canteens cashless and with an app for payment if they banned phones. Our local high school doesn’t allow anyone out at lunch, but even if they did kids could still use card or cash on the high street.