NY Cell Phone Ban In Schools

**THL** · 14 Jul 06,, 05:33

Parents Challenge School Cell Phone Ban
July 13, 2006

A group of parents filed a lawsuit in State Supreme Court Thursday against the Department of Education, saying the ban on cell phones in schools jeopardizes their children's safety by eliminating their link to their family.

In April, the DOE began carrying out random, unannounced weapon scans at several schools around the city, and those searches also turned up thousands of cell phones that would otherwise have been undetected. In all, the DOE says some 3,000 cell phones have been confiscated from students since April.

They're only returned if a parent comes to pick the phone up.

The City Council has introduced legislation that would allow students to carry cell phones to and from school if they keep them turned off.

Attorney Norman Siegel, who is representing the eight parents who filed the lawsuit, along with the Chancellor's Parent Advisory Committee, against the DOE, said Thursday that he understands that students shouldn't be on their cell phones during class time, or using them to cheat on tests, but that they do need them to stay in touch with their families.

“The ban on cell phones, very simply, needs to be lifted so that a vital communication link between parents and students before and after school hours can continue,” said Siegel.

Siegel also says the DOE should be able to develop a plan whereby schools can hold cell phones during the day and return them to students when they leave school.

Parents a P.S. 45 who spoke with NY1 said they need to be able to reach their children.

"He got into trouble," said one parent of her son. "He was beat up so bad and I said, you know, if he had the cell phone, he would tell “Mommy I’m in trouble, can I be excused at this time?’ I couldn’t get to my child."

“We need to communicate with them constantly because of different situations that happen in the school, that happen even at home, you know," added another parent. "They’re growing up key-latch [sic] kids, some of them come home and they’re by themselves, we need to address it, we definitely need to address it. I like the fact that we have the cell phones."

Siegel adds he’d like the DOE to agree to a 90-day trial period at the beginning of the next school year to see if schools can figure out way to hold cell phones, allowing students to have them while going to and from school.

The DOE would not comment on the specifics of the suit, but a spokesman said in a statement: “It is [the department’s] experience that when cell phones are brought into school they are used. There is no constitutional right to disrupt a student's education."

The department also claims there have been 2,500 disruptive incidents in schools due to cell phones in the past school year.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg also stands firmly behind the ban, saying he doesn't want the phones anywhere near the schools.

However, the measure to lift the cell phone ban has so much support in the City Council that members could easily override a veto by the mayor, and that could set up another court battle.

http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index...d=1&aid=60969#

**THL** · 14 Jul 06,, 05:37

"He got into trouble," said one parent of her son. "He was beat up so bad and I said, you know, if he had the cell phone, he would tell “Mommy I’m in trouble, can I be excused at this time?’ I couldn’t get to my child."

Is she serious? I think her name and her son's name should be published so that he can be beat up again. If she is so concerned about him getting beat up - send him to karate class.

I think the argument that kids need to get in touch with their parents during the school day is absurd. When I was in school and I "needed" to get ahold of my parents - I used a payphone. Let the kids use payphones.

They should have to turn their phones in at the school entrance or leave them in their cars in the parking lot and get them at the end of the day. There is no real need for a cell phone in algebra class.

**JBodnar39** · 17 Jul 06,, 16:12

Originally Posted by TopHatsLiberal

Is she serious? I think her name and her son's name should be published so that he can be beat up again. If she is so concerned about him getting beat up - send him to karate class.

I think the argument that kids need to get in touch with their parents during the school day is absurd. When I was in school and I "needed" to get ahold of my parents - I used a payphone. Let the kids use payphones.

They should have to turn their phones in at the school entrance or leave them in their cars in the parking lot and get them at the end of the day. There is no real need for a cell phone in algebra class.

I have a teenager who has his own cell-phone and it makes my life a lot easier. He is allowed to bring his to school, but he must keep it off during class. I think that is reasonable set of standards to follow.

**THL** · 17 Jul 06,, 19:25

Originally Posted by JBodnar39

I have a teenager who has his own cell-phone and it makes my life a lot easier. He is allowed to bring his to school, but he must keep it off during class. I think that is reasonable set of standards to follow.

If all kids were that trustworthy then I could agree to that, but most are not. Kids are being found using their cell phones to cheat on tests by text messaging answers back and forth.

**gunnut** · 17 Jul 06,, 22:18

I didn't have a cell phone when I was in school. I bet most of the people here didn't. There was never a need. Why is there a need now?

**JBodnar39** · 17 Jul 06,, 22:24

Originally Posted by gunnut

I didn't have a cell phone when I was in school. I bet most of the people here didn't. There was never a need. Why is there a need now?

It is certainly not a need - just makes things easier for me as a parent

**Parihaka** · 17 Jul 06,, 22:58

Originally Posted by TopHatsLiberal

If all kids were that trustworthy then I could agree to that, but most are not. Kids are being found using their cell phones to cheat on tests by text messaging answers back and forth.

Cheating in exams has always happened, have the teachers suddenly got stupid?
I've yet to hear any reason why kids shouldn't have cell phones at school except the curmudgeonly "didn't have 'em in MY day".

**Parihaka** · 17 Jul 06,, 23:01

Originally Posted by gunnut

I didn't have a cell phone when I was in school. I bet most of the people here didn't. There was never a need. Why is there a need now?

There was a need, it's just that need wasn't met.
Just because there didn't used to be cures for a whole lot of diseases doesn't mean the cure wasn't needed. Curmudgeon.

**THL** · 17 Jul 06,, 23:11

Originally Posted by parihaka

Cheating in exams has always happened, have the teachers suddenly got stupid?
I've yet to hear any reason why kids shouldn't have cell phones at school except the curmudgeonly "didn't have 'em in MY day".

but the technology is making it easier. imagine being a teacher, having a hard enough time trying to keep students attention, then all of a sudden, a cell phone rings, then another, and another. there are going to be kids talking on them and sending text messages when they should not be. keeping kids in line in school is hard enough, why make it harder?

student are in school to learn and any device that is not needed to assist in that goal is only going to serve as a disruption and should not be allowed. there is no reason whatsoever that a 16 year old needs to take a call during history class. if there is an emergency, there is no reason that a message cannot be left at the main office and someone can get the message to the student.

**Parihaka** · 18 Jul 06,, 00:27

Originally Posted by TopHatsLiberal

but the technology is making it easier. imagine being a teacher, having a hard enough time trying to keep students attention, then all of a sudden, a cell phone rings, then another, and another. there are going to be kids talking on them and sending text messages when they should not be. keeping kids in line in school is hard enough, why make it harder?

student are in school to learn and any device that is not needed to assist in that goal is only going to serve as a disruption and should not be allowed. there is no reason whatsoever that a 16 year old needs to take a call during history class. if there is an emergency, there is no reason that a message cannot be left at the main office and someone can get the message to the student.

Aha, curmudgeon two. Simple, turn them off in class, usual penalties apply if they don't.
Honestly people, what are you going to do when there is direct neural linkup to the net in 50 years time, insist children leave their heads outside the school gates?
Schools are about teaching children the necessary skills to survive in a modern workforce. Cell phones are an essential part of those skills.

" Bah humbug, didn't have nuffin like this in my day, didn't need em then, don't need em now, little buggers are spoilt, should make em suffer, everyone knows they'll cheat if they can, I mean look what we did... oops

"

**Officer of Engineers** · 18 Jul 06,, 00:34

Hey I learned how to use a compass, read a topigraphical map, and a slide rule!

**THL** · 18 Jul 06,, 02:54

Originally Posted by parihaka

Aha, curmudgeon two. Simple, turn them off in class, usual penalties apply if they don't.
Honestly people, what are you going to do when there is direct neural linkup to the net in 50 years time, insist children leave their heads outside the school gates?
Schools are about teaching children the necessary skills to survive in a modern

That would be fine if it would work. The kids are being told to turn them of in class now and instead they are using them as internet portals to IM friends and disrupt class. With all the hormones going on in a class full of 16 year olds, I think one more disruption is not needed. A school and the classrooms therein are educational facilities - not social country clubs - and should be treated as such.

**THL** · 18 Jul 06,, 02:55

Originally Posted by Officer of Engineers

Hey I learned how to use a compass, read a topigraphical map, and a slide rule!

I am not even sure I know what a slide rule is - Can this...slide rule...be bought on eBay?

**Parihaka** · 18 Jul 06,, 05:08

Originally Posted by Officer of Engineers

Hey I learned how to use a compass, read a topigraphical map, and a slide rule!

Ditto, I've tried to buy a slide rule over the past 5 years or so but no dice. I'd love to get my hands on one and dispense with the damn calculators whose batteries don't get made after 5 years

**Parihaka** · 18 Jul 06,, 05:14

Originally Posted by TopHatsLiberal

That would be fine if it would work. The kids are being told to turn them of in class now and instead they are using them as internet portals to IM friends and disrupt class. With all the hormones going on in a class full of 16 year olds, I think one more disruption is not needed. A school and the classrooms therein are educational facilities - not social country clubs - and should be treated as such.

My cell phone converts areas and units of measurement, performs differentiation, takes videos and is a music composer if you're into the arts.
People who pass messages have been doing so since paper was invented, the ones with the cell phones are fidgiting at the back of the class with their heads down looking sideways at each other, just as they were when the Colonel and I were figuring out the use of Pi on our slide rules. I could have done with knowing how many acres in a hectare back then.