Drew Central Cell Phone Policy
Published by Drew Central Schools October 15th, 2008 in Drew Central News.New Drew Central Student Cell Phone Use Policy
Adopted by Drew Central School Board October 9, 2008
Possession of cell phones, paging devices, beepers or similar electronic communication devices by students on school property during the school day is prohibited. (ACA §6-18-502) An exception to this policy may be made for students who participate in after-school activities, provided the cell phone is turned in at the office at the beginning of the school day, and is checked back out to the student at the end of the school day. Students who drive a vehicle to school may keep the phone locked in the vehicle, provided access to the vehicle and cell phone is not made during school hours. Any after-school use of cell phones is at the student’s risk. The school assumes no responsibility for loss or recovery of missing cell phones.
Violation of this policy will result in:
1st offense: Student will be assigned to In School Suspension. Phone will be confiscated and returned to a parent only after a conference has been held.
2nd offense: 3-day out of school suspension. Phone will be confiscated and held until the end of the semester.
3rd offense: 5-day out of school suspension. Phone will be confiscated and held until the end of the school year.
4th offense: Recommendation for expulsion from school for one calendar year.
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What a violation of freedom of speech rights! Cell phones are the easiest way to communicate with people in the event of emergancies. They are the easiest way to keep in touch with family and friends. I can understand if they don’t need cell phones during school hours, but to restrict them from even going to their vehicles to check their messages, seems a little harsh to me. I am glad I’m not in high school anymore. I am an alumni of DCH, and cell phones never seemed to be an issue for us. But of course, that was 10 years ago. Still, to restrict even having them on the property unless you are going to be there after school, seems really, really harsh to me. And the punishment is awful. For students that have disabled parents or are disabled theirselves, they need to have a cell phone to better communicate their needs. I fear that this decision will have many unwanted repercussions. While the intent may have been benign, the outcome will cause confusion, fear and resentment to the school.
If these kids need to be reached, or need to reach a family member or a relative, there is and always will be phones for them to use in the office!! When I was in school we didnt have cell phones, and we survived just fine!! these cell phones are a convience but also a BIG distraction for the kids and the staff. I think it’s a great idea, they should not be allowed period!!
Serenity I totally agree with you. When my daughter brought home a paper for me to sign in regards to the new policy and told me if I didnt sign it for her to take it back to school she’d be punished I was not only outraged by the policy I was outraged at the harshness. There are many times with my job that I am in court and there’s NO WAY for me to call the school to get a message to my daughter as to whether I may be late today due to a trial running long or its a long docket day and I would send her a text message to let her know I’ll be late. I can say from all the years my children have attended DCHS that there are days the phone lines are busy so long that you cant get thru with a message before class is out. And a few times in years passed the message was never passed along to my child and Panic sets in when you are waiting somewhere for your child and they dont get off the bus they are supose to be on or arent where you asked the school to tell them to be. Im my line of work I see the after effects of what the sick in this county can and have done to our children and when you have those images already in your mind then you cant find you own child or reach your own child because of busy phone lines or messages not being given can cause you to lose your mind. Personally I think the school should have let the parents..ALL.. the parents vote before making it law. Can the school now garentee that all calls will be able to get thru with instructions for our children before school is out. Do you now plan to hire more office works and install a switch bored to handle the multitued of calls which you will now have to deal with since you’ve taken away our means of communication with our children. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that this policy is a good thing, because in the long run its going to cause nothing but problems for everyone involved.
signed An Angry Parent
Tammy Wiscaver Kelly
I feel that this a very good policy, we need to remember why our children are at school. To learn!!!!
Talk on your cell phone after school.
Mae Simpson
I agree with Resident. My generation didnt have cell phones. If the kids hadn’t taken advantage by texting to cheat on test or just texting their friends all day instead of paying attention, this wouldnt be a problem. Texting makes it SO easy to cheat on test and boy do they ever! When my kid was in high school and I looked at his bill, he was texting all day long while at school. How can they be learning if they are texting all day??
I realize that cell phones have become a problem in the schools, but I also don’t think that the school can legally take a cell phone and keep it. I believe you would call that theft of property. I for one, would not be a happy camper if the school took the cell phone that I pay for each month. Although, I do believe there should be consequences to cell phone use at school, I do not believe this is the answer. DC could do like Monticello H.S. does - 1st time: if the child is caught w/a phone the principle takes the phone and the parent has to come to the school and pick up the phone. 2nd time) I believe it is D-Hall or ISS; 3rd time) ISS-3days, or something to that effect. Monticello policy seems more reasonable and legal, don’t you think?
To the one who mentioned “Violation of freedom of Speech rights” HOg Wash!!!!!!! yes I said Hog Wash!!!!!!!! what about teaching your child to respect and abide by the rules of school!!!!!!!! Why on earth would a child need a cell phone at school??????? It’s always been a mystery to me???? It’s like wearing a cap to school, why?? You have to take it off in the building???? You can’t use your cellphone during school!! So shy have one…. I didn’t have one going to school(Of course they weren’t invented yet) But I survived!!!!! and many others did also!!! This is very simple …..teach your child to abide by the rules at school, respect the rules, don’t teach them to whine about everything!!!!!!! THere are worse things in this world and not having a cell phone isn’t one of them…. If and when there is an emergency , the parents will be contacted…….. Cell phones at school are a nuisance!!!!!!!!! they distract students from doing what they come to scjool for….to learn!!!!!!!!!! So grow up !!!!!!!!!!!!! and your children might grow up too one day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With all there is going on in this world you shouldn’t be worried over A CELL PHONE AT SCHOOL.SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS.THOSE TEACHERS ARE WITH YOUR KIDS MORE THAN YOU ARE LET THEM DO THEIR JOB!!!!!
I am a teacher and I do agree that cell phones are misused and abused. However, I do want my child to have a cell phone on him in case of emergency-his or mine. There are often times that I cannot pick him up and I have to leave a message for him to ride home with his friend’s mother. He does not text (and the bill proves this) but has it in case of emergency. I do not teach in Monticello and love our secretary to death, but there have been several times when messages were not passed on and children were left in limbo. And I am grown and don’t need to grow up-Ladybug, that is a rather harsh comment without knowing each and everyone’s personal situations.
I totally agree with the policy, students sit in class and text, phone vibrates or rings and it disturbs the whole class. Then when you address the issue with the student they get combative, smart and argues with you, another distraction.It is not that serious
Speaking as a former DCH Student and current Alum., I can personally tell you the MANY times I have actually needed my cell phone in high school to place calls to my parents. I was a student with a disability. When I was a senior in high school, cell phones were just beginning to be introduced to the kids. I took advantage of my cell phone to call my parents or teachers, any time I had problems, resulting from the limitations of my disabilities. I never texted other students or provided distractions. I used my phone for REAL problems. Now, I know there are still students today at DCH that have disabilities. And I know that the main office phone lines stay tied up for hours sometimes and it is very hard to get messages to and from parents to their children at school. There will have to be exceptions made for these children or the school may soon have a lawsuit on thier hands regarding impeaching the rights of disabled students.
Now, if you have a disablitiy that’s diferent and I am sure the school will make accomadations. I am a Monticello High alum and we didn’t have cell phones and we made it thru just fine. We did hav pay phones though. Maybe Drew Central need to put some pay phones on the campus. Now, let me say this, maybe if the students didn’t abuse the cell phone use, the school wouln’t have to implement a new policy. The students abused it, plain and simple. The focus of school is EDUCATION. How many of you have observed how your child behaves at school? They manner in which they speak to the teacher/principal/staff? Don’t get me wrong, I am a parent and I know that my children are not perfect and will misbehave. I try to stay inform on what is going on…..
I dont agree with the new policy.I also dont think the kids should be using their phones during class time.It seems to me that punishments dont fit the crimes at school anymore.You get sent to Dhall and ISS for what were considered minor infractions when I was in school.You shouldnt get DHall for one unexcused tardy.You shouldnt get ISS for missing a class one time.And a child certainly should not get ISS for just being caught with a cell phone.ISS should only be utilized after the second or third infraction,not the FIRST.Too harsh these days,just too harsh.
Even though I don’t have children that attend this school, I do agree with most that these children need to leave these phones at home. Yes, cell phones make all of our lives easier but in the long run its doing more harm than good. Im sure that the abusers of the cell phones have caused the school problems and given them no other choice but to change the policy.
Also, the money that its costing the parents to provide these children with these phones is rediculous. I agree that there are more important things that should be focused on in school. Phone calls and text messages are not on top of the list. They are too much of a distraction . Students should be totally attentive to the teachers and trying to learn as much as they can. Most teachers try so hard to do their jobs but if they dont have the support from the administration its very diffilcult to do.
Parents, support your school. We didnt have cell phones and we made it fine. If the parents rebel, the children will rebel.
For the ones who are sayin we don’t need cell phone yall need to open your eyes and see this is not your time anymore it wasn’t much going on while yall were growing up there is some much stuff that happens now that we need to get in contact with our parents then and their I can honestly say I have been in the situtation when I passed out at school no one ran to the office to call my family they got their cell phone because I needed my inhailer it would have took forever to get my family cause the people their didn’t know my house number so they would hav’t to look it up in the files but just so happen one of them had my sister number in their CELL PHONE now tell me this what would you have done if someone waited all day while your child was passed out and people trying to look for your number in the school files you wouldn’t like that now would you I don’t think so
It is obvious that you have most definitely been using your cell phone in school and not listening to your English teacher. Look at your English skills. Mispelled words, no periods at the end of your sentences. Do I need to continue? Gee, I think I have made my point. Enough said.
I have to agree with Camp60. To Sweet hasn’t been paying attention in English class. Just because the times have changed doesn’t mean that you have more problems than we did ten years ago. We had just as much going on back then that kids do now. I didn’t have a cell phone growing up and if I needed my parents, there was no problem getting in touch with them. The office has phones that can be used by students who need to use them. We also had students with disabilities and there are plans in place for them if a problem arises. My daughter goes to a private school and I went to pick her uo early one day. I was shocked to see 15 cell phones laying on a desk in the office. As if the secratary doesn’t have enough to do during the day, she now has to keep up with all of these cell phones. I understand giving driving age students cell phones. Alot of things can happen on the road, where a phone is needed. Keep them locked in your car at school. they aren’t needed there.
In a perfect world, children would only use their cell phones in emergency situations. This isn’t a perfect world…
I’ve worked in the school systems, at the times our schools were implementing similar policies, and never once did I see a child in such danger as to be saved by a cell phone. If you worry about something happening to them while they are at school, tell them you love them and teach them common sense before you drop them off. If someone were to burst in your school, God forbid, to terrorize your children, it would happen whether they had a cellphone or not. As far as ‘I can’t get messages to my children,’ even if they HAD cell phones, parents above all should respect their children’s education enough not to contact them on it. It should be an emergency case only. Ya’ll live in Monticello, so get over it. The school is less than ten minutes from just about anywhere in town. If you ‘can’t get away to give my child an urgent message and can’t reach the school,’ I’m sure you know a helpful neighbor that would be more than happy to drive half a mile and deliver the message in person.
From cells in schools, I did see alot of texting, cheating, and rude parents calling and texting their children throughout the day. I did see more than one altercation because someone’s phone got stolen. I’ve worked in the office when the lines of honest, rule-abiding teens pile in at the beginning of the day to turn their phones in, and chastise the secretaries about ‘not answering their phones’ as if anyone would care to. I’ve seen the office workers scrambling to answer phones, write absentees & help parents while at the same time feverishly popping post-it notes on kids’ phones to id them after school. It’s an undue stress.
I have heard songs such as ‘So I took the keys to her f***ing car, crashed that piece of sh*t and stepped away’ chiming from purses during tests. (That would be Bartender by Rehab…funny as crap but totally not appropriate for a 15 year old girl to have on her cell, whether she’s at school or not).
They cause more harm than good. Schools have existed for GENERATIONS without cellphones, and why are children more socialbly needed than adults these days? I can’t tell you HOW many of my besties aren’t allowed to have their cellphones at work. I say let them get used to disappointment now so maybe they won’t get fired for being a brat when they hear they need to put the phone away and do actual work from their bosses one day. How come your 16 yr old is more important than my best friend who has a 3yr old in preschool? Why can’t she answer HER phone during the day? Because she works at a doctor’s office. How offended would YOU be if your nurse was standing there talking to her kid the whole time she was taking your blood pressure? I can assure you a post would be left, griping about that on here or a call to her employer, at the least. Kids have enough excuses to disrespect and ignore teachers without adding electronic distracters to the mix.
What many people don’t realize is that it’s a safety issue more than anything. How fast would it take a crackhead to get to school if his little brother texted him and told him he was fighting with one of YOUR children? A simple text at 9 a.m. could easily reveal where to find your student in that school at 9:15. Sounds farfetched? So did Columbine, but it happened.
Most important to me, however, was the fact that schools have no electronic policies for a good reason these past few years (since September 11, 2001, actually). It has nothing to do with whether or not your child is brat and cheats on tests, or whether your daughter started her period and needs tampons delivered…if someone were ever stupid enough to bring a bomb into the classrooms with YOUR CHILDREN, the simplest electronic signal, especially from cell phones, could tragically end the chance of any kind of safe evacuation.
Let them wait until their breaks or go to the office if they need a phone, like adults are asked to do at their jobs everyday. Cell phones have been around for awhile now. If kids weren’t acting stupid and causing problems with them, they wouldn’t be having to enact policies. Whether YOUR child is an angel and would NEVER cheat or text about meeting guys after schook, many children will use the phones for that.
Why don’t you who are against it go stand in front of 20 teenagers and try to describe the female anatomy while someone’s phone is in the back of the room playing ‘I’m in luv with a stripper.’
Btw,
It’s ‘Too Sweet’, not ‘To Sweet.’
There is a fab little invention called ‘medic bracelets’ that your parents should have already provided you with if your health is that unstable.
Just make sure you don’t misspell the illness and phone number, Shakespeare.
You go J. Most of the parents that you see complaining about this cell phone issue are parents that have spoiled brats. These kids have been given anything and everything that they have ever wanted and asked for and will not accept that there are other people’s rules that their children have to abide by. Instead of supporting the rules, they are supporting the children and what they want. This is disgusting. There are so many parents out there that have no backbone. They let their children totally control their lives. They even make their own curfews. I know this to be true because I have a neice that lives in Monticello and this is how it is in her home and always has been. It is totally disgusting. What is wrong with parents that allow this to go on in their home? Do they not realize that these children are starving for discipline? You can’t be a parent and a friend to your child all at the same time. They will totally take advantage of the situation.
There will always be some rules at one time or another that we as parents do not agree with in our school system. But, it is our place as parents to support this school in their decisions, unless it can be prooved that it is harmful to the child. Taking away a child’s cell phone will not kill him or her. For goodness sake. I doubt if you will ever read in a newspaper that this was the cause of death. Get real!!!!
I am just going to be honest about the situation. All of you are a bunch of cry babies arguing about stupid things, and how you grown people are talking about lil kids. That is just childish you all need to grow up. Just drop the whole subject because it makes you look so dumb. Also when I say grown people I mean (Camp60, Holly, and J). This shows people that you all are not to grown yourselves you should leave people alone because you are not making this about the cellphones anymore, but just because someone disagrees you want to jump down there throat it’s just ridiculous. For Real get a life.
Okay Lovebug,
Obviously someone has hit a sore spot with you. You must be one of the spoiled brats that I was speaking of previously. And, by observation, your English skills proove that you too must have been one of the cell phone abusers that were forced to give up your phone.
Grown-ups as you call us, we all have opinions. Its not facts, its only opinions. We are not dumb. Look in the dictionary (that is if you know what one of those are) and you will find the definition .
Quit your whining about us grown-ups and get on with your “lil kid” stuff, whatever that may be. We will continue to voice our opinions. Get over it!!!
I understand you want to voice your opinion but you don’t hav’t to be so harsh you need to get on that “Grown up #@^”. Stop being so childish acting like a little kid complaining about everything. Also, for your information I have never gotten my cell phone taken, and why your always trying to correct everyone’s english skills, you need to take a look at what the hell you have been writing. Looking at how you respond to people you were one of those bad *&^kids who cried everytime you didn’t get what you want just how you have been doing on here. So voice your opinion do what you got to do but in the process find a life and get off of everyone’s case.
Lovebug,
Let me remind you. This is a “place” where people can vent and express themselves. No harm is meant to anyone. There are facts in some of these post that people have written. Bottom line, you have been so defensive , its really sounding like you are one of those kids.
If you cant handle the criticism then you may want to refrain from visiting this site. Also, you may want to “cut out” the slang. When people abuse things , they sometimes get taken away. Go figure.
No one in this world is perfect. We are all trying to do the best we can with what we have. And, I do have a life for your information. One that is very enjoyable and fulfilling. Merry Christmas Lovebug and have a Happy New Year!!!
I allowed my daughter to carry her cell phone to school due to after school activities. At MMS they are allowed to keep their phones in their locker as long as they are turned off or on silent. Her last trip to her locker is at lunch and one day she allowed someone else to use her phone. BUSTED! When I picked her up that day I had to go to the office to get her phone and speak to the Vice principal. He gave me her phone and explained that he had already counseled with her and he gave me a paper that I had to sign stating the school policy and consequences. When I returned to my vehicle my daughter asked for her phone, I told her no. She knew the rules and that if she couldn’t be responsible enough to follow them then she would have to pay the consequences. See I pay her phone bill and I control if she has her phone so her punishment was her phone taken away for a couple of weeks. She needed to know that the school has rules for a reason and that they needed to be followed. The school has my children for almost 36 hours during a week, I have them 132 hours a week, so we need to realize that we(as parents) have ultimate say in how our children follow “the rules”. Yes, I believe that Drew Central has a harsh punishment for their cell phone policy and I am not sure how parents can change the punishment, but we do need to respect it until it can be changed. If there is such a problem at the school with messages being passed to the students from their parents, then maybe DC should get some volunteer moms or dads to come in and help. I am not sure about DC but Monticello schools welcomes volunteers.