The Nerve | Where government gets exposed > Parent Learns Hard Way Schools Make Their Own Rules

Way to encourage learning Berkeley County School District - Student found in violation of cell phone policy (even if she wasn't disturbing anyone), so let's suspend her from school for a day. Rules are rules, after all!

Cicero Friday, May 21, 2010 9:45 AM

I work at a college, so we're talking about ADULTS here. With every class change you'll see these so-called 'adults' with there face/fingers burried in their cell phones with NO CONCERN about anyone around them. They get into their vehicles still pounding away at the 'keyboard' and drive off without even a look to see who may be in front of them!

I see accident after accident on campus which is raising all of our insurance premiums!

This ADDICTION needs to stop! If taking away personal property is the only way to bring order to the classrooms and our highways, so be it!

We all have Rights, but most seem to forget that RESPONSIBILITY comes with those rights and when you infringe on mine, don't bitch when you loose yours!

Suck it up Dude....obviously your daughter, your wife, and you didn't learn from the first infraction of the rules!

Charlie Friday, May 21, 2010 11:23 AM

IDIOCRACY! You don't want the government to "TELL YOU WHAT TO DO" but you have no qualms about sending your own daughter to their gulag everyday for them to TELL HER WHAT TO THINK. The uneducated CANNOT be free! That is exactly what governement schools are about.

Motivated Friday, May 21, 2010 11:33 AM

This is simply another case of a whining parent who thinks his rights trump everyone elses. First, cell phones and other communication devices should not be allowed in schools as they are a distraction. Parents who have to get in touch with their kids can do so by calling the principal's office. Second, and as usual, this guy's kid can do no wrong. It's the school that's wrong.

In fact, our educational system would be better off if parents stopped coddeling their kids when it comes to discipline. Because their kids rule the roost at home, they can get away with anything in school.

Congratulations to the school for standing it's ground. Now we need a dress code, ban communication divices, wierd hair do's. Let's get back to a disciplined educational system without whining students and parents.

Peter Friday, May 21, 2010 12:36 PM

Isn't it amazing the people that are willing to just surrender their rights and freedoms to the government without question? There's a fourth amendment issue here ... ya know ... illegal searches and seizures, no warrant, no laws broken, yet property was confiscated by a government agency. It's one thing to take property away from a child. But when the rightful owner requests ... nay ... demands that his property be returned, you'd think it would be common sense that it ought to be returned post-haste. Whose rights am I violating by asking for my property back? I served this country for more than 10 years in the armed forces, vowing to defend the Constitution against all enemies ... its MY PROPERTY!

"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams

Eric Roberts Friday, May 21, 2010 5:29 PM

The school did the right thing but when the father came to school he should have been given the phone and told that the next time it would be kept till the end of the school year.There is no reason a sixth grader needs a phone and her father could always call school officials in case of an emergency.

Edward koziol Friday, May 21, 2010 7:41 PM

These kinds of mentalities in government need to be taught a lesson. They do not own that cell phone and are holding it illegally. I would send a certified letter to the school principal and threaten to have arrest warrants issued if that phone is not returned immediately and that if his daughter is harrassed in anyway shape or form for the intent to excercise the constitutional and civil right to do so, that other criminal charges for 1st Amendment violations will be filed with the Federal Magistrate. I am not going to cite the statutes he can use. But there criminal laws on the books that can be applied here. They will allege it is a school administrative matter or a civil matter. But criminal law is clear. No judge in their right mind would dare violate this man's constitutional rights by denying the right to take out arrest warrants for fear of being charged themselves under Civil Rights statutes.

These school officials are off their rockers.

Yeppers Saturday, May 22, 2010 3:22 AM

It's telling that neither the school nor the school district "could be reached for comment." I assume that means they didn't want to comment, which doesn't surprise me. They know that policies like the one in this story are indefensible and that while they may be able to make their own rules, they're know the can't defend them without sounding like some sort of police state-type organization.

Flapper Saturday, May 22, 2010 9:24 AM

Here's a scenario the school would do well to consider: Student has phone taken away for (in this case) several weeks. Student then gets into emergency situation but can't call parents because she no longer has phone. Something unfortunate happens to student. School would, I assume, have liability out the wazoo. And rightly so.

This is a stupid policy put in place by school bureaucrats who want a one-size-fits-all remedy for every situation. Sorry, but life is much too nuanced for that.

Bosco Barnes Saturday, May 22, 2010 9:30 AM

Sorry, I am usually on the side for individual rights and less govt., but this time the parent needs to understand and respect the reasoning behind this school rule. I have taught in both public and private schools for the last 25 years, and I am hear to tell you that cell phones are one of the most detrimental things that have happened to education in a long time. Children can NOT learn with cell phones in the classroom! No matter what child we are referring to, and I am also a parent of two, the parent does not know and can not predict w/ 100% accuracy what a child will do and won't do in every scenario! Being that a cell phone use is not a moral sin, and a child knows that, it would not be that far out that even "good" children will be tempted to use them at times that they should not, such as in school. The bottom line is if you want your child properly and thoroughly educated, you better support the school in their attempts to stop all cell phone usage in schools. As one of the above commenters said, if there is an emergency, the school phone will be accessible. I support allowing phones to be left at the door of the school until the end of the day OR using something like a scrambler that prevents cell phones from working w/in the school walls. There are enough distractions from learning today w/out going soft on cell phone usage in schools! Does this parent have a better or more fool-proof way of stopping students from the distraction of cell phones than the school in question's rule? Do we allow children to do everything that adults do or have access to everything that adults have access to? No we don't and there are good reasons for that. Parents have to guide children in life and do what is best for them many times. While at school, school authorities are in used in lieu of parents and children do not have all the rights at school that one does outside of school; at least that is the law in SC. Did you know that the school has the right to search anyone on school property? This is in an effort to protect the children!

If a parent has signed the school rule form, he/she should know the rule and also share it with the spouse. It is not the school's problem if that sharing did not occur! One warning, as did occur in this child's case, should be a red flag to what will happen if caught again. The rules are for the good of the child and are only protecting that child and others around her to learn and hopefully acquire a meaningful education! Or are parents these days more worried about "the rights" of the child to have a cell phone at all times? Wake up, parents!

rmhc Sunday, May 23, 2010 10:24 PM

I'm amazed to hear people saying things like "a 6th grader doesn't need a cell phone." Perhaps that is the case. But who are we to tell other parents how to raise their children? And more dangerously, if you believe that, do you think the government should prohibit parents from giving cell phone's to a 6th grader? This is a slippery slope.

If any of you above who posted that this child does not "need" a cell phone and thus you support the school, do you allow your own child to watch TV? How about eat cookies? Or do you let them listen to the radio?

All of those things can be considered things that they do not "need." But I would feel completely inappropriate to tell you how to raise your child (as long as you are not beating them). So let's get off our high-horse.

The issue here is property rights. The school policy implies that your rights end at the door of the school. And that's wrong.

Joe Monday, May 24, 2010 8:21 AM

I work in a school district. What is wrong with parents who feel that such emergencies will arise that all the phones in the school will not work and their child will be the one who needs to call to save everybody. You can't take your child from school with out signing him/her out to protect her. Let's take it a little further, do you check to see how much and when your child used the phone during the day.
I see student's texting, talking and making pictures of exams all day long. But the parents must feel this is okay as long as the "civil rights" are protected.
DEAR parent, you knew the rule and if you didn't then you must not be interested in your child's education. You knew she had already broken this rule already. ARE you and idiot????? Do you not know how to read and comprehend.
STOP whining and wasting precious taxpayer money with a petty lawsuit

sick of whinners Thursday, May 27, 2010 8:17 AM

My son is in school in Lexington 5 and Richland 1 school district. There is a policy that says if they see your phone they take it away and the second time they keep it until the Monday after the last day of school. Both times my son was not using the phone actually the first offense it was completely off and fell out of his pocket as I have an email from the teacher saying this.
I do not see what the purpose of this policy is..who is learning from this, and what is it teaching? In my case we do not have a house phone and this is my way of knowing my son is at home and his way of calling for help such as police fire department parents or siblings. Now the school district is in possession of this phone that I am paying for since the beginning of April. My 12 year old is at home with no one at home for for a half hour during the week and some weekends when we are at work. With today\'s technology we decided to cut cost but doing away with our house phone. The school district is not comprehending the fact that my son is at home with no contact and I don\'t have the money to add another line or pay for another phone.
I really find this policy absurd and so do so many teachers that I have spoken with. This to me is as bad as a teacher taking my son\'s house key because the teacher saw it, and then sending him home without it. He would be locked out, stranded sad and scared. Instead he is sent home with no way to call for help. Thank you for your time and help with this policy.

Annette Thursday, May 27, 2010 4:33 PM

This is news why? Personally, I think it makes the parent look pretty darn stupid! What did we EVER do before cell phones in case of an emergancy? Ummm...we called the school, no? I mean come on! Obey the rules and yes they DO apply to YOU!

Joy Thursday, May 27, 2010 6:59 PM

Follow the Rules Idiot.... Great example for your child. Maybe if she didn't have the cell phone out at school, it would not have been confiscated!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take some responsibility and make life easier on teachers. Students are at school to learn, not use the telephone!!!!

Concerned Teacher Thursday, May 27, 2010 7:02 PM

The Goose Creek Police Department are a bunch of pussys, this is private property that was stolen. try and outrun them on a traffic stop stop they are not allowed to chase after you. and they wonder why the crime in this city is out of control

fregf Thursday, May 27, 2010 7:40 PM

This story is not about a cell phone. It's about property rights and the 4th amendment. The cell phone was a cricket phone with a month-to-month bill and the phone gets released in less than a week. Do you people really think this has anything to do with a phone? It's about the illegal seizure of personal property by a government agency. It's such a shame that people don't realize what this is about, but considering that most of them were likely educated in a public school in this state that ranks among the bottom in the nation, it's not very surprising.

Eric Roberts Thursday, May 27, 2010 8:25 PM

Well, in the thick and thin of it. If your child has a cell phone in school, would it need to be out of the bookbag, or backpack ? Could not the child pull out the phone when the "Emergency" happens turn on the phone and call their parent. And if such an emergency happened wouldn't the school be calling everyone on the contact sheet for the child including the alternates? As far as cell phones go they are in most cases not cheap to own, not cheap to pay the monthly fee for. If you have insurance and the phone get lost or stolen, or reportedly stolen. You may have to pay the insurance fee for the phone depending on the case. Have the old phone deactivated the cell phone company wont mind as long as it is a secondary line on a main account. In my opinion children with cell phone should be given strict rules by their parents. Do not use your phone while in school, if you need to call me go to the office and ask to call; explain the situation and in most cases the school admin will let you call; if not then the reason for calling could wait. If you have a teen who drives then they need a bluetooth, and only "Need" to be on the phone if contacting thier parent for some reason.
....

crazy8 Thursday, May 27, 2010 8:37 PM

If your child needs a cell phone because there's no phone at home, then they should be told to leave it at home, not take it to school. I've yet to see a school where the rules are so arbitrary that it comes as a surprise to everyone if something in confiscated. I taught school 40 years ago and confiscated things from my students, but like every other teacher and school district I've ever seen, the penalty was well noted. The child in the story above (and at least her mother) knew the rules and both should be mature enough to follow them. As someone else pointed out, it's highly unlikely these days that an emergency will occur where there are no other phones available.

mtg Thursday, May 27, 2010 9:35 PM

As mentioned in the newspaper and story, the student broke the rule not once but twice. Additionally, the parent of the child met with an administrator who reviewed district's cell phone policy with him and returned the phone in the first offense (he was notified of future consequences). His child repeats the offense a second time after the first infraction. What is the purpose of this story? Who does this child's parents know at channel two because no other station would have entertained this foolishness. The student violated school policies and rules not once, but twice. A consequence was administered in accordance to policy and the school did nothing wrong. I commend the school and BCSD for standing up to this parent who is using the news to bully them to get what he wants. What is our country becoming?

Randy Thursday, May 27, 2010 11:32 PM

I'm staggered by the number of comments that say the student shouldn't have a cell phone in school in the first place, therefore since she broke the rules it was okay for the phone to be confiscated.

The kid made a mistake. Her father came out and said that he was glad she learned the consequences of her actions; however, it is draconian to simply take away a phone for the remainder of the school year because a 12-year old makes a mistake, even if she makes it twice.

Perhaps it would be more understandable if the phone had gone off in the middle of class, but one student was handing it to another because the second had forgotten it in her desk. The teacher saw it and felt compelled to seize the phone.

Schools leveling unduly harsh measures on our children isn't going to ultimately benefit them or society. Some flexibility can go a long way toward mitigating future problems, without the heavy-handed tactics demonstrated by too many schools.

On a different note, that the school or the school board didn't respond for this story is also telling.

Boniface Friday, May 28, 2010 10:18 AM

Well I think it is just another case of (control freaks) thats what I refer to teachers as. People who cannot do anything else in life and have control so they become teachers so they can boss kids arround! cause they sure dont teach for the love of children. Leave the kids alone if it is lunch time or if it is not being used....just because they see it...give me a break.Why dont they worry more about the drugs in the school than the sight of a cell phone .My 14 yr old tells me mom if i wanted to i could get what ever i wanted whenever i want at school (refering to drugs).Now there's a problem!! Control FREAKS!

Fort McMurray Monday, May 31, 2010 4:55 PM

This article is far more thorough than something you'd find on a major news site. Excellent work.

James Tuesday, June 01, 2010 4:25 AM

Mr. Roberts et al IT"S NOT AMENDMENT RIGHTS, IT"S NOT UNLAWFUL SEARCH and SEIZURE. It's about following the rules. She broke them not once but twice. If her father had not learned about the rules after the first infraction, then he obviously hasn't paid attention to his child for the school year. If you don't like the rules then start attending SIC meetings, District board meetings and change them if you and enough parents want to speak out. Stop whining and get involved instead of just complaining when things don't go your way.

sick of whinners Tuesday, June 01, 2010 9:20 PM

I just ran across this article and would like to say for the record that I am familiar with this school and its current administration - mainly Principal Jerome Davis. I wish that Mr. Davis would spend more time supporting the teachers disciplining students who are unruly and disturb teachers and classes rather than worrying about some poor 6th grader who made a mistake. This Principal has a major ego problem - ask the teachers that either currently work for him or who have worked for him in the past.

Mom Friday, July 09, 2010 1:06 PM

Parent Learns Hard Way Schools Make Their Own Rules

Comments (25)

Nerve Gas

Parent Learns Hard Way Schools Make Their Own Rules

Comments (25)

Nerve Gas

STAY UPDATED