School cell phone confiscation in PA

[poconospa]

Good Morning,

While I understand that school's have the right to confiscate cell phones from students, how do they have the right to keep them until the end of the school year?? This is more than a school policy issue - in this day and age it is a SAFETY issue for the student. Cell phones are, unfortunately in today's society, a way of keeping track of our kids and their safety. Furthermore, there is a monthly fee involved with this device, which now has to be paid for a device that the student is not receiving the benefit of. How is this legal? If it is, then is it legal to submit a bill to the school district for this fee?

[AFFA]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

I wish to inform you that school can confiscate cell phone. In this regard school had expressly made rules that cell phone should not be used in premises and if a child is found using phone then penalty. As rule has expressly declared action to be taken thus school can be allowed to have cell phone possession till end of session.

AFF

[poconospa]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

Thank you for the quick reply. While I understand and respect rules, my issue here is that the cell phone was NOT in use during the confiscation. Also, what about the financial ramifications. Can the school district be made to pay for the monthly contract fee while the phone is in their possession? I am legally and financially obligated for a phone for which my family is not able to benefit.

[sandyclaus]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

Good Morning,

While I understand that school's have the right to confiscate cell phones from students, how do they have the right to keep them until the end of the school year?? This is more than a school policy issue - in this day and age it is a SAFETY issue for the student. Cell phones are, unfortunately in today's society, a way of keeping track of our kids and their safety. Furthermore, there is a monthly fee involved with this device, which now has to be paid for a device that the student is not receiving the benefit of. How is this legal? If it is, then is it legal to submit a bill to the school district for this fee?

How is NOT having a call phone a safety issue? Cell phone technology these days is not that old. We did have other ways of communicating before the invention of the cell phone. And if you feel you NEED a cell phone to track your children, then that's an issue between you and your kids.

You'll find that the school laws do allow for confiscation of cell phones when they are being used inappropriately. If your child had not had it out at a time when it was unnecessary, then the school wouldn't have had the need to confiscate it, would they? And since you are not with your child during school, you don't know for certain WHAT they were and weren't doing with it.

I'd be more concerned with making this a lesson for the child in the appropriate use of a cell phone. They used it in violation of school rules and policies, and it got taken away. If you choose to keep paying for it, that's on you - but I think the child should have to pay for it themselves since they are the reason it got taken away in the first place.

Perhaps you can ask the school to give the phone back to you, provided you can guarantee that it won't then be given back to the student again?

[poconospa]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

Wow. Not sure why you are so antagonistic? Perhaps you are not aware of the rapes, kidnappings, and murders that take place in this country, both in and out of school. I am. And Yes, I therefore consider this a 'safety' issue. Smh. And I have no issue with actions and consequences. Keeping a cell phone for months seems a little extreme, however. Especially with WRITTEN proof/documentation that the phone was not in use.

Thanks for the reply, however. It let's me see how judgmental, rude, sarcastic, and unhelpful people can be - even in a forum that is supposed to offer 'assistance'.

Have a nice day! )

[sandyclaus]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

Wow. Not sure why you are so antagonistic? Perhaps you are not aware of the rapes, kidnappings, and murders that take place in this country, both in and out of school. I am. And Yes, I therefore consider this a 'safety' issue. Smh. And I have no issue with actions and consequences. Keeping a cell phone for months seems a little extreme, however. Especially with WRITTEN proof/documentation that the phone was not in use.

Thanks for the reply, however. It let's me see how judgmental, rude, sarcastic, and unhelpful people can be - even in a forum that is supposed to offer 'assistance'.

Have a nice day! )

Rapes, kidnappings, and murders took place for a long time before cell phones were invented, and the occurrence of these crimes didn't go down with their discovery.

What actual proof do you have that the phone wasn't in use? Does the phone have text messaging? How about a camera or audio recorder? Those can be used without you having any knowledge of them whatsoever. (And kids are really good and manipulating the devices to remove the tell-tale signs when they DO use them.)

Here you are, being rude, sarcastic and judgmental yourself. Schools are constantly challenged with teaching our children amongst the many potential distractions. If the kids could be trusted to use these cell phones just for the safety purposes you claim they need them for, then the administrators wouldn't find it necessary to confiscate and ban their use in an educational setting. However, MOST kids use these as toys and a way to socialize with their friends. If they aren't needing to call you all day while at school, and they are in the safety of the school setting, they don't need to have the phones on them AT ALL. Check the phones at the school doors, and let the kids have them AFTER the school day is done if the parents feel it's that necessary, and when the PARENTS are responsible for what happens with their use.

Send a distracting toy to school with a child - one that serves no necessary purpose in an education setting, and which the school prohibits due to the distraction factor - and expect it to get taken away from them. Those that use these cell phones as the PARENTS intended don't get the phones confiscated, because the phones aren't out when they don't NEED to be. PERIOD.

[poconospa]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

I realize that you are looking for debate, but I do not the desire to socialize with negative people such as yourself. Your quotes underneath you posts clearly indicate what type of confrontational, self-righteous, negative person you are. I choose not to openly invite those qualities around myself. Life is too short. I realize now that posting on a public forum seeking helpful advice and insight was a mistake.
Thank you.

[sandyclaus]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

I realize that you are looking for debate, but I do not the desire to socialize with negative people such as yourself. Your quotes underneath you posts clearly indicate what type of confrontational, self-righteous, negative person you are. I choose not to openly invite those qualities around myself. Life is too short. I realize now that posting on a public forum seeking helpful advice and insight was a mistake.
Thank you.

You clearly believe that you and your child are entitled to use a cell phone whenever and wherever you wish. You don't want to hear the legal aspects of this matter, you only want to hear that they are wrong and you are right. So sorry that I couldn't accommodate you on that need.

Please, feel free to hire an attorney to get back the precious cell phone. Or you could learn a lesson here and teach your child that not having a cell phone isn't the end of the world.

Have a wonderful day.

[Unregistered]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

well what if the teacher discriminated them by taking their phone but not some one elses the school has no right to keep it and if they dont give it back to my child i will take a layer in to my situation for discrimination and theft

[Disagreeable]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

well what if the teacher discriminated them by taking their phone but not some one elses the school has no right to keep it and if they dont give it back to my child i will take a layer in to my situation for discrimination and theft

Try that again in English. The school has a right to make and enforce policies regarding cell phone use. OP is free to buy a cheap used or disposable phone capable of working on the network and reassigning their number to it for the rest of the year.

[Unregistered]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

but the school has no god damn right to keep this and i will sue

[Unregistered]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

the school dosent have a right to keep it do they

[Unregistered]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

Try that again in English. The school has a right to make and enforce policies regarding cell phone use. OP is free to buy a cheap used or disposable phone capable of working on the network and reassigning their number to it for the rest of the year.

they can not keep it with out permissioun can they that is stealing

[Disagreeable]

Re: School cell phone confiscation in PA

they can not keep it with out permissioun can they that is stealing

No, it is administering policy. On the brighter side, you get it back in a month. Could be worse, my daughter lost hers in Sept once. The first in our district is detention. The second is suspension and they keep the phone til school ends.

[goddessoflubboc]

they can not keep it with out permissioun can they that is stealing

Schools are not a republic or a democracy. At best, they are a functional dictatorship.

If you READ the school booklet given at the beginning of the year, it outlines behaviors and consequences. Just as they may search one child's locker and not another's, they may take up one child's phone and not another's.

Your child would do well to learn about actions and consequences instead of blaming everyone else for his misstep.