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January 26, 2007
Can you hear me now?The continuing debate over cell phones in schools, well, continued this week with an article in USA Today. The piece focuses on Milwaukee's ban on cell phones, which begins Monday and will affect the 222 public schools there.
The ban was prompted by "fights that escalated into brawls when students used cellphones to summon family members and outsiders." Under the new policy, if a student uses a cell phone, it will be confiscated.
Many states banned electronic devices in schools more than a decade ago when pagers and portable music players became popular, says Tom Hutton, a lawyer with the National School Boards Association. The laws were aimed at pagers, then a tool for drug dealers.
And Milwaukee isn't the only place where bans have taken hold. The article notes that Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton High School in Glyndon, Minn.; public schools in Biloxi, Miss.; New York City public schools; and Deep Springs Elementary School in Lexington, Ky. all have some form of a ban in place. In fact, "Eight parents and a parents' group are suing New York City public schools, which last year began enforcing a ban. Their lawyer, Norman Siegel, says the parents don't believe phones should be used in school. 'The issue,' he says, 'is the right of the parents to provide safety to and from school.'" It's definitely a sticky issue (which BoardBuzz has covered here, here and here), that pits schools' need for a learning environment free from outside disruptions against parents' belief that students need for the phones in case of emergencies.
Chances are we won't be hearing the last of this subject. What do you think about cell phone bans? Leave a comment and let us know.
Posted January 26, 2007 11:15 AM | School Safety
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Comments(3)
Posted by: Jason on January 26, 2007 10:40 PM
I'm wondering if anyone has heard of, or are aware of the challenges being faced in the Metropolitan School District of Perry Township, in Indianapolis, IN. Our township has been taken hostage by our school board. Four members of the school board are pursuing a seeming personal vendetta against our award winning superintendent of 13 years and have put him on administrative live. They silence parents/citizens at school board meetings if we share opinions in conflict of their own efforts. At our last board meeting the four walked out of the meeting after only one person made a statement. I've setup two websites to try and help collect and distribute information to our township: www.wesupportwilliams.com and www.takebackperryschools.com. I've had numerous individuals contact me to ask about any legal options that are available to remove the four board members. From what I've researched, there is no way to accomplish this in Indiana. I'd appreciate any insight or help from anyone on what some of our options may be to resolve this situation immediately.
Posted by: MP on January 27, 2007 11:05 AM
A good idea, period.
Posted by: Connie Halks on January 28, 2007 2:39 PM
Limiting personal freedom will never stimulate learning, motivation, or thinking.
Chalks-Talks
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