Posted on 05/07/2005 7:54:12 AM PDT by Teflonic
The Muscogee County School Board will discuss on Monday changing its cell phone policy.
Friday's addition to the work session agenda was prompted by this week's brouhaha about a Spencer High student being suspended for disorderly conduct after a teacher caught him using his cell phone during school hours without permission, which the policy prohibits. The student was talking with his mother, who is serving in Iraq with Fort Benning's 3rd Brigade.
The Ledger-Enquirer asked board members Friday their opinions about the issue.
Was the situation handled correctly?
"We have a policy that they follow the policy; however, sometimes we have to use discretion in a situation like that. Unfortunately, there seems to have been a lack of communication. It probably would have been better if the child had notified the school that he was expecting a call from his mom. They can't call whenever they want to. Some communication should have been done there." -- Pat Hugley Green, District 1
"It probably was appropriate, but it's very unfortunate it had to escalate to that. People in charge should take the time to find out exactly what's going on. They're trained to be in the position they're in and to deal with children, and sometimes things are cut and dry. Some things need to be responded to with more tolerance." -- John Wells, District 2
"I haven't talked to anyone over at Spencer, and I don't know any of the background on the student, but we sometimes have to use common sense. Sometimes children overreact to certain situations. But sometimes people are provoked, although I'm not sure if that was the case. And sometimes a child has persistent behavior problems and they may have assumed that he was using the phone inappropriately." -- Naomi Buckner, District 4
"The answer is I don't know, because the truth is, I don't really know the details of it... . But based on what I've heard, I would question the judgment in the way it was handled." -- Fife Whiteside, District 5
"I don't know what the situation truly was... . There was a correct way for it all to be handled. Two wrongs don't make a right, so if he then became disrespectful and belligerent, that's a whole separate issue. That warrants the punishment." -- Brenda Storey,District 6
"I want to wait on all the facts, but I have concerns about the special circumstances. This young man's mother is serving our country. That ought to be considered. I know we have policies that must be followed, but we also need to use good judgment." -- Joseph Roberson,District 7
Would you support a policy allowing students to get cell phone calls from deployed parents or guardians during school hours?
"The student should be paged and brought to the office to take the call. Otherwise, someone would have to monitor the cell phone to verify it was the parent in Iraq on the line. We should welcome such calls to the school office." -- Mary Sue Polleys, county-wide, son deployed in Iraq
"I certainly would, but I think that we need to handle that properly. He can't just answer the phone in the middle of class. If he was expecting that call around lunchtime, then the principal needed to have known that... . With all of the daily insurgency going on over there (in Iraq), I don't think anyone wants to pass a moment by to speak to a loved one." -- Pat Hugley Green, District 1
"We don't need a policy. That's already in effect at Spencer. They already let students take a call, as long as they just tell them beforehand. We've got to do everything we can to support our troops, so Spencer is doing the right thing already... . They can do that at other schools, too." -- John Wells, District 2
"Sure. We have to look at that policy. To me, it's common sense for principals to allow that anyway." -- Naomi Buckner, District 4
"I don't know that I would support a policy that allows the student to take a cell phone call... . But what would seem to me to be reasonable would be for us to adopt a policy that the parent can call the school at any time and ask to have the child taken out of class to take the phone call." -- Fife Whiteside, District 5
"Not in the classroom. I think even deployed parents have to be respectful of the educational process. But if the school is aware of it, and they know the parent isn't going to call during class, then that's fine." -- Brenda Storey,District 6
"Yes, I would -- if it did not interfere with class, and if it was manageable. Again, these are special circumstances." -- Joseph Roberson,District 7
How exactly does forceably preventing a minor child during his lunch break from speaking with his mother, possibly for the last time ever, when the authorities are FULLY AWARE that a call is from his mother (as they admitted the second call back from her in the office was after they snatched the phone from him and hung up on her) in any way "facilitate their safety and ability to receive an education"?
A son whose mother voluntarily took a job that took her halfway around the world from him, and into a war zone.
You don't have any children, do you?
And whose job keeps you safe in your home at night. She has more guts than you can even conceive of. When you start denigrating military troops for volunteering to serve their country by putting themselves in harm's way in distant points on the globe, then you've let your true colors show -- and it's yellow.
I do.
Run out of defenses to your position have you? Your last few posts have ignored any rational argument and are now in total personal attack mode.
You work in a government job don't you?
Sorry to butt in but you might want visit her page on this site and consider what you said.
If it wasn't for soldiers and military like this fellas mom, the teacher in question wouldn't be in a FREE country to act like a pompous a_s.
God bless this boy's mom and all our military in harms way protecting us all...even those who don't have a clue!
A son whose mother voluntarily took a job that took her halfway around the world from him, and into a war zone.
Damn the all-voluntary Army, huh? Damn combat boot wearing single mothers raising teenaged sons? Damn them for setting high standards & exemplifying love of country? Damn them for thinking Army bases are a better choice of environment for their kid than a lot of the alternatives? Damn single black women for taking control of their lives and teaching by example?
It's a personal attack to inquire whether you have children? Or to observe that your line of argumentation is feeble? I suppose it's understandable for you to believe those things if you think the situation being analyzed here is equivalent to Jonestown.
Good luck with the kids. It's been my experience that there is no greater gift a parent can give his children than that of emotional maturity. It enables even poor kids to become transcendent and succeed in life, even when a bad hand has been dealt them. My wife and I raised three successfully, and I'm proud to say that not only do they defy authority when the occasion calls for it, but they have the wisdom and maturity to accept the consequences that arise from their actions.
A wise teacher would have acknowledged that the incident was seen, stayed away and allowed the call to be finished, then have the student called to the office later if she wanted to pursue it. I'm sure the kid would have openly admitted he violated the policy.
The principal could have dealt a day or so suspension because of the rules infraction, while also showing the student he was concerned about him and his mom, even though he had to be consequential with rules enforcement.
I'm sure they could have found a way to allow the kid to get the next call without having to be in violation of school rules, or at least given the kid the confidence to ask about the procedure of taking such a call without violating the policy in the course of the discussion about the consequential punishment.
The teacher escalated this. Kids do get mad. That's not to condone the behaviour of the kid, but a teacher is much better off not enducing it. Most kids show up sheepishly on their own about a half hour later with an apology when they lose it, and accept punishment if warranted, if a teacher remains calm.
This story is out in the universe now. I consider it a lack of wisdom on the teacher's part, and the now the entire district is paying the price.
Very poor decisions by the teacher in this case, IMHO, and such decision making does not yield the natural authority teachers maintain when they make decisions that are not impulsive and whose outcomes rest on consequences that can be meted out when circumstances are calmer.
longjack
They won't get it. ;-)
For all you know, the teacher's husband is over there too.
You're doing the damning, not I. However, you are the one who says it makes you nervous being on the other side of town from your son the same age.
We just choose not to waste our time trying to reason with those incapable of seeing authority as sometimes in the wrong.
It used to be that if you were in the military and your kid acted up at school, the brass had a bit of a sit-down with you.
However, you are the one who says it makes you nervous being on the other side of town from your son the same age.
That's because he goes to high school 'on the other side of town'. Never know when some puffed-up, self-important little tyrant is going to try to separate him from his cell phone while he's reading a text message from Mom during his lunch break. But given his size & physical conditioning, I'm pretty sure that most people with any sense would try finesse & not go grabby.
It used to be that if you were in the military and your kid acted up at school, the brass had a bit of a sit-down with you.
Sure. Teachers were all the time firing off letters to commanders in the war zone & reporting bad school behavior of the children of their subordinates. Uh huh.
In any case, you're chasing your tail. Teachers whine for parental involvement but, apparently, only on their terms. You're defending the teacher who interrupted precious moments of 'parental involvement' and then think that war zone commanders should divert their efforts from trying to win a war & give her a talking to about a situation the school prevented her from participation in by not allowing her son to answer the telephone when she called the second time. Possibly because the school didn't want to hear what she might have to say?
You're a whirlwind of spin.
Good night. The pleasure has been all mine.
What is it that makes you think I am incapable of seeing authority as sometimes in the wrong? I never said the person in authority was wrong. Not once.
Quite the contrary. I stated the teacher's actions were clearly wrong. So it seems that there are other things you choose not to waste time on.
As such, I will choose not to waste my time engaging in any further conversation with someone who is incapable of reading
I never said the person in authority was wrong. Not once.
Quite the contrary. I stated the teacher's actions were clearly wrong.
(Rock Hill-AP) May 7, 2005 - An 11-year-old boy was arrested this week for carrying ten nails in his pocket at a Rock Hill middle school and charged with carrying an unlawful weapon.
Dianne McCray, assistant principal at Rawlinson Road Middle School, asked the child Wednesday what was jingling in his pocket and the student gave her the 3.5" long nails.
A school resource officer arrested him. His father picked him up and he was not taken to the police station.
The father said the nails were left in his pocket after a Boy Scout outing. He says it is ridiculous that his son faces an unlawful weapon charge. He says the boy threatened no one.
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