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
Dear Dr. Phillips,
I came upon the article in the Ledger-Inquirer about Spencer High School's suspension of a student for receiving a phone call from his deployed mother in Iraq and I wanted to ask you if this reflects your school district's policies.
From what I read in the article, the student only receives phone calls from his mother about once a month and that because he received that call during school hours and because the student was upset and disrespectful when the teacher took the phone from him and disconnected the call, he was suspended for ten days.
Was this a proper action, considering this student's and other students' situations in the Columbus/Ft. Benning area, with parents deployed in a combat zone? Is there consideration or support for students and their families given that we are involved in a serious war eight time zones away?
I am a Vietnam combat veteran and I remember the difficulties that war imposes on lives and for a student - and all students in this position - to be precluded from the chance contacts available to families separated by war and great distance is a terrible thing. It only compounds things further that this student is then punished by suspending him from his studies.
If you don't have a policy to support the special circumstances we have during a war, shouldn't you?
Sincerely,"
Recommend that any of you that feel similarly should correspond with the Spencer High School officials and the District as well.
Oh, I've been flamed plenty, in yesterday's thread on the subject. For the life of me, I can't see what's so horrible about being flamed. I'm sure Ann Coulter feels the same way about the poop-throwing monkeys of the left she always encounters when giving a speech. Reason is always under assault by emotion, and I'm not surprised at what I've discovered even here at FR. People are responding in an emotive way based on what they think are the politics of the situation; left versus right; public school "zero tolerance" policies versus common sense; respect for the military versus knee-jerk hatred of the military. They're not looking at the picture in the proper perspective. If they were, they'd see a discipline problem that needs to be addressed for the good of a minor child who needs a proper education more than he needs to be the pawn in a game of politics.
We won.
Next time your kid acts up and you try to discipline him, I hope he brings up the subject of the King of England. It's a great analogy, and one that I always use whenever I don't want to pay my taxes, obey local ordinances, or follow the directions of my supervisor at work.
Believe it or not, teachers face flippant assault charges every single day at the hands of parents who behave like catbirds over their newly-hatched eggs, thinking there's nothing in the world more precious than their little Amy or little Tyler, and that the entire school system needs must bend over backwards to accommodate the little dears exactly as their parents pander to them at home.
Sounds to me as if you're one of the all-too-common type who would bastardize the meanings of words in order to assuage your feelings and achieve some personal goal at the expense of clear meaning and rational discourse.
Thanks for posting the picture.
Behind the Ass't Principal there is a print/poster with a clenched fist with what appears to be green rectangles (money?) in it. I am wondering what that is.
I don't think your side won that war. If I recall, the English were sent packing then and again handed their gizzards in New Orleans area. I guess you must still be a little sensitive on those events.
Er ... yes, I think we did.
What exactly is that "artwork" on the wall behind them??
You're right that clenched fist around money symbol is sort of unsettling. It is the sort of symbol that could be embraced by an anarchist money worshipping cult.
I would but it's on an overloaded frelling geocities site. (Insert WTFWT where appropriate)
Why do you keep insisting that the English won the war?
Modok, I'd explain it to you, but I doubt if you'd understand, having gone to a school where feelings came first and education a poor second.
So you are going to to explain to me how the English won the Revolutionary war. Plese explain how the English won the war and I will try my best to understand.
I think you need to go back and read what was initially written. I know that's tough, because there are polysyllables, and the sentences are complex, but believe me, you can do it if you really, really try. Remember, phonics are your friend. Sound out the words.
I did read what was written, exactly as it was written. I waiting on the explanation you promised.
If I was in this kid's place, and my mom called from Iraq and the teacher started ripping the phone out of my hand, I can guarantee a few choice words would come out of my mouth too.
If you notice the comments from the school board members; 90% of them don't give a rat's ass that the kid's mom is even in Iraq.
Kid should just leave campus next time. I'm sure it would result in fewer days suspension.
Love the pic of Wendell and Felicia. Wendell just looks absolutely thrilled to be there.
If she were slim and attractive, would you have been any happier about what she did?
Bottom line is, if the student had complied with the school's cell phone policy (i.e., if he'd obeyed the rules in the first place) none of this would have happened.
Exactly what point are you trying to make by posting her picture?
Cause Teflonic knew about 50,000 Freepers wanted to know so we can be responsible citizens and make sure that Felicita doesn't break any rules or laws...like jaywalking (don't see much chance of that)...or her dog running loose & pooing in a city park (better chance there)...or tossing candy bar wrappers out the window of her maxi-van (even better odds on that...
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