Teacher had a panic attack with MY DROID in her hand

[thelion]

Its not even like I live in a bad neighborhood. I live in Fontana, California now. In the Suburbs and stuff like this happens on a daily. I use to go to school in Inglewood and Id say alot of things are worse at the school I go to now. The main thing Id say is worse is drugs and sex. People have sex all over the school and occasionally in the open (They are caught most of the time though).and The only drug I haven't seen being done in a classroom is Heroine. Like my school doesnt have gangs or anything like that. Its a bunch of spoiled kids who dont know how easy they got it so they break rules. And dont think its just my school. Im willing to say majority of the High Schools and even Middle Schools in the country are like this. Even in the best of neighborhoods. But Parents arent aware. My parents don't know this goes on at my school and wouldn't expect it and same goes for most parents.

My suggestion to parents and future parents is get involved in your childs school like join PTA and stuff like that, and talk to your kids about stuff like this. Trying to hide them from it won't work. You gotta expose them to it and let them know its wrong. For example if you never talk to your kid about sex and his or her girlfriend or boyfriend tries to have sex with him or her how will they know what to do. You cant expect your kids to come to you. I wish my Parents were more involved but Id never tell them that.

Ok. I just left high school a few years ago and have several cousins still there. You are in a unique school if all that is true, rest assured. Things have not changed that much in five years since I was there or in the last two weeks since I last spoke to a cousin in HS. And they aren't in just one. I have cousins in over 10 high schools all over the country. Some nice. Some not so nice. None have drugs in the classroom (school? yes. Class? No) and NONE would be permitted to TEXT in class.

It is disrespectful and if you pull that bs in college and professor worth his weight will kick your ass out. You need to be fully focused on the teacher and if you are texting you are NOT fully focused.

+100

What the hell are you doing on the phone?

Using the calculator app to solve a problem <wink> <wink>.

Actually there's a fantastic scientific calculator app called Mathdroid that I used on a Chemistry Test about 30 minutes before the incident. But my girlfriend is going through some things and I was texting her when it happen.

I dont see why people are freaking out so badly over the fact that he had his phone out in the middle of class. There ARE students who have the mental capacity to listen to the teacher and use their phone at the same time O__o

cant believe im saying this (im only 26) but its not a matter of your mental facilities its a matter of respect to the teacher or just anyone. Or it could be a distraction for those who dont have those facilities. (^_^)

I dont detect any disrespect. Based on the situation i have described, there is no disrespect towards the teacher. you are still listening to the instructor. Its the same as if you were using a laptop during a college class, but while taking notes, you also check your email or are logged into an instant messenger. multitasking. I realize if a teacher doesnt want you to use your phone, you shouldnt, because they asked, or thats their rule. (i had a few teacher in highschool tell me they dont care if i text in class, as long as its silenced, and if im not paying attention, its my fault, though they advised me against doing so. there were also teachers who tell me not to use my phone in class, but i would after the test, if there was nothing to do.)

It is disrespectful for a student to not focus on the task at hand. He was texting his girlfriend. That is rude. The teacher was right that it was rude.

I get a strong feeling this kid is exaggerating a lot of his story. The way he talks about his school he either is in a very unique school or he is making **** up.

As for using a laptop in college? Not really the same. I use my laptop to take notes. That is fine. Using my laptop to screw around and talk to friends would get me booted out of class.

 

[m21knight]

She must have been an Apple Fanboy...uh...Fangirl in this case I guess... Hahaha

 

[Kdubbjr]

It is disrespectful for a student to not focus on the task at hand. He was texting his girlfriend. That is rude. The teacher was right that it was rude.

I get a strong feeling this kid is exaggerating a lot of his story. The way he talks about his school he either is in a very unique school or he is making **** up.

Um not exaggerating any part of it, and there is no part of my school that's unique at all. I don't know about school in other states, but in Southern California this is how it is. I don't have a reason to make any of this up. Ask those people that live around here. The school I go to is especially famous for riots. Look at this picture from the last one and tell me if its unbelievable that goes on in the school. African-Americans vs Mexicans. http://www.dailypundit.com/fr22.jpg looks like that because the school is 84% Hispanic and 6% African-American(and thats not my guess its off the school website). but remember this school isn't even in a area I would consider a bad neighborhood Fontana is considered suburb.

but you may have took it wrong and thought I meant it happens daily. It probably does happen daily but not infront of me, but still it does happen.

 

[mikespe]

Being a teacher myself, the teacher had every right to take the phone...should she have threaten to break it? Not at all. She should have called the office to pick up the phone and called the OP's parents to pick up the phone. Plus the school most likely has policies regarding phone use in/on school property. The parents would be notified of these policies and if OP violated them again he would be suspended (or whatever their policy states.). IF she did break the phone and the school is unionized, she would NOT be sued and most likely NOT be fired. However she would most likely be required to seek counseling and might be put on leave for a bit. She may have also be asked to transfer to another building or the OP transferred to another class. If she committed a similar act again (or has in the past) THEN she would most likely be terminated. The district would pay for the phone (unless the OP has insurance on the phone and then it would be replaced via them) and the school would kiss the OP's parents a*s for a while.

While I think the teacher is 100% WRONG in this case for how she handled the situation, I do sympathize with her. She more than likely has issues in her personal life that she is having a hard time handling. Kids do have a way of pushing our buttons from time to time. While we are required to be professional in our duties, SOMETIMES we are held to a higher standard because we are teachers. We are human beings like everyone else and we do slip up...again not condoning how this teacher responded in this case.

 

[CorvetteAustin24]

Being a teacher myself, the teacher had every right to take the phone...should she have threaten to break it? Not at all. She should have called the office to pick up the phone and called the OP's parents to pick up the phone. Plus the school most likely has policies regarding phone use in/on school property. The parents would be notified of these policies and if OP violated them again he would be suspended (or whatever their policy states.). IF she did break the phone and the school is unionized, she would NOT be sued and most likely NOT be fired. However she would most likely be required to seek counseling and might be put on leave for a bit. She may have also be asked to transfer to another building or the OP transferred to another class. If she committed a similar act again (or has in the past) THEN she would most likely be terminated. The district would pay for the phone (unless the OP has insurance on the phone and then it would be replaced via them) and the school would kiss the OP's parents a*s for a while.

While I think the teacher is 100% WRONG in this case for how she handled the situation, I do sympathize with her. She more than likely has issues in her personal life that she is having a hard time handling. Kids do have a way of pushing our buttons from time to time. While we are required to be professional in our duties, SOMETIMES we are held to a higher standard because we are teachers. We are human beings like everyone else and we do slip up...again not condoning how this teacher responded in this case.

Having a policy does not make it legal to steal an item from anyone. I now declare a policy that anyone who posts after me must pay me $5. Do I have any right? Nope. Schools have the right to suspend, not steal.

 

[clunker]

True, cellphone use is similar to spacing out, etc

Schools nowadays resemble more of a prison than they do a place where kids are supposed to be taught the joys of learning. I graduated from HS back in 2003 and since texting and cell phones were still pretty new back then teachers didn't care if you texted. The stories I hear now days are just insane.

Teachers have no right to take cell phones away. If a kid wants to text during the class, what's the difference between that and spacing out? I can text my gf and learn well enough to get an A+ in a class at college. Forcing people to learn isn't the answer.

There's not much difference between that and spacing out, and if students are spacing out its the teachers job to get them to pay attention, by interrupting the space-out and asking the student to wake up. You and the previous posters are right, we all passed notes, talked to others, spaced out, read a non-class related book, or whatever during class. And many of our teachers would discipline us for doing those things. I had a book taken away once during math class, perfectly deserved. I did not like it, but it is the teachers prerogative in in high school to do that if there is a code of conduct that prohibits books (or cell phones). And usually, the code applies whether you sign it or not (signing it is a new-fangled way of getting buy-in, which is nice of them to do I guess). So, in my opinion, yes we all do things we shouldn't in class, and no there is nothing wrong with receiving some discipline from the teacher as a result, especially if its designed to stop the behavior and is not harmful. Sounds like the teacher in this case went overboard, but security did not come because she took the phone, it was her actions after that that were nutty.

And to the OP, though I did not call you immature, I admit I thought it. But, I did miss the post where you said you apologized, that does mean a lot. Anyone can make a mistake and a heartfelt apology does make up for it, if you don't chronically repeat the act you apologized for. So my bad on thinking that about you.

 

[clunker]

I don't feel she didn't have the right to take it, If I did I wouldn't have gave it to her, but the reason I was on it is the fact that she wouldn't usually take it. She only took it because she was upset. If I refused to give it to her she would have sent me to one of the Assistant Principals and I would have been givin a thing called ALC, just a room to sit during that period the next day. But that's another thing, why is it most school punishments require me to miss more class time. Even punishments for coming to school late or not coming to school at all. Suspending someone for missing school is the dumbest thing ever. That's another 3-5 days of no school.

Very true, that is dumb. My son's school gives morning detention or late detention, taking up student's free time but they are still required to attend all classes, that makes more sense. It does sound like your school has some issues.

 

[Kdubbjr]

Being a teacher myself, the teacher had every right to take the phone...should she have threaten to break it? Not at all. She should have called the office to pick up the phone and called the OP's parents to pick up the phone. Plus the school most likely has policies regarding phone use in/on school property. The parents would be notified of these policies and if OP violated them again he would be suspended (or whatever their policy states.). IF she did break the phone and the school is unionized, she would NOT be sued and most likely NOT be fired. However she would most likely be required to seek counseling and might be put on leave for a bit. She may have also be asked to transfer to another building or the OP transferred to another class. If she committed a similar act again (or has in the past) THEN she would most likely be terminated. The district would pay for the phone (unless the OP has insurance on the phone and then it would be replaced via them) and the school would kiss the OP's parents a*s for a while.

While I think the teacher is 100% WRONG in this case for how she handled the situation, I do sympathize with her. She more than likely has issues in her personal life that she is having a hard time handling. Kids do have a way of pushing our buttons from time to time. While we are required to be professional in our duties, SOMETIMES we are held to a higher standard because we are teachers. We are human beings like everyone else and we do slip up...again not condoning how this teacher responded in this case.

Having a policy does not make it legal to steal an item from anyone. I now declare a policy that anyone who posts after me must pay me $5. Do I have any right? Nope. Schools have the right to suspend, not steal.

And about that my school's faculty has said many times, that since were minors all right don't apply to us. Like they search people without any valid reason, and if you get caught with something they will search you randomly every 2 weeks or so. They will even search through your phone when they search you. I'm not sure if its true we don't have rights and all but it doesn't really effect me since I don't get searched.

 

[clunker]

Not stealing ,come on...

Having a policy does not make it legal to steal an item from anyone. I now declare a policy that anyone who posts after me must pay me $5. Do I have any right? Nope. Schools have the right to suspend, not steal.

True, but don't they usually say "hand it over or you get detention / suspension / etc? So many has used the word stealing to try and criminalize whet the schools are doing, isn't that way overboard? I'm open to being wrong, but really I don't see how it's stealing.

 

[Kdubbjr]

Schools nowadays resemble more of a prison than they do a place where kids are supposed to be taught the joys of learning. I graduated from HS back in 2003 and since texting and cell phones were still pretty new back then teachers didn't care if you texted. The stories I hear now days are just insane.

Teachers have no right to take cell phones away. If a kid wants to text during the class, what's the difference between that and spacing out? I can text my gf and learn well enough to get an A+ in a class at college. Forcing people to learn isn't the answer.

There's not much difference between that and spacing out, and if students are spacing out its the teachers job to get them to pay attention, by interrupting the space-out and asking the student to wake up. You and the previous posters are right, we all passed notes, talked to others, spaced out, read a non-class related book, or whatever during class. And many of our teachers would discipline us for doing those things. I had a book taken away once during math class, perfectly deserved. I did not like it, but it is the teachers prerogative in in high school to do that if there is a code of conduct that prohibits books (or cell phones). And usually, the code applies whether you sign it or not (signing it is a new-fangled way of getting buy-in, which is nice of them to do I guess). So, in my opinion, yes we all do things we shouldn't in class, and no there is nothing wrong with receiving some discipline from the teacher as a result, especially if its designed to stop the behavior and is not harmful. Sounds like the teacher in this case went overboard, but security did not come because she took the phone, it was her actions after that that were nutty.

And to the OP, though I did not call you immature, I admit I thought it. But, I did miss the post where you said you apologized, that does mean a lot. Anyone can make a mistake and a heartfelt apology does make up for it, if you don't chronically repeat the act you apologized for. So my bad on thinking that about you.

Its alright, I think its primarily my fault for not just putting the whole story word for word in the first post. I didn't think it was gonna be this big of a thing. Thought people were just gonna have a few laughs and comments on it.

 

[swallman]

Thank God for small town america so if any of you see the problem here quietly pack up your things and go rural. The schools around here have signs posted at the front door that says if they see it they can take it. I know i have told my son that if he gets it taken at school he gets it taken at home. How in the world are you going to learn anything if you pay more attention to the phone in your hand then to the teacher. You should be ashamed of yourself and your parents should be ashamed of themselves. The times they are a changin. I'm going to start looking for a underdeveloped third world country and go back to the basics. For all that I love technology this is really a sad situation.

Agree completely! aacanela73 - I see you're from Wisconsin. Our daughter graduated last year from a rural school in Wisconsin (the school buildings are actually in the country).

 

[CorvetteAustin24]

And about that my school's faculty has said many times, that since were minors all right don't apply to us. Like they search people without any valid reason, and if you get caught with something they will search you randomly every 2 weeks or so. They will even search through your phone when they search you. I'm not sure if its true we don't have rights and all but it doesn't really effect me since I don't get searched.

Minors still have rights, them thinking you don't shows they're really good teachers :icon_eek:

Teachers do have the right to search your items IF they have reasonable cause, just like cops have to have reasonable cause. They do not have the right to search your stuff for no reason at all, this would be an invasion of privacy/abuse of power, and you are free to sue them and will win.

 

[Kdubbjr]

Minors still have rights, them thinking you don't shows they're really good teachers :icon_eek:

Teachers do have the right to search your items IF they have reasonable cause, just like cops have to have reasonable cause. They do not have the right to search your stuff for no reason at all, this would be an invasion of privacy/abuse of power, and you are free to sue them and will win.

Its not completely random unless they caught you with something previously but just slight suspicious will make them search you. My freshman year a kid said the word gun right next to security and they searched him and his friends. I guess it would be possible to use that as an excuse and just 3 or 4 months ago they started random drug test. I know for a fact these are completely random because they usually test kids who obviously don't do drugs.

 

[tu3218]

Honestly I do agree that it can be disrespectful to the teacher but heres the thing. When students use their cell phone in school they typically try to hide it. Now I know it all depends on the teachers rule towards cell phones, but in any class that I have been students mainly just keep their phone under the desk when using it. To me, I think as long as the student using the cell phone isn't causing a distraction to any other students or teachers, then its fine. I say this because the student is only going to hurt themselves in the long run. Who cares! If the student wants to pay more attention to their cell phone instead of learning, then let them. They'll be the one who pays in the future. I would say 80% of students will pay attention(depends on area where you live though) but you will have those students who do just goof around an play on cell phones. As long as they're not distracting other students or teacher, who cares let them.

 

[clunker]

It did kick off a little flame war didn't it?

Inappropriate cell phone use is a hot issue these days, I shouldn't even mention cell phone sue while driving, it'll start this thread in a whole different direction (oops, just did!). To all the posters, keep in mind that not all schools are the same, I'm sure there are schools where drug use is rampant on campus, and schools where there are less drugs, and the students that do drugs do them elsewhere. Same with sex, violence, cell phones, etc. I was thinking the same thing at first, this kid is exaggerating, but what do I really know about it? Sorry about the "kid", but I'm old enough that I use the term for almost anyone without children of their own...