argh I hate this

[xfer]

I took away a girl's cellphone for pulling it out during class. Standard procedure is she gets it back at the end of the day. I put it on my table/podium thing where I usually keep my own cell phone (I use it as an alarm clock).

she comes back for it at the end of the day and it's not there. we called it and it rang even though she had turned it off before giving it to me. called back in five minutes and it had been turned off again. so someone took it.

it happened during my focused study hall when I have literally five students, two of whom were quietly sitting doing their work far from the phone and three of whom were horsing around near the phone. so, the principal decided that those five students have to split the cost of a new phone if it doesn't turn up.

I hate that and think it's totally unfair, especially to the two girls who were doing their work but also to the kids who didn't take it. but that's what we're doing. and I have to enforce it tomorrow.

 

[NAD]

although i've never worked for a school district my mom has spent many years in one, and i've noticed that principals generally have really bad ideas.

 

[avi]

maybe that will make it magically reappear

 

[xfer]

well the thing is, I can't think of an alternative idea.

it might magically reappear. I'm going to tell the kids tomorrow and then step out of the room for five minutes (taking my cellphone with me, of course) and let them work it out. then I'll come back in and say that parent letters are going home on Monday (we have no school Friday).

I just think collective punishment is retarded. but, like I said, I dunno a better alternative.

 

[Phrozenspite]

well the thing is, I can't think of an alternative idea.

it might magically reappear. I'm going to tell the kids tomorrow and then step out of the room for five minutes (taking my cellphone with me, of course) and let them work it out. then I'll come back in and say that parent letters are going home on Monday (we have no school Friday).

I just think collective punishment is retarded. but, like I said, I dunno a better alternative.

are you allowed to lie to your students? If so do the bad cop routine, pull one of them aside and say that *insert name of one of their friends* said that you took the phone I have no reason not to believe them, and than take it from there.
and your instincts are right if you think that the kids that weren't doing their work did it. A bunch of my friends were always like that in high school and they'd steal cell phones and batteries to throw out the bus window at cars.

 

[xfer]

i'm allowed to but i wouldn't do it. i pretty much don't lie ever.

i am frequently deceitful, as in i'd definitely conveniently not mention something or let someone draw a false conclusion. but in this situation i don't want to do that.

the thing that sucks the most is that out of the five kids i KNOW the two girls didn't do it, but i'm not prepared to single out the three black males in the room and be like "yeah i think you guys are thieves, no one else".

 

[AndICried]

That's a tough decision, but it sounds like you're doing the right thing. Perhaps in the future just tell the kid to turn the phone off... works at my school. Is this primary or secondary school?

 

[0sm0se]

The fear of being labeled a racist delays or prevents justice once again...

I like collective punishment, it forces people to crack down on crime amongst themselves.

 

[xfer]

no, i have to be pretty strict about taking electronics. they get one warning, and then i take it and they get it back at the end of the day. otherwise there'd be ipods and psds everywhere. (it's happened like 5x already).

 

[The Dope]

The "get it back at the end of school" policy is pretty easy-going. When I was in high school, as far as I can remember, when they took a CD player or phone from you, you had to go to the office with your parents to get it back.

 

[0sm0se]

Damn massachusetts liberal school policies!

 

[xfer]

well it's a scaffold of consequences. first time, warning. second time, i take it and you get it back after school. third time, i take it and you get it back when your parents come in to get it back.

osmose, i'm in new york now, dude.

 

[azal]

It's totally your fault for not keeping a better eye on it IMO.

 

[xfer]

prob, and I accept that.

I told the kids today. they were pissed. but now I have narrowed it down to one prime suspect out of the six (not five) who are on the hook for it.

 

[Profanity]

Cellphones are the scourge of our society.