Cell phone use at local schools raising concerns

[adrian]

Source and full article (to go offtopic, KHON is really lagging on quality lately. The article's font looks weird compared to the other articles)

New york city mayor Michael Bloomberg says the phones are being banned because they're used to cheat and take inappropriate pictures.

The big apple isnt alone in dealing with cells in school. Just recently Hawaii's Board of Education set up a committee to study issues related to the phones and other cyber related problems.

Roosevelt High School junior Keith Shoji shows us how simple it is to use his cell phone to record video. On the surface it seems innocent enough.

My math teacher mentioned that there was a couple of cheaters who used their cell phones during a test, but was promptly caught, causing the banning of no cell phones during a test in the entire school (I think they used text message, but nowadays, you can use IM or WAP/wifi)

I've seen teens take pictures of girls and even some taking some "dakine" pics so I guess manufactuers or providers should start putting warning labels, or atleast make it harder to share online.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Cell phone use at local schools raising concerns

My math teacher mentioned that there was a couple of cheaters who used their cell phones during a test, but was promptly caught, causing the banning of no cell phones during a test in the entire school (I think they used text message, but nowadays, you can use IM or WAP/wifi)

OK. Fair enough.

I've seen teens take pictures of girls and even some taking some "dakine" pics so I guess manufactuers or providers should start putting warning labels, or atleast make it harder to share online.

Errr. Why?

[timkona]

Re: Cell phone use at local schools raising concerns

I got through school without a cell phone.

My current cellphone is pretty much smart enough to take a test for me, or at least store a "Cliffs Notes" version of the answers. Heck, I can't even really use the thing all the way yet.

There is no question about the "distraction" level, especially for teens.

My daughters' preschool is a "Cell Phone Free" zone. You will catch big stink-eye if Aunty hears it ring, or see's you talking on it, when coming to get your preschooler.

Banning them in High School seems unreasonable. Controlling the when and where they should be used in school would be best. Lunchtime Okay, Classroom Kapu. Punishment should be confiscation so the rule has teeth. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

[adrian]

Re: Cell phone use at local schools raising concerns

Errr. Why?

Its what (male) teens do. I guess their too scared to ask a girl out to get some.

My daughters' preschool is a "Cell Phone Free" zone. You will catch big stink-eye if Aunty hears it ring, or see's you talking on it, when coming to get your preschooler.

I also thought of that being implemented at schools, but then tha won't stop the camera/video capabilities of the phone from being used. Heck, I can have 3 phones on at the same time: one for calls, one to take pictures/video, and to play games (although I never actually seen a real use for them yet).

I'm sure that this thing doesn't happen at College or private schools because their paying for their education (or someone is) so if the kid gets suspended, then there goes the money down the drain. Plus, enforcement is so hard because of the size of the phones, and with some phones you can just make it so that the phone looks unused but its recording something.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Cell phone use at local schools raising concerns

Its what (male) teens do. I guess their too scared to ask a girl out to get some.

No, that's not what I meant. I know why the boys do it. But why do you think the manufacturers should do something about it?

I also thought of that being implemented at schools, but then tha won't stop the camera/video capabilities of the phone from being used. Heck, I can have 3 phones on at the same time: one for calls, one to take pictures/video, and to play games (although I never actually seen a real use for them yet).

Again... why is it the manufacturers' responsibility to control their users' behavior?

I'm sure that this thing doesn't happen at College or private schools because their paying for their education (or someone is) so if the kid gets suspended, then there goes the money down the drain. Plus, enforcement is so hard because of the size of the phones, and with some phones you can just make it so that the phone looks unused but its recording something.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Sorry. You obviously haven't known private school kids. And as for college kids, well, do a couple of google image searches and get back to me on that, why don't you.

[adrian]

Re: Cell phone use at local schools raising concerns

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!! Sorry. You obviously haven't known private school kids. And as for college kids, well, do a couple of google image searches and get back to me on that, why don't you.

Atleast here they can't during class. (or atleast in my classes)

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Cell phone use at local schools raising concerns

At Kamehameha schools, you cannot be seen with any electronic device unless it's a calculator during school hours. If it's seen it's taken away and returned at the end of the day...along with detention.

I think that's a decent enough policy. Heck when I was in school the handheld calculator was a new thing and priced way too high for most students. But calculators were not allowed at all in high school. And yes we did learn trig and calculus but computation was on paper and pencil.

But there's absolutely no reason why anyone needs a cellphone during class or during school at all. To stay in touch with your friends is a bit lame, to cheat in a quiz or test is downright illegal. To most students it's a mere toy with no practical impact other than to chat with friends. Why is it so important to get the message across right away when you can simply meet each other at recess or lunch. And what message is so important as to interrupt classroom time for a quick text message about the latest cheatcodes for some shoot em up game.

I have a kid at KSBE (11th grade) and he has a cell phone but it's primarily used when I need to contact him whether to pick him up at the school or at the bus depot. His phone is turned off during class at school but is instructed to turn it on immediately after school for any changes in pick up time/location. With detailed billing I know he's not abusing the phone.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Cell phone use at local schools raising concerns

What Craig said. Also, who's paying for their phones? If the parents are, they should know better. Dump the fancy phones and get a plain jane no frills thang and have it programmed to work only with certain numbers and callers. They can do that nowdays, right? If the abuse continues. No more phone already.

Heck, the smart kids used to use slide rules. I remember a few who used an abacus (sp?). Late 60's. 20th, not 19th century.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Cell phone use at local schools raising concerns

Oh boy here we go with the, "back in my days" school stories

One of my older kids (now a freshman at UH/Hilo) had a cellphone while dorming at KSBE's Kapalama campus on Oahu. I told him no phone calls until after 9pm (free nights and weekends). So he figures incoming calls don't count. Remember that cell phone commercial where the father dumps that stack of phone statements on the table and it breaks? Yeah that was my house.

So after a short reprimand and understanding he says he won't do that again. The next month it was a rerun of that same commercial but this time it was text messaging! I told him, "Anytime you press that "send" button the meter's running"