Comments about ‘No more text msgs at schools?’

Hmm, I'm in a Granite District high school with a fairly strict policy for mobiles posted in almost every classroom. Texting during class is at an all time high, because the policy isn't enforced. Will state legislation requiring districts to have a policy really accomplish anything? I do appreciate that the legislature is trying to make a difference in schools and all that, that's great gravy. I'm for the idea of making the districts have policies, sure. I just don't think it'll do too much. The headline was a little presumptious I guess.

I wish there would be no further restrictions on cell phone use. I have texted my child at school, asking them to meet me, and they have quickly responded. Didn't take much time out of the class for him to respond. Please leave well enough alone. Cell phone is one way to waste time in class there are others, instead, if a kid wastes time, or cheats using any method, the teacher already has authority to deal with that. No further restrictions on cell phones please.

I would hope these rules apply to the staff as well as students - its bad enough to have incompetent teachers in the class room, let alone ones that are texting as much as the students.

As usual many parents are falling down on the job. Why are they not checking the phone bill to see if the little darlings are texting during school hours and taking action. Sure, let's leave it to the government to raise our children.

Why Do We Need A Law it sounds to me like Districts already have a policy and if they don't then apparently they don't need one let the schools del with it and not waste the law makers time with it they need to solve a lot of things like health care for the poor ect.

Hurray! It's about time. Passing this bill would be the best thing for our youth and education. It would foster accountability, honesty and better study skills.

So why is it necessary for the legislature to draft this sort of a law if school districts are already handling the issue? Why should we place further restrictions on the authority of our school districts?

to concerned parent, if you need your child to meet you, why don't you check them out through the attendance office? or call the office they will send an office aid to deliver the message. if your child leaves the school with out checking out the can be disciplined for sluffing or class ditching. when i was at west jordan high the teacher was out of the class for a moment and a gal with a cell phone called the attendance office pretending to be her mother calling to excuse her absence! and the office aid brought an excuse note! for her not being at school the day before. now do you really want kids to have cell phones in school?

I don't believe cell phones should be allowed in the public school buildings.
I never had one and did very good in school with out one.
I personally find it very disruptive in my world to have people talking on cell phones or appearing to be hipmotized by that little screen.

Why don't I go through the attendence office? INCONVIENCE. Why don't adults give up e-mail and cell phones in favor of snail mail and cell phones? Can I ask that of you? Lets not take away all of our rights and priviliges by focusing only on the lowest common denominator in society.

If we stoped wasting people's mind with memorization when we have the technology to do away with the need to memorize, no one would have to cheat in the first place. Why do we have the internet and cell phones but we expect kids to memorize something you can look up in 2 seconds on the internet? Is memorization expect of you at work? How many times at work do you have to just know like the state capitals or how to spell certain words? Or how many times are you expected to do math but not use a calculator? We have technology for a reason!!!!!!!

All schools need to do is buy a cell phone jammer. That way no one,including teacher, parents, and students, could send email.

Problem solved.

Once again the legislature feels the need to micromanage the schools. Same old, same old. District policies seem to be doing just fine and they have the flexibility to adjust to new needs quickly.

They just need a feel good law. It won't have any positive effect, just added cost for the taxpayer. Who is going to police this action? The teachers are already busy teaching too many children for one class. Cell phones are a part of civilization now. Everyone needs to learn to accept it. The problems they are trying to legislate existed when I was in school WITHOUT cell phones! The problem is bored kids in classes too large for effective discipline. The students are not always the bad kids, some are getting very good grades. Change the class size to 12 max and teachers could better control the class. Everyone could stay on task because everyone would have attention.

I understand why you don't want cell phones in class: cheating, being disruptive, etc. and those are good reasons. But why don't teachers just keep us students involved in class? No more boring lectures. Creativity is all it takes.

I agree with "to a parent/ former student." Why should I have to follow all those INCONVENIENT laws and procedures. Student safety is overrated, anyway. Besides, I KNOW my kid would never use the phone in her pocket where the teacher couldn't see it to pass notes, answers, or just general distractions during class. After all, good teachers can make every lesson so enthralling for each student that they would never WANT to zone out.

Rep. Allen should know better, let the districts do their jobs, don't punish everyone because some don't already have a policy. Be a legislator not a school board member.

The only visionary here is the student. When will we realize these are the tools of not only the future but today. Figure out how to use the powerful communication tools and computers (that's what cell phones are) for learning. Banning is only a reaction of short sighted people who can't figure out how to change teaching to be more engaging and authentic. How about the representative from Bountiful leave her cellphone and computer at home and not use them at the office?
There are many examples of educators using cellphones for real learning. Courtesy and manners are still required but you don't have to ban everything you don't understand. You can do better.

Cell phone Jammers are illegal in the US

THE RISKS AND LEGALITY OF JAMMING
The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) in the United States has outlawed the sale and use of jammers because they can in theory interfere with emergency communications between police and rescue personnel, aid in criminal activity as well as disrupt medical equipment like pacemakers.

Even though jammers are illegal, it will be pretty difficult for the FCC to catch you. Triangulating the exact position of someone with a jammer will require some fancy hi-tech tracking gear and several personnel.

However if you do get busted using a cell phone jammer, be prepared for a possible $11,000 fine. Remember, jammers are mainly intended for military or government use.

We cover the use of Cell phones and text messenging in our computer use policy. If it's enforced the problem with cell phones go away.

I agree to limitations of use during school hours, but due to recent violence in our childrens schools, it is my safety line to my son.

Mr Wharton, I too didn't have a cell phone when attending school, but I also never worried that a classmate would shoot myself or classmates in a rage of anger. It is not the same world we grew up in.

Lastly, a friend of mine recently ran into an incident where an assistant prinicpal, accused her son of using the phone in class to message friends. He was in deed guilty and was punished by his parents and he should have been. His mother caught him by reviewing his bill. The principal took the phone from him and then proceeded to sent text others from HIS phone who they assumed were students trying to get them to meet at a designated area. This is call entrapment, and just as students fail to use good judgement, so do administrators.

What about cell phone storage space in the room? Cubicles just large enough for phones, that teachers could require students to store them in during testing.