School Confiscation

[Barge]

Okay, I want to hear your thoughts on some schools confiscation rules.
Apparently, they're allowed to confiscate our belongings if they're a disruption to the class, that's understandable. But to be able to look through them, and be allowed keep them from you for an amount of time, possibly a week, is it right?

Yes, I am bringing up this topic because my phone was confiscated during class. I expected to get it back after school, but they ended up keeping it for the weekend.
And legally they're allowed to look through it.


I personally do not agree with this.

Thoughts?

 

[:mad:]

We'd like to hear your opinion first. There's no debate at the moment because you didn't give an actual statement, you just gave us a new topic.

There's been a few supreme court cases in which the schools were sued, one of them went in favor of the plantiff. The girl's purse was allegedly taken for inspection without her permission, because she possibly had some illegal substances. Surprisingly, her lawyer won her the case.

In this situation, it's a phone. Same principal, they already have your phone in their possession. They do reserve the right to take it away and do as they see fit with it. It's like how the government can moderate everything we do, they record phone conversations, internet messages, and everything inbetween. By looking through your phone, they're just doing the same thing. It's perfectly legal.

And on another note, it was your fault. Schools have policies on electronics, and you were already told not to bring them. So in a sense, what they're doing is absolutely right.

 

[Barge]

We'd like to hear your opinion first. There's no debate at the moment because you didn't give an actual statement, you just gave us a new topic.

Sorry about that, I do not agree with this. There's a line between confiscating it until the end of the day, and confiscating it for a weekend and being allowed to look through it.

There's been a few supreme court cases in which the schools were sued, one of them went in favor of the plantiff. The girl's purse was allegedly taken for inspection without her permission, because she possibly had some illegal substances. Surprisingly, her lawyer won her the case.

Might I ask for more information on this case?

In this situation, it's a phone. Same principal, they already have your phone in their possession. They do reserve the right to take it away and do as they see fit with it. It's like how the government can moderate everything we do, they record phone conversations, internet messages, and everything inbetween. By looking through your phone, they're just doing the same thing. It's perfectly legal.

But there's a difference between getting rid of a distraction and moderating/invading for legal or harmful issues.

And on another note, it was your fault. Schools have policies on electronics, and you were already told not to bring them. So in a sense, what they're doing is absolutely right.

But do they really have the right to invade our privacy and keep it for an unnecessary amount of time?[/quote]

 

[Wrath`]

If you were texting in class, then you should have your phone removed for the day, I do not agree on them taking it for an extended period of time, unless they wish to pay your phone bill.

Schools should have the right to search your stuff, but only if they have reason to, or are suspisious of you., anything beyond that is wrong in my thoughts, because by law your teachers could randomly ask you for your purse, and you have to oblige.

Bottom line: You should respect the school polocies, but I say there needs to be some regulation with privacy issuses.

Edit: @ Straked, I thought NewJersey vs TLO was in favor of the school.

 

[:mad:]

Sorry about that, I do not agree with this. There's a line between confiscating it until the end of the day, and confiscating it for a weekend and being allowed to look through it.

You did break the rules, and they probably stated somewhere in the student handbook that they do not have to give it back to you.

Might I ask for more information on this case?

http://www.landmarkcases.org/newjersey/background3.html
There's the article.

But there's a difference between getting rid of a distraction and moderating/invading for legal or harmful issues.

Who's to say you won't bring the phone back again?
Regardless of your privacy, your 1st amendment rights are limited in school.

But do they really have the right to invade our privacy and keep it for an unnecessary amount of time?

Yes, they do. They can only invade personal privacy to an extent. Your phone is not a house or car, they don't need a search warrant to go through something you don't need.

Also, turn off your signature in the PG.

@Koarin: My mistake, I was thinking of the black armband suit during the Korean War. Thanks for pointing that out. TLO did lose the case.

 

[GwJ]

Oh man, this topic really grinds my gears. I recently had my mp3 player taken away from me from a german teacher, after walking into class (It was the first class, homeroom by the way, so I was five minutes within walking into the actual school), and so I sit down and get comfortable, music still in. Class technically hasn't started, nobody can hear it, but you can just see my ear buds in my ears. She walks over and says, "Give me your iPod.". I'm like, "That's BS (I actually said the letters, I'm not ballsy enough to say it), class hasn't started.". "You can get it back at a saturday detention.

You see, in my school, the only way to get something back is to serve a saturday detention, or they can keep it forever. It's part of the 50 page contract they make us sign.

I'm am strongly against confiscation of items if they aren't a disturbance at all.

 

[:mad:]

Oh man, this topic really grinds my gears. I recently had my mp3 player taken away from me from a german teacher, after walking into class (It was the first class, homeroom by the way, so I was five minutes within walking into the actual school), and so I sit down and get comfortable, music still in. Class technically hasn't started, nobody can hear it, but you can just see my ear buds in my ears. She walks over and says, "Give me your iPod.". I'm like, "That's BS (I actually said the letters, I'm not ballsy enough to say it), class hasn't started.". "You can get it back at a saturday detention.

You see, in my school, the only way to get something back is to serve a saturday detention, or they can keep it forever. It's part of the 50 page contract they make us sign.

I'm am strongly against confiscation of items if they aren't a disturbance at all.

Personal feelings aside, I do believe that's pretty unfair.

But then again, you were already told what would happen. They don't want electronics in classrooms, it'd be best to just follow their rules.

If you ask anyone that's against listening to music during a test, I guarantee they'll say something about listening to the answers. That might be one of the reasons, not really sure how they do this.

 

[Wrath`]

Personal feelings aside, I do believe that's pretty unfair.

But then again, you were already told what would happen. They don't want electronics in classrooms, it'd be best to just follow their rules.

It was before the bell though, I mean that's truly unfair, and to me that is just a teacher on a power trip. I got detention for talking before the bell rang, but I presented a good argument to my principle and got a free pass out of that one. I would have fought it, but I don't know how lax your school is, mine is nice and relaxed about most of that stuff.

If you ask anyone that's against listening to music during a test, I guarantee they'll say something about listening to the answers. That might be one of the reasons, not really sure how they do this.

I do that all the time...............

But who would put awnsers on an mp3? seems like a waste of time, but people have done wierder things.

Most of the ruels that the schools put up are to make it much easier to keep the system flowing, but it is still flawed

 

[Mr. Rogu]

My side of this is that if your texting during class and they take your phone away, then yeah, of course its understandable. Why are you texting in the 1st place? Do you really need to tell someone that something at that moment? Anyways, I agree with that but when the teachers start to read your texts, then there should be a line drawn.

The teacher has a right to take it away for disruption, but they in no way have the right to start reading your personal text messages. That has to be some violation of some law. O wait, just remembered, thats when the Patriot Act kicks in. But still, thats only for the government, not for high school teachers.

Oh man, this topic really grinds my gears. I recently had my mp3 player taken away from me from a german teacher, after walking into class (It was the first class, homeroom by the way, so I was five minutes within walking into the actual school), and so I sit down and get comfortable, music still in. Class technically hasn't started, nobody can hear it, but you can just see my ear buds in my ears. She walks over and says, "Give me your iPod.". I'm like, "That's BS (I actually said the letters, I'm not ballsy enough to say it), class hasn't started.". "You can get it back at a saturday detention.

You see, in my school, the only way to get something back is to serve a saturday detention, or they can keep it forever. It's part of the 50 page contract they make us sign.

I'm am strongly against confiscation of items if they aren't a disturbance at all.

Wow, sorry man, but that really sucks.

 

[Xivii]

Oh man, this topic really grinds my gears. I recently had my mp3 player taken away from me from a german teacher, after walking into class (It was the first class, homeroom by the way, so I was five minutes within walking into the actual school), and so I sit down and get comfortable, music still in. Class technically hasn't started, nobody can hear it, but you can just see my ear buds in my ears. She walks over and says, "Give me your iPod.". I'm like, "That's BS (I actually said the letters, I'm not ballsy enough to say it), class hasn't started.". "You can get it back at a saturday detention.

You see, in my school, the only way to get something back is to serve a saturday detention, or they can keep it forever. It's part of the 50 page contract they make us sign.

I'm am strongly against confiscation of items if they aren't a disturbance at all.

That is unfair, if I were the teacher I would have simply told you to put it away, especially if you had just walked into class. That being, I still believe that the teacher had a right to take it away. Like Straked said you’re required to follow the rules, and if you break them by using your electronic device in the classroom then the teacher is required to enforce the consequences by taking the item away. There isn’t really away to regulate how strict a teacher can be, so it’s up to you to just keep the item away as you are suppose to. If the teachers did not have the authority to take the item then there would be no way to enforce the rule of “No Electronic Devices in the Academic Area.”



That being said....

Okay, I want to hear your thoughts on some schools confiscation rules.
Apparently, they're allowed to confiscate our belongings if they're a disruption to the class, that's understandable. But to be able to look through them, and be allowed keep them from you for an amount of time, possibly a week, is it right?

Yes, I am bringing up this topic because my phone was confiscated during class. I expected to get it back after school, but they ended up keeping it for the weekend.
And legally they're allowed to look through it.

I personally do not agree with this.

I strongly agree that the teacher who confiscates a student’s electronic device has no right to keep it for longer than a day or the right to look through it. If the teacher suspects that there is evidence of cheating or a hazard on the electronic device then it should be reported to a higher authority. The teachers themselves should not be able to look through a student’s personal belongings. The best solution would for the teacher to have to report the issue to a school dean and from there the dean could take care of it.

I do that all the time...............

But who would put awnsers on an mp3? seems like a waste of time, but people have done wierder things.

Most of the ruels that the schools put up are to make it much easier to keep the system flowing, but it is still flawed

There are flaws, just like in every system but this rule is certainly necessary. There are many students who would record notes on their Mp3 and use them diring an exam. It would be much easier then memorizing them yourself.

 

[|RK|]

Well, whether we feel it's wrong or not, they made us sign the contracts...

However, there is one teacher who when he takes phones, he messes with them and allows the owner one function given back per week...

My question is that even if we sign the contracts, how can you keep a contract that under normal policies would be theft? Do the teachers really get that much power in a school building.