Texas School Suspends Student for Answering Call in Class From Dad in Iraq

Gotta give a shout out to the mods here real quick. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many posts off topic. How the hell did this get into supporting the troops or not? How ridiculous. Thanks for eliminating a lot of the off topic posts, although more could have been done away with.Saved me some unnecessary reading.

On topic: If kids are not allowed phones in class, shouldn't that mean teachers are not allowed them either. I find it hard to believe that teachers do not keep their phones in their desks. And I'll bet money that they have taken calls in class before as well. It is a winning bet because I have seen it happen.
So I guess it is ok for the teachers to have them but not the kids. A bit hypocritical don't you think?

Originally posted by mattifikation
No, I can't see it from the teacher's point of view. I try to imagine myself in the teacher's shoes. I see myself yelling at the kid for having their phone on, and when the kid says its their dad calling from Iraq I see myself asking them to take the call out in the hall.

Certainly not a frickin SUSPENSION, over a cell phone!!!

^exactly what i thought. i would tell the student to talk to their military parent outside the hall while i taught. not suspend them.. i can just imagine what went on
teacher: put that phone away
kid: my dad is in iraq and i hardly talk to him, please let me take this call
teacher: im liberal and i hate freedom of speech. your suspended!



[edit on 13-4-2008 by Swatman]

Originally posted by mattifikation
Question:

Why does the "no cell phone policy" trump the "golden rule?"


[edit on 13-4-2008 by mattifikation]

You are 100% correct on this. Of course the kid should have picked up the phone and talked to his dad. But why did this incident give him the right to do it during class? He still should have told the teacher, in some variation, "Hey, my dad, who has been in Iraq for # years, is calling; can I pick it up?" Any teacher with a soul would say "most certainly."

Also, not directed at mattifikation, I am sure that many other kids in the school have received calls from parents serving overseas, the article states 1/2 of the students, during school. Those kids did not pick up, because if they did we would have heard of an earlier incident.

reply to post by greeneyedleo


Hey green. Haven't talked to ya in a bit. I agree with you.
My wife and I discussed this article at dinner tonight. We agreed with you. My son, when he gets to school, is carrying a phone. They do make phones that do not text or have games. They are specifically for kids to use and receive calls in an emergency. Why more people don't get those is beyond me.
There is too much BS in schools today for kids not to have a way to make outside communication. If parents took more time to teach their kids right from wrong, maybe so many bad things wouldn't be happening in our schools.

Originally posted by kthulu

Was the kid a smartass? Dont know, so I cant comment on that. Did the teacher think the kid was lying, or didnt like being told "Well my DAD who is in IRAQ says STFU!" I dont know. But it seems that without these points its pretty hard to DENY IGNORANCE the way we do without the full story.

Exactly, this reminds me of when the Caucasian teacher said "n--ga" to Afro-American student because the student called the teacher that word. For all we know the kid may have been trying to act tough/like a smart ass to the teacher.

Kids lie ALL THE TIME!! I cannot tell you the number of times when kids got caught texting their BFF JILL in high school and said "I WAS TEXTING MY MOM" or "I WAS CHECKING THE TIME"

Assuming the teacher was genuine and tried to meet with all his/her students' parents/guardians at parent-teacher conferences, wouldn't the teacher know if the kid's dad was serving in Iraq?

My parents moved around a lot when I was a teen, so I ended up attending three high schools. One private, one charter, and one public. Each one had a no cell phones policy. Cell phones should have been totally off/in the locker during school hours. (of course i broke this rule MANY MANY MANY times)

[edit on 13-4-2008 by youvegotbighands]

Originally posted by palehorse23
reply to post by greeneyedleo

 

Hey green. Haven't talked to ya in a bit. I agree with you.
My wife and I discussed this article at dinner tonight. We agreed with you. My son, when he gets to school, is carrying a phone. They do make phones that do not text or have games. They are specifically for kids to use and receive calls in an emergency. Why more people don't get those is beyond me.
There is too much BS in schools today for kids not to have a way to make outside communication. If parents took more time to teach their kids right from wrong, maybe so many bad things wouldn't be happening in our schools.

Exactly, as I said in an earlier post, teachers are ALWAYS trying to contact parents and always trying to learn about their students. If the mother told the teacher/went to conferences the teacher would have known the kid's circumstance. I highly doubt this teacher was a teacher who "did not care" but one who realized that a lot of high school kids lie, especially when getting caught doing something against the rules.

Man. This thread and some of the stories is REALLY aging me.
When I was in school, there was no such thing as a cell phone
I dont even feel or look my age....but stuff like this makes me come back to reality.

reply to post by greeneyedleo


Me too. Ya know what was big in school for me? Beepers. And most of those were carried by the maryjane dealers. LOL those actually became banned as ell. Cell phones are a part of everyday life now though. They should be treated as such. As technology advances, so should we. If they are being abused, that is one thing. But for a conversation such as this, the rules need to be bent. Even if, as someone stated before, a kids parent is away anywhere for a long period of time.

Yes indeed. In the end this isn't even about supporting the war, the troops, or any of that political stuff. This is about one thing: What's more important in the end, a few minutes of class time or the people we love the most in our lives?

I pity those who answer the former, and detest them if they think those of us with a heart should answer the same.

reply to post by _Phoenix_


Hi _Phoenix_;

Thanks for asking...

I support our troops, because they are the ones who face the danger;

I DO NOT support the administration that sends them into danger, under
false pretenses. When the administration lies, they become USURPERS of
authority; and need to be arrested & tried for their crimes, the same way
WE would be!

Kids should have cell phones at all times, these days, with all the school
shootings, and child predators, and criminals who would victimize them.



[edit on 4/13/2008 by FRIGHTENER]

My beautiful state is being over run by overly progressives. Texas is the land of the cowboy. We do things our way, for better or worse. No use in trying to tackle that independance away from us, our ego's will charge in to defend us. Such is being a Texan. To bad we make such lousy president, huh?

Both my sons have mobile phones. If i call, no matter where they are, they are expected to answer. If they don't, i will leave a message and they are expected to return the call within 15 minutes. If that means taking a quick bathroom break, i will certainly not interrupt them needlessly. Even a text message telling me that they are tied up and will get back with me is ok. But, as their parent, it is MY choice if that interruption will occur. The role of the student and teacher is to funnel that activity to an area than will reduce interruptions.

Yeah, the school may have a difference of opinion than me, but I will deal with that, not my child. He is only doing as i instruct him to do and disappointing dad is far worse to them both than disappointing a teacher (even though they like their teachers, and many of them taught me when i was younger, too).

The bigger cities are different than it is out here in West Texas. We have smaller towns, everyone meets at the football field on Friday night, and no businesses open until church lets out (sigh).

[edit on 13-4-2008 by bigfatfurrytexan]

If the call were an emergency it should have been placed through the school, not made toa personal cell phone during school hours. Why did the kid have a phone on during class? I cannot think of a single school in our area, Private schools included, that will allow a child to carry a cell phone into class with it turned on. While I am sympathetic to any of the thousands of children with parents in Iraq, a child with a cell phone on during class comes off as a little 'Spicolli' if you know what I mean. Can he order pizza during class too?

My own father served 22 years military service, he was in Vietnam and the Korean conflict, a phone call from him was certainly cherished, but if he had called me in school I would have had a heart attack thinking something was wrong, it would have to be, why else would my class be interupted? The only time this actually happened, it was a death in the family. No cell phones were involved.

I would just like to add that I do not own a cell phone anymore, I do not feel that it is needed for myself. I could not imagine being a teacher these days and giving students the freedom to use their phones as they wish during class, you would not be able to teach, the kids would be calling each other as they sit beside each other, telling you it is their mom or dad, If there were a shooting or other emergency where a child might benefit from having a cell phone while at school, then by all means, use it, but that is a true emergency.

just my .02 here....

This story is really about a parent trying to contact thier child.

The fact that the father spoke with the schools superintendant \ staff prior to deployment is another issue.

If any of you have kids you would understand - if you dont, what if your parents have an emergency and need to get a hold of you. I know that schools have cell phone polices - but these are not normal circumstances.

If this was happening in every american family there would be an uproar. When I was in high school and my parent called, you were excused and pulled out of class to attend to the matter.

What has happened to commons sense?

Rules are rules if you let one person break them then your start down a slippery slope. If I were the kid I would have taken the call and the suspension and that would have been it. This amount of media attention is unnecessary and makes the school officials that are doing their jobs look like uncaring inividuals.

Lt.

I am in shock at the moment. What happened to my freedom of speech?
I must say something. First of all, now I fear for my life. You can't imagine! all of the hatred coming my way over this topic.
Secondly, on topic:

I don't blame the teen/child. Looking at his picture he looks nothing like a child anymore. He looks disturbed/angry/rebellious. I don't blame him. In his mind his father is a hero. Reason he should be learning History lessons instead of talking on his cellphone.

He doesn't understand why people are not supporting him. In order to do that he has to read the news. It's all over the place. People DO NOT support the war, therefore they do not support his father. and honestly, shouldn't!

I think I've already given you all my position on this. Furthermore, I'd like to add that It's not only about the kid, it's about the rules and regulations that we all must follow. I follow the rules, you follow the rules, he follows the rules. And in this society if we break the rules we pay for it with fee's or jail time. There is NO difference between a trucker father and a Military father. But honestly, I admire the real working man more than a soldier. I have no respect for a soldier. He is trained to be a killing machine. He's given chemicals and drugs to kill,kill,kill. I have no respect for someone like this. Someone said, "They have free will" and yes they do. In the end, what do we do with our lost military? those poor lost souls fighting for nothing out there? we give them real jobs. We bring them home, put them in a coast guard uniform, a Police uniform, a border patrol uniform. We have the military protect us from the inside and we spread them all around those different agencies.

In the future, at least in Texas. "No cellphone in class" Policy. Enforced and treated respectfully. It doesn't matter who's calling. if it's momma calling because her apple pie burned down in the kitchen, she can wait. If it's poppa calling because he's beating down iraqi separatists, he can wait too. No one gets special attention in a democracy, especially not in public school. the end.

Jedimiller.

"He is trained to be a killing machine."

Not everyone is the military is trained to be a killing machine. I'll give you the fact that Yes, Marines are trained to be killing machines, and thats because they are always a rifleman first regardless of what their actual job is. But someone said something about cellphone policy that I agree with. Yea he broke a policy,but with all the school shootings happening these days I think everyone should have a cellphone in case something like that happens again. If it were me I woulda said screw the school officials I am taking this call regardless of the trouble I get in. But with that town being a military community they shoulda understood. But oh well. Dad shoulda known better but thatwas probably the only call he would be able tomake and had tomake it at that time. It really isnt as easyas sending an email. Some places there are very remote and you have to battle to get to the computer, not to mention you have to pay to use them. But just because you dont agree with this war doesnt mean you should not support the soldier. I am a soldier and I dont agree with the war, I really hate going over there to fight it, but I have todoasIam told or suffer jail time, which I amnot willing to do. We are not all killing machines. Alot of us joined so we could go to school and get that degree, others because they get really good training that will help them in the civilian world, then again, there are those who join solely to splatter skulls. I personally joined to take care of my family and get us out of the crappy little town we lived in.

Originally posted by jedimiller

Originally posted by josephine
The civilians need those jobs.

The troops need to be back here protecting the borders.
Their not doing anything productive in Iraq.

Yeah, but the civilians arent doing those jobs. it's all illegal aliens doing it. have the military do those jobs and it would create a government job and then people would actually join the military to do good. the border protecting..well save it for the border patrol and chuck norris. but we can put some soldiers on the border..also on the streets working with police.

Jedi, we do have soldiers on the borders. may not be many, but they are there. I think last year a group of National Guard Units were deployed along the Arizona-Mexico borders. I could be wrong on if they are still there, if so please correct me

Originally posted by ccantey6204

Marines are trained to be killing machines, and thats because they are always a rifleman first regardless of what their actual job is.

That's for sure, cc!

If it were me I woulda said screw the school officials I am taking this call

If there would've been cell phones back in the 70's, when i was in H.S.,
i'd probably say the same thing!

you dont agree with this war doesnt mean you should not support the soldier. I am a soldier and I dont agree with the war

Valuable input, from a SOLDIER!

they get really good training that will help them in the civilian world

Excellent point, cc- perhaps jedi can appreciate this huge aspect of the
military.

Semper Fi, Friend-O.





[edit on 4/14/2008 by FRIGHTENER]

Originally posted by space cadet
If the call were an emergency it should have been placed through the school, not made toa personal cell phone during school hours. Why did the kid have a phone on during class? I cannot think of a single school in our area, Private schools included, that will allow a child to carry a cell phone into class with it turned on. While I am sympathetic to any of the thousands of children with parents in Iraq, a child with a cell phone on during class comes off as a little 'Spicolli' if you know what I mean. Can he order pizza during class too?

My own father served 22 years military service, he was in Vietnam and the Korean conflict, a phone call from him was certainly cherished, but if he had called me in school I would have had a heart attack thinking something was wrong, it would have to be, why else would my class be interupted? The only time this actually happened, it was a death in the family. No cell phones were involved.

It is to be on "vibrate" or "silent", depending (when they take tests they should have it on silent, as the vibration can be a distraction).

I am a business manager (ironically enough, for one of the major wireless communications companies). I am in meetings for 5 out of my daily 10-18 hours. I put my phone on vibrate when appropriate. I expect my kids to learn to be responsible, as well.

[edit on 14-4-2008 by bigfatfurrytexan]