cell phones

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Formal bans on sexting in school districts
by Sameer @ 3:15 pm. Filed under policy, prevention, public school, sexting

My colleagues and I have been discussing the phenomenon of sexting in great detail recently, in light of the actions of two Texas school districts. Before the beginning of this new school year, the Houston Independent school district (one of the largest in the nation) and the Dallas-Fort Worth school district banned sending sexually-explicit photos or messages over cell phones. Some argue that this action is paternalistic, outdated, tyrannical, and even possibly unconstitutional. Others applaud the decision, which reflects that administrators are finally treating this matter seriously.

My Students. My Cellphone. My Ordeal.

By Ting-Yi Oei
Sunday, April 19, 2009

The Channel 4 Newsbreak was meant to shock: "High school assistant principal in Loudoun County arrested for child pornography," announced WRC's Jim Vance. "Details following the Olympics."

A day after Wayne County Prosecutor Kym WORTHY called for a ban on cell phones and text messaging in schools, the chair of the Senate Education Committee gave his take on why he didn't think that was a good idea.

Sen. Wayne KUIPERS (R-Holland) said he remembered that after the Columbine High School shooting 10 years ago, parents and educators said they felt the use of cell phones might have resulted in the police arriving earlier and perhaps lives would have been saved.

Kuipers said he admits he has not seen Worthy's data, but he remains to be convinced the ban would do any good.

"Cell phones are not the problem," he told MIRS.

Worthy said she wants to cut into gang violence and activity in the schools and she argued that the cell phone is a conduit for that.

A Spokane area high school is testing a cell phone jammer to block students from texting and calling.

Mt. Spokane High School recently completed a three-day test. Principal John Hook told KHQ-TV the jamming device was turned on during class time and off during passing periods and lunch hours to give students access to parents or to make important calls.

The Mead School District is checking to make sure the jammer complies with all laws before putting it into use.

School policy requires students to turn off cell phones during class periods.

Submitted by Diane McMillan

MASSP Board member Jennifer Hammond, and member Marsha Kramer are featured in this article of interest. Northview HS, home of Mark Thomas, principal and Past MASSP President, and Dan Matthews, assistant principal, and 2005 NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year, is also featured.

Take our Poll on Cell Phones (click here)

If Gov. Jennifer GRANHOLM had her way, about the only thing drivers under 18 could do in their cars is drive them.
The Governor, a mother or two teenage girls, said she not only supports legislation that restricts the number of passengers a teen can have in the car with them, but wants to ban their ability to use cell phones while driving.

By Marshall W. Grate
A public school district must exercise caution in monitoring off-campus speech. In Layshock v Hermitage School District, (WD PA 2007), a public school district was held to have violated the First Amendment rights of a senior high school student when it issued a 10-day suspension for his creation of a parody profile of the high school principal on the student’s MySpace.com website during non-school hours at the student’s grandmother’s computer.

By Lisa Swem
Attorney, Thrun Law Firm, P.C.