Student is suspended for using cell phone at school

[Navy6064]

Student is suspended for using cell phone at school to talk to mother in Iraq


http://www.lex18.com/global/story.as...Type=Printable

COLUMBUS, Ga. A Columbus, Georgia, student has been suspended for ten days after refusing to end a cell phone call to his mother, who is a soldier in Iraq.

The high school junior was talking to his mom during lunch.

According to local school board policy, students are allowed to have cell phones in school, but cannot use them during school hours.

A school official says the teen's suspension was based on his reaction when a teacher asked him to give up the phone. The official says the young man became "defiant and disorderly" and could have been arrested. But the official says the school chose to suspend him for ten days because his mother is in Iraq.



Associated Press.

[Rusty24]

Come on this is that "Exception to the rule".

[AngelBear]

Well from what I hear on the "support site" I am a member of... this principal is getting an earful from supporters. Now I know and understand that the kid shouldn't have been disrespectful to the teacher BUT the teacher needs to understand the stress the kid is under. And yes Rusty I totally agree... THIS IS THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE!

I see where this could blow up nation wide... especially for single parents who are serving and they want to talk to their children "when they have the time". Rules may change come the next school year.

[AmericanGirl]

I just read this on another site, and I was just dumbfounded... poor kid, I would be mad too if you tried to get between me and my loved one serving in a war zone!

[Ram0528]

It should be the "exception to the rule" but they may be cautious b/c there will always be those people that choose to exploit situations & take advantage of them. Personally, i wouldn't get off the phone, but i'd also be willing to take the punishment for it.

[Covertness]

MUSCOGEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
COLUMBUS, GEORGIA
MEDIA RELEASE
MEDIA RELEASE FROM DR. JOHN A. PHILLIPS, JR..
SUPERINTENDENT
MUSCOGEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Muscogee County School District has over 3700 military students enrolled. We have
a long and strong relationship with Ft. Benning. Spencer High School has the greatest
number of military students of any of our schools. All of our counselors have received
training in supporting students whose parents have been deployed, and military personnel
serve as Partners in Education in over half of our schools.
When the Spencer teacher approached the young man about using a cell phone on
campus, contrary to Board of Education policy which is designed to preserve
instructional time and decorum in our schools, the young man did not tell the teacher he
was speaking to his mother in Iraq. He indicated he would not comply with a request to
turn over his cell phone and used profanity. The teacher escorted the young man to the
office, where assistant principals tried to get him to calm himself and to cease the use of
profanity. It was only at this point that administrators learned he was talking to his
mother in Iraq.
The Guidance Department at Spencer High School has arranged for a number of students
to receive calls from parents who are deployed. They would have been happy to do this
for this young man. The issue here was not so much the use of the cell phone as it was
the choices the young man made in handling the situation. We are empathetic to all
students whose parents serve in the armed forces; we do have behavior standards which
we uphold.
The school has been in touch with personnel from Ft. Benning. We are endeavoring to
have the young man readmitted after a three day suspension, which was the first option
for him. It was only after greater defiance and profanity that the suspension was
extended. We will ask that the student and his guardian sign a behavior contract
indicating that he will comply with the same standards of behavior which apply to all of
our students. We will continue to be sensitive to the needs of students whose parents
serve our country.
06 May 2005
Contact: Dr. Billy Kendall – (706) 649-0514 – bkendall@mcsdga.net


I say the kid copped an attitude and got what is coming to him.

[Rusty24]

So that is their side, what is the students side? If the kid would have looked at the teacher and said "It's my mom, shes in Iraq" ...... things may have gone a little easier. As a teacher I would have asked the student to step out side for two reasons. One to get some privacy and two, it would keep other students from feeling that it was "OK" to do this. Still 10 days is alot for saying some cuss words.

[AngelBear]

What is really crazy is the fact that the school year is nearly out and 10 days suspension is only a prior mini vacation. I don't see where suspension from school helps the situation for look at how many kids skip class... in this case it only makes it legal for the student to be away from school and the parent not fined.

There have been two sides presented from what I have read, the student says "I am talking to my mom in Iraq" and the one that Covert posted. Now is the papers had stated "Student suspended due to foul language directed at a teacher while on call with mom in Iraq" well some may then side with the school in what they did. We are outsiders and we can only comment on what we read since we were not present but again the situation I am sure is being repeated all across America and not just around bases there are too many reservists deployed that also apply.

[USMCRET6391]

If it had been me in the student's shoes, I would have said "fine" and walked of the damned campus. Of course I didn't do authority well either when I was that age

[SR-25]

We only get 3 days for fighting. If we cuss in class they usually just say dont do it again, If we do we MIGHT get sent to the office to talk to the VP. But never suspended, and for 10 days, thats unheard of.

[AmericanGirl]

I say the kid copped an attitude and got what is coming to him.

It doesn't excuse what he did, but this is a kid and his mom is the only family he has, I imagine it causes an unbelievable amount of stress for him that his mom is in a war zone.