Parents Battle School Officials Over Cell Phone

Post by **Roofus** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 12:04 am

Charges of larceny against two Carter County school officials have been sent to the district attorney's office for consideration of prosecution. Parents of a Lone Grove High School student say the superintendent and the high school principal will not release property that belongs to them. KTEN's Andrea Kurys has the story.

The property in question is a cell phone. The parents say they the phone back, but they were forced to file a complaint after school officials refused return the cell phone.

The cell phone was confiscated from the student last week after it rang in the middle of class. The teacher thought the ringing of the phone interrupted the classwork, and took the phone to the principal's office. When the student's parents went to the school to get it back, they were told it was school policy to hold the phone for five days. The mother of the student, Yvonne Walker, was upset because she says the phone is used in case of an emergency.

"He's 16, he's got a new job and I worry about him on the road," said Walker. "His father worries about him on the road, he's supposed to contact us."

Mr. Walker said, "That's why I got the cell phone for him. For his protection and for him to stay in touch with me and it's not doing him or me a bit of good if the school has it."

Walker says she was treated with disrespect by the principal and the superintendent. She contacted the Lone Grove police department, who sent an officer to the school. Captain Scott Lang said, "I attempted to get the situation resolved, couldn't reach a resolution to it. I ended up having to do a report on it."

That report was sent to the District Attorney's office for consideration of larceny charges against the school officials. The student's parents say the situation could have been resolved much easier.

"I understand that they need to discipline the kids and he was wrong, and he understands that he was wrong and he should be disciplined at home, and we will do that," said Ms. Walker.

"I want the policy changed for any student, any parent," said Mr. Walker. "They should have the right to come pick up their cell phone. The superintendent says he's just following school policy."

Hear the other side to the story. Click on "Superintendent Speaks Out Against Criminal Charges."

Andrea Kurys, KTEN News.

Link

Smiley · Post by **Smiley** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:52 pm

I agree with the school and the way they handled things. When my brother was still in high school, he had his mp3 player taken away several times becase he was listening to it during lunch.

The parents need to stop setting a bad example for their son and abide by the school's rules..and they also need to stop bitching and acting as if the rules don't apply to them and their precious son. If they're that damn proctective of their son to the point that they worry about him during class, they need to let it go.

APE · Post by **APE** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:02 pm

If its for emergencies then why isn't it on vibrate so he can make sure its a legit call? At my HS they'd take away your cell phone and make your parents come get it. When I was a senior they made everyone register their serial so noone could steal them, as if that would actually work. Now in college they just want it on vibrate or off but the instructors I've had so far really don't care unless it becomes habitual, in which case they can't really do too much as you've paid for the class and I'm relatively certain can't just kick you out for the fun of it.

Orange_Ribbon · Post by **Orange_Ribbon** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:32 pm

Remember for cell phones when people were not this over protective? You could leave the home all day and not be bugged. Grand old days.

B-RAD · Post by **B-RAD** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:33 pm

3>Ape

butters · Post by **butters** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 8:33 pm

APE wrote:If its for emergencies then why isn't it on vibrate so he can make sure its a legit call? At my HS they'd take away your cell phone and make your parents come get it. When I was a senior they made everyone register their serial so noone could steal them, as if that would actually work. Now in college they just want it on vibrate or off but the instructors I've had so far really don't care unless it becomes habitual, in which case they can't really do too much as you've paid for the class and I'm relatively certain can't just kick you out for the fun of it.

I've seen professors actually grab the phone and answer it. Got to be embarrassing.

Wagh · Post by **Wagh** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 8:37 pm

I think the parents are doing whats within their abilities. The school is the one refusing to be sane.

Stormwatch · Post by **Stormwatch** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:14 pm

butters wrote:I've seen professors actually grab the phone and answer it. Got to be embarrassing.

I had a teacher who did that. Extra-embarassing for girls, since it was usually their boyfriends calling.

AgentGreen · Post by **AgentGreen** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:00 pm

Wagh wrote:I think the parents are doing whats within their abilities. The school is the one refusing to be sane.

Agreed. Overprotective or not, it is the rightful property of the parents and they should be able to get ahold of it if they want it.

Covar · Post by **Covar** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 6:23 pm

the article wrote:The teacher thought the ringing of the phone interrupted the classwork, and took the phone to the principal's office.

thought the phone ringing interrupted class? of course it inturrupts the class. also the kid was a dumbass who should have had it on silent (even vibrate can be noisy sometimes).

maybe if the phone is simply for emergency's they should get him a migo: