July 26, 2007

Wrong number

Students offer alternatives to cell phone policy

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Ryan Scott of Canton High School and Michael Skrzynski of Salem High School use their cell phones and MP3 players while they can. The students will face suspension if caught with the devices on the school grounds during classes.

Many of the 5,500 high school students of the Plymouth-Canton Community School District are talking about the upcoming school year. However their conversation has nothing to do with football games, homecoming dances and field trips.

Students are in an uproar over the stricter enforcement of a district policy banning the use of cell phones, MP3 players, CD players and other electronic devices on campus. Students caught using the items while school is in session will face a one-day suspension for the first offense and upwards of three to five days suspension for repeat violations.

“That’s extremely excessive. It’s kind of scary,” said Ryan Scott, a 16-year old Canton High School student about the policy. Scott admits to frequently listening to his iPod while traveling between the campuses for classes.

Scott calls on administrators to take into consideration the unique situation students of the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park, where students take courses from three different schools. He thinks students should be allowed to have the devices during their campus travels.

“I don’t see the problem walking with (an MP3 player or cell phone) between the three schools,” said Scott, who agrees devices should be turned off during class.

Salem High School student Michael Skrzynski said he was part of the first group of students to experience the wrath of increased digital scrutiny at summer school.

While he said he understands why the district wouldn’t want students to cheat using cell phones or iPod-like devices, he said the administrators have other ways to solve the problem.

“Have the students give the cell phones to the teachers to collect and the students get them back after class,” said the 15-year old sophomore from Canton.

“I can go for that,” he said.

Bob Hayes, the director of student services for the school district said students are allowed to bring the devices on campus. They must be kept off and out of sight or consequences will be dealt.

“I’m not a technological caveman,” said Hayes. “Sometimes, kids have problems walking the line,” he added.

According to Hayes, students have taken advantage of lax enforcement of the policy that has led to an increase from 563 violations in the 2005-2006 school year to more than 1,374 last academic year.

Despite being less than 35 percent of the total high school student count involved in illicit cell phone activity, Hayes said the crackdown is necessary to preserve “the academic integrity of the high schools.”

In a letter sent to parents of students who are part of the district summer school program, Hayes cited instances when students were caught sharing answers through text messages during quizzes and exams.

Hayes said the policy is tough so it can deter future abuses of technology on campus grounds. “We’re hoping the determent will stop the use cell phones and other devices,” he added.

There is no current ban on palm pilots or laptop computers.

Linda Vanderlaan, a Plymouth resident and parent of a high school student, said the district is correct in enforcing the electronic device ban, particularly to guard against cheating.

“I am concerned about the pictures and texts being used to cheat,” she said.

Plymouth-Canton School Board Vice-President Barry Simescu said the vast majority of students in the district are honest. However, the decision to crack down on electronic devices in the schools is in the best interest of the students.

“It’s the right thing to do,” said Simescu. “Students can use them for other things, but I’m concerned with the cheating.”

http://www.journalgroup.com/Plymouth/5414

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Reader comments [8]

Jul 26, 2007 | 11:18 AM

Brenda Ozog:

I support this 100% and think other school districts should follow suit. People are so addicted to these devices and they are a distraction in school. You are there to learn not show off your newest electronics.

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Jul 26, 2007 | 2:01 PM

Justin Spencer:

In class, I entirely support that you shouldn’t have your electronic devices on, but on the walk between schools? I’m a senior at canton and I can say that the majority of disciplinary actions I see taken at the school are stopping students to take their iPod or their cell phone while they’re walking between schools or in between classes. I’ve seen a security guard pass up a smoker to take an iPod. It’s absolutely pathetic. It’s not a short walk and during the winter especially, it’s not a fun walk. Why can’t I use my iPod on it? students are going to bring these things whether or not they’re going to be allowed or going to use them, but I’ve never seen or heard of using cell phones or iPods to cheat on tests. I see more of the old fashioned cheating.

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Jul 26, 2007 | 3:16 PM

pat:

Justin it’s pretty sad that you can’t walk from one building to the next without the help of one of these devices. I along with a lot of other people managed to survive my entire high school career without the help of any of them! They just don’t have any place on school grounds for any reason. Same is true for stores, movies, restaurants and any other public place where we have to listen to conversations (whether we want to or not) or go to extremes to get someone’s attention because they’re to involved in one of these items. What started out as a great thing in the event of an emergency has turned into a pain!

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Jul 26, 2007 | 6:40 PM

Trisha:

I think having your mp3 devices and cell phones is fine if they're turned off during class, but as soon as the bell rings I think they should be okay. I used to call people in between classes. And the little thing about people who use them to cheat on tests, if they don't use they're phone they're going to use something else. The only people who disagree with it are the people who don't have them…. If they had them they would use them. Last year I walked to all 3 schools and I don't no how I would of done it without my phone.

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Jul 26, 2007 | 10:23 PM

Justin Spencer:

Oh, I am more than able to walk between schools without them, I just don’t understand why you shouldn’t have the freedom to listen to your mp3 player or use a phone on that walk. Or why it should be any different for two people to have a conversation than for one person to talk on a phone. Two people talking on the phone at a store, restaurant or other public place is possibly even more annoying than one half of a phone conversation. And if it’s a public place, you don’t get the decision of whether or not you want to deal with what other people do. If it’s within the law and it bothers you, go somewhere private. But that’s far beyond the point, it’s not ability, I have the ability to walk between schools without them, but I have no good reason to.

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Jul 26, 2007 | 11:45 PM

ashi:

I am sorry but this is a little upsetting. There is a way to stop the cheating. We can do a lot of things. But if electronics like phones are banned it's bad. What if there was an accident at home and they need to contact their student and the lines are busy at school? I understand the need to protect us from cheating and stuff like that but why not actually find a way, like collecting them before class or even having to place them somewhere? There are other ways to solve it. Sometime people's iPods and stuff like that help them. Some people need to escape sometimes even for a little. I want to know why they couldn’t find out a way to do that.

Phones are used to keep in contact. We don’t even know what the kids do with them, true, but we can always fix that and that is what we should be doing and banning phones but not laptops? That is just funny.

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Aug 2, 2007 | 9:01 AM

Brenda Ozog:

If the kids could see some of us in the real world we are not allowed to take our cell phones into our place of business for security reasons. If you work at Ford you can’t have a picture phone and if you work in the jails (like I have) your phone can compromise the security system.

There is no need for these types of items in your schools. Just talk to your parents. If there were ever an emergency there are other avenues to contact you in school if the school line is busy but those emergencies are rare and few.

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Sep 23, 2008 | 6:39 PM

Jake Wooley:

to Brenda,

Do you know the consequence? Getting suspended for a day for cell phone even being seen? Are you insane? What if your kid was suspended for his cell phone just even being seen? People who support this rule don’t often times actually know the consequence. I really agree about cell phones being turned off in class, but seriously a suspension is way out of line. This is like a way to turn away the age of Technology, it’s like the school is embracing the left behind Industrial Age. The school should be trying to be innovative not digressive.

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