For communicating with parents, yes it is important for a kid to have a cell phone. To hit up myspace and post have naked pics at 14-15... no. I always hated people taking my shit... not that I EVER had that happen. I know most schools give shit back at the end of the year but that still does not make it right.
Face to face social communication? This is 2008. Communication, meetings, conferences, with one on one and business is done via the interweb. I would sit in on conferences and such online with hundreds of people. Usually I was in my PJs or sometimes half naked. I would say few things... type them mostly.
So yeah... give a kid a cell phone. Don't let them be a stupid twit with it. Don't give a kid a $500 cell phone. Give them one that makes and receives calls. Email, myspace, and porn can wait till they get home.
see the end of the year doesn't work for me. The end of the day doesn't even work for me. If I give my kid a cell phone (or anything else) its because I want my kid to have it. Is this kid misusing it? FIne then punish him or tell me and I'll handle it. But I didn't buy the kid a phone so I could call the teacher's desk.
As for what kind of phone to buy? I dunno. I think that's an exercise left to the parent. Do you need 24-7 access to email and myspace? No, not today. But trust me, that's coming..
Sure, cell phones are useful... if you're lost, or meeting someone, or whatever. But they're not any more necessary than any other toy or gadget
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Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that face-to-face interaction isn't important. I'm saying that electronic interaction is too. Sure you can survive without a cell phone. Really, you can survive with nothing but water, bread, clothing and a cardboard box for when it rains. But that doesn't make you a productive part of society. Like I find it crazy when I hear parents talking about not allowing their teenaged children to have their own internet accounts. And I do know people like that. You can't realistically go to college in this country today without know how to use email and the web. Period. You can't hold most office jobs. And today, there are a growing number of jobs you can't hold without a cell phone. Mine is one of them in fact
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No, they don't "need" them any more than you or I need them. But if they want them and are responsible enough to have them, then I am fine with them(teens) having them (phones).
And if they have cellphones what should be the policy of schools regarding them?It is a school's directive to maintain an environment of instruction. As long as they don't break the law, they have the right to do whatever is necessary to maintain that for the greater good. I am fine with banning a cell phone from the premises or enforcing a rule that states that you are not allowed to use it during school hours
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See, it all depends on your usage of the term "need." I do need a cell phone. I literally can't work without one. It's part of my job. Some would argue that since that's the case, they should provide me with one, but that's not how it works
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Let the Libertarian flag fly!akiramichMarch 26 2008, 13:13:53 UTC
As a Libertarian I can agrue that you will always have a major problem by having a central government dictate the expectations of education. And it follows through that you have a government that is more inclind to function as a "nanny state" rather than respect the individual rights of ownership. A lot of schools are now taking the personal property of students--in the form of school supplies-and making them pool them into a common group to be "fair" to everyone. Its ridiculous and it shows how we are failing in the system to educate
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Re: Let the Libertarian flag fly!chrismaverickMarch 27 2008, 17:23:49 UTC
Exactly... to respond to your example. When I was a kid I had asthma medication (a steroid actually). And the school had a rule that I was supposed to go to the nurses office every day to take said medication and the nurse would hold it for me. This was an all time stupid rule. As I was completely capable of taking said medication on my own and it was just a major inconvenience for all involved. This was eventually changed. But I mean think about the rule. The rationale was "kids can't have narcotics at school." However, I needed said narcotic to survive at the time, and going to a daily appointment so someone could watch me swallow a pill and drink a glass of water was ridiculous. The rule was eventually changed (or I went to another school. I forget). Now if I were pushing drugs in the hallway, fine discipline me. But I was just a kid trying to keep breathing.
Re: Let the Libertarian flag fly!akiramichMarch 27 2008, 18:57:16 UTC
See that is a scarier scenerio and shows about the abuse of private propert in public [government] schools. You were given a medication that was purchased on direction from a doctor to treat a life condition. However the state had to interject their own agent in the administration of the drug. And while it didnt happen to you, Id worry about the agent of the state. Like what if the state decided that their guidlines for the amount of the drug taken conflicted by what your doctor perscribed. Or what if a higher administrator decided to withold your medication as a discipline means ["We'll make sure Mav doesnt talk out of turn in class. We"ll make sure he can't breathe right"]. Even in a benign situation--say you need your medication but the nurse is busy dealing with another emergency situation [ie little Johnny hacked off his right hand in shop class] it can delay you having your medication in a timley manner which may result in bad consequenses. Remember government regualations have killed more people than actual adverse reactions
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I'm of two minds actually. I can fully see where you're coming from both from a 'freedom' standpoint and from the view of a former kid. However, I'm a teacher and even though I teach adults, they can barely be bothered to shut off their phones, let alone a kid. Personally, I think that something needs to be done to curb usage in schools, theaters, etc. where you shouldn't be talking in the first place, let alone on your cell phone.
What to do? I have no idea. I just know that it's bothersome and shouldn't be tolerated.
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Face to face social communication? This is 2008. Communication, meetings, conferences, with one on one and business is done via the interweb. I would sit in on conferences and such online with hundreds of people. Usually I was in my PJs or sometimes half naked. I would say few things... type them mostly.
So yeah... give a kid a cell phone. Don't let them be a stupid twit with it. Don't give a kid a $500 cell phone. Give them one that makes and receives calls. Email, myspace, and porn can wait till they get home.
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As for what kind of phone to buy? I dunno. I think that's an exercise left to the parent. Do you need 24-7 access to email and myspace? No, not today. But trust me, that's coming..
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No, they don't "need" them any more than you or I need them. But if they want them and are responsible enough to have them, then I am fine with them(teens) having them (phones).
And if they have cellphones what should be the policy of schools regarding them?It is a school's directive to maintain an environment of instruction. As long as they don't break the law, they have the right to do whatever is necessary to maintain that for the greater good. I am fine with banning a cell phone from the premises or enforcing a rule that states that you are not allowed to use it during school hours ( ... )
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What to do? I have no idea. I just know that it's bothersome and shouldn't be tolerated.
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