From some parents’ point of view, cell phones for children have segued from a source of contention to a convenient way of keeping in touch. In the meantime, school officials are adapting policy handbooks to cope with the increase in the number of students carrying telephones. Even Disney has jumped into the growing market of providing cell-phone service to children.
It is not uncommon for elementary-school children to carry cell phones, especially in rural areas where calls from children to parents often carry long-distance charges. Safety is a consideration, and a cell phone provides a degree of comfort for parents who worry about school intrusions.
In North Lyon County, building principals determine the best policy for each school.
Superintendent Steve Mollach said that Northern Heights High School students are allowed to carry cell phones in their pockets, but the phones must be turned off.
“Some people believe it’s good to have cell phones in the building because when there are crisis issues ... it’s good to have cell phones so kids are able to call out and make contact,” Mollach said.
Both elementary and middle-school children at Americus turn in their cell phones each morning at the school office and pick them up after school.
“They do this as soon as they come into the school building,” said Principal Vicki Schweinler. “Then at the end of the school day, they come back in, and they’re very good about knowing which one is theirs. The kids have been great about it.”
Schweinler said that much of the need for a cell phone stems from children leaving school and going home to empty houses.
“Their parents like to have them touch base with them,” she said.
The policy was explained to parents at an open house last year.
“We understand why you need your kids to have cell phones. It’s just important for us not to have them during the day, and there’s no reason for them to have (the phones),” she said.
In South Lyon County, Superintendent Mike Argabright said that the overall policy is that cell phones are not allowed to interrupt classes. Principals decide the policy details for each school.
“During school time, they’re out of sight. I don’t want to see any cell phones,” said Curtis Simons, principal at Hartford and Neosho Rapids.
Simons talked about walking into a school restroom and finding a youngster sending a text message. He confiscated the cell phone.
“No games, no text messages. ... It’s pretty cut and dried,” he said.
Simons said the phones are convenient for students and parents when rides are needed at after-school activities or when plans have been changed.
“We have several students who share their cell phones with other kids to call their parents,” Simons said. During school, however, “out of sight means out of sight.”
The policy in the Emporia school district is defined according to grade levels, according to Nancy Horst, community relations coordinator for the district.
For grades kindergarten through six, cell phones and other electronic devices cannot be brought to school. In middle school, the handbook requires that phones be left in student lockers. At the high-school level, the handbook states that electronic devices cannot be used at school.
Violations can result in confiscation of the phones, Horst said.
The rules are something parents and children can work around, in order to have the convenience and safety the phones provide.
“I bought them mostly for myself,” said Candy Hainline, who lives near Americus and whose children attend school in Emporia. Hainline’s job carries an erratic work schedule that, without cell phones, would cause extra work and worry for the family.
“Basically, I can let them know if they’re supposed to go to their grandparents’ or where they need to go after school,” she said.
Two of her daughters, Calle, 14, and Leighton, 9, carry cell phones. Calle has had her phone for two years; Leighton got hers this year.
“We don’t have a problem with minutes,” Hainline said.
For a short time, there was a problem with text messaging, when friends sent messages to Calle that the family was charged for, whether Callie responded or not.
Calle now “has to pay for her own text messaging because that’s not what we got them for,” Hainline said.
Some parents are providing pre-paid cell phones that allow calls and text messaging up to the paid-for limits. Others are buying regular plans or “piggyback” plans designed especially for children whose parents already have cell-phone accounts.
Some of the plans are designed to limit costs, and others are created to suit family needs and pocketbooks. In most cases, those plans avoid the unexpected, expensive phone bills for going over the allotted minutes — a problems that has long been associated with cell phones.
“The biggest problem with any cell phone plan was getting a bill you didn’t expect,” said Eric Carlson, sales manager for T-Mobile in Emporia.
Special plans for children can be designed hold expenses down, Carlson said. Minutes and text messaging can be limited, and other plans can be customized to suit individual family needs.
A former industry salesman, who asked not to be identified, said that much of the cost overages come from text-messaging.
“Kids would text the heck out of it and come up with a $300 or $400 or $500 phone bill,” the former salesman said. “It’s like anything; you turn your dial up on KP&L for your heat you’re going to pay more.”
New plans and add-on options have helped lower the cost by providing unlimited text messaging for a flat fee, or by opting for a plan that provides more basic minutes at a proportionately lower cost.
Cell-phone users also have helped lower costs by becoming wiser about usage, Carlson said. They realize that extra minutes are extra-expensive, and that text messaging, downloading ringtones, and other options add substantially to the cost of service.
“You’re far better off to get the plan you’re really going to use than try to get the cheaper plan,” he said, adding that many customers now are making educated choices for the services they need.
“There are still overages,” he said. “The gigantic overages, though, we don’t hardly see those at all any more.”
barbara61 (anonymous) says...
I understand the phones should not be on during school . I just feel the schools are more worried about what someone my catch on the cell phones. Kinda like when cells are catching cops at there worst. I feel they need to stay on our children in school as long as there off . They are no help in kids lockers or in a office locked up. When you watch the news theres more and more teachers ABUSING there authority . The sex abuse is getting to be a weekly thing and there finding teachers using drugs too . I am against children not being able to have phones. If a kid catches a teacher doing something wrong and they get it on there cell theres no way the teacher can blow it off as if it didnt happen. Unless theres proof no one will believe the student and the teacher will end up lying there way out . Thanks
January 3, 2007 at 3:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )