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Yesterday, students at John Jay High School on Seventh Avenue in Brooklyn walked out to protest the cell phone ban - and slow security. Cell phones have been banned at public schools since 1987, which is surprising to us, since we know they are sneaked in; students say they are prevented from using them in emergencies. While Gothamist understands the "emergency" argument, we went to high school when they were no cellphones - and calls to the main office work just fine - we think those kids are just into that text messaging business. But the screening procedures, which include checking open beverage containers, sound like a necessary pain. The protest became dramatic (at least on news footage) when a couple students were arrested, some for disorderly conduct and one for assaulting an officer, but the principal felt the protests were peaceable.
There was a walkout at DeWitt Clinton High School last fall, when students were upset with their security screening procedures.
Detail of photograph of John Jay High School taken by Joe Holmes
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Civic Lesson 101?
IMO, Seems a poor choice to protest over.
I need my cell phone so I can call my cousin to bring me some chap stick. My lips hurt real bad.
There were cell phones in 1987????
What's the ACLU's stand on cell phone ban?
"checking open beverage containers"
What? that really puts a damper on the whole vodka and fruit punch in the sports bottle trick to get drunk during school.
I had my cell phone taken away my senior year in HS('99), cuz it rang in class...my mom had to come in and get it...damn.
I think as long as they're on vibrate and you're not using it in the classroom it should be allowed.
Don't know about cell phones but when I went to school, walkman's were the thing.
Anyway, this is just what happens when spring arrives and they're itching to get out of school.
For whatever reason. School is not over till the end of June.
Let's see them protest in the dead of winter.
When I was in Jr. High, we threatened a walkout over an adjustment to the dress code requiring shorts be an inch longer. Teenagers are a little confused in the priority department sometimes.
"I'm on the train"
It was pagers when I was in high school. But what went on when I was in high school was that you could have em as long as they were never seen or heard, kind of an unofficial truce. I don't see why kids can't just keep em in their lockers. And yeah, the "in case of emergencies" excuse is crap.
Yeah, I had a beeper in high school in the early 1980s. Sweet and simple.
Yesterday was the last day of school before public schools' "spring break". The afternoon walkout sounds like a put on by kids looking to get out of school for the week a few hours early.
When I started High School in 1997 pagers were still in among most students, it wasn't really until my Junior year in late '99 and early '00 that cell phones were used by most.
And they all used right in front of the security guards(whom were bribed constantly).
i'm a senior in high school. and almost everyone has a cell phone. i think they should be allowed in as long as they are not seen or heard.
'cause though i bring my phone everyday, i make sure i don't pump "laffy taffy" when i'm walking in the halls. its just obnoxious.
yeah...and that emergency excuse is crap.
If they can ban HS kids from carrying cell phones in school, can't they ban them from carrying them in buses and trains?
www.forgotten-ny.com
I agree kids are spoiled nowadays, but I can see kids needing a cell phone for emergencies, if not at school, then at least before and after school, especially since pay phones are getting harder to find. But I agree that they should be stashed while you're at school. If the teacher sees it or hears it ring, it should be immediate grounds for confiscation. And to confound the sneakier kids who might keep small headsets in their ears, I think there should be Bluetooth jammers in every classroom.
I live in Australia and we're not allowed to bring phones to school. But that doesnt stop most of the kids from bringing them, i dont see the problem just as long as they dont ring in class or play with them. I keep mine in my locker and it really comes in handy if i need to sms my parents. If there was an emergency im sure it would be handeled correctly by the school. The students have the right to voice there opinions and i think that maybe the schools should come up with a way that works for both students and teachers. As for checking the open beverage conainers, isnt that going just a bit to far, in my opinion thats an invasion of privacy.
dang that sucks