Gothamist: No "Constitutional Right to Bear Cell Phones," Says Judge Who Upholds City's Cell Phone Ban in Schools

S.D.

Tue, 08 May 2007 23:29:02 -0500

Wow Tim N., you have a stalker and "he's very predictable" too... Back on topic: They can easily live without Cell phones during School hours.

Harry Matthews

Tue, 08 May 2007 23:23:26 -0500

The irrationality of this case is best illustrated by the mother who laments that her daughter did not have a cell phone on 9/11. Aside from the fact (noted elsewhere) that cell phone service was virtually nonexistent on that tumultuous day, there is one glaring inconsistency in the mother's argument: there was no school ban in effect in 2001. Her daughter could readily have carried a cell phone to school -- for whatever use it might have been -- IF ONLY HER MOTHER HAD GIVEN HER ONE. Suddenly, the City is to blame for what a parent now sees as a mistake! Gimme a break, lady!

gothamist

Tue, 08 May 2007 22:17:03 -0500

you came to the right place!

Steven

Tue, 08 May 2007 22:00:12 -0500

#18 unfortunately I don't care about my grammar when it comes to an internet blog or message board.

angry

Tue, 08 May 2007 20:16:43 -0500

yeah those are specialty schools that only the best students attend... they are hardly typical of the average nyc public school. my girlfriend worked for teach for america. I completely agree. The typical high school? Forget about it. There are so many bad students in a typical high school that it makes teaching a nightmare for the teacher and a nightmare for kids who actually want to learn something besides rapping.

Bob Loblaw

Tue, 08 May 2007 19:52:11 -0500

#5 Steven: *It's more of better than you person because my cell phone does everything blah blah blah* Um... did you have a seizure or did you fail english? Maybe you should turn off your cell phone and catch up on your reading.

Still Not Amused

Tue, 08 May 2007 18:06:36 -0500

Great news ! I didn't have a cellphone when I was in school and everything was fine . I got my education, and the Teachers were still handcuffed by the curriculum ! Now comes the hard part, Enforcing the damn thing ! Because parents aren't going to let this stop their blinded-wisdom that cellphones are a need in schools today . Which is total bullshit to say the least but that's what today's little shitheads of tomorrow think .

RatherBe

Tue, 08 May 2007 17:03:37 -0500

Here here! My teachers do it everyday!

he's very predictable

Tue, 08 May 2007 17:02:32 -0500

'Course, if we let teachers do their jobs, then they couldn't subsidize the test-taking industry (which, come to think of it, pays my salary, so maybe I should pipe down :>)) I knew this was a Tim N. post before checking signature. How? Because it's straight from the Democratic Party talking points memo.

Kristina

Tue, 08 May 2007 16:52:21 -0500

If you are going to ban cell phones from schools ban them for everyone, administrators and teachers. They should lead by example. As a former NYC public school student I can attest to several occasions where teachers would regularly excuse themselves to answer their cell phones.

Tom

Tue, 08 May 2007 16:52:13 -0500

The safety argument is asinine. Put it in your locker. If the idiot parents suing over this could learn, and teach, basic fucking courtesy this wouldn't be a problem.

Anonymous

Tue, 08 May 2007 16:22:04 -0500

yeah those are specialty schools that only the best students attend... they are hardly typical of the average nyc public school. my girlfriend worked for teach for america.. where to begin

Tim N.

Tue, 08 May 2007 16:08:56 -0500

I'm not disagreeing on cell phones in classrooms, I'm simply saying that most teachers, most good teachers, can solve this problem in the trenches. My point is that the DOE is much more interested in picking fights than banning cell phones. And Anonymous... crap inner city schools? Stuyvesant? Bronx Sci? Crap schools? And also, most sentences start with a capital and end with a period.

Annoyed

Tue, 08 May 2007 16:06:28 -0500

KevinWalsh: You forget to add movie theaters to that list. Can I just watch a movie in peace these days, without constant text messaging and chit-chatting? (answer: no)

sam

Tue, 08 May 2007 15:53:21 -0500

Two things. First, maybe I'm ancient (at 33), but I somehow managed to make it all the way through high school and college without a cellphone. Second, the 9/11 complaint is bullshit. NO ONE's cellphone was working because the circuits were jammed, so the fact that her kid didn't have one makes it no more or less likely that she would have been able to get through. I spent over 6 hours trying to get in touch with family and friends that day, and only got through on landlines until about 3 in the afternoon.

Kojak

Tue, 08 May 2007 15:46:45 -0500

I remember when I was in High School beepers were the thing, which was even more ridiculous. Keep them banned. If I didnt need a Cell phone back then, neither do these little shits. Keep a damn quarter on you and phone home.

Anonymous

Tue, 08 May 2007 15:46:24 -0500

unfortunately, the "parents" were educated in those same crap inner city schools (aka: not educated)

rschnabel

Tue, 08 May 2007 15:26:47 -0500

Cell phones weren't in schools as much until about 6-5 years ago - how much has possibly changed that the kids must have their cell phones? Really, there is no need for them.

Steven

Tue, 08 May 2007 15:22:18 -0500

the cell phone ban is great. Children have no need for a cell phone. It's more of better than you person because my cell phone does everything blah blah blah 70s, 80s and 90s Children made it through without cell phones why can't they now?

randi weiner

Tue, 08 May 2007 15:22:12 -0500

if the DOE let teachers do their jobs WTF???? Have you read what the Union contract states DOE can and cannot do??? It's the union that's preventing teachers from teaching!!

todd E

Tue, 08 May 2007 15:09:27 -0500

There is really no reason a kid should have a cell phone in school. A teacher should not have to police every student. Between the camera phones, the notepads (great for cheating), texting, games, etc it is a distraction. if you need to get in touch with your kids call the office like people did up until a few years ago. and give them some quarters for a pay phone just in case. just think of how much your family phone will will go down -- great for everyone... LOL

Tim N.

Tue, 08 May 2007 14:55:25 -0500

As a former teacher, I can tell you this: if the DOE let teachers do their jobs and keep students from using cell phones in their classrooms, then this would all be unnecessary. 'Course, if we let teachers do their jobs, then they couldn't subsidize the test-taking industry (which, come to think of it, pays my salary, so maybe I should pipe down :>)). But then again, with the DOE, it's all about confrontation: either with parents or teachers.

KevinWalsh

Tue, 08 May 2007 14:55:20 -0500

Good work. Now let's get them off buses and commuter trains... www.forgotten-ny.com