Cell Phone Policy Contradicts Family Policy

[evmori 11]

Beavah hit it on the head! It isn't your call! It's up to the Troop. If the Troop say no cell phones for the youth then your son and all the youth in the unit should do the Scout-like thing and comply. If they don't like the rule, they can work to change it. Until that happens, they should comply with the rule.

 

And, tombitt, unless you are a leader in this unit, you really have no say in the rules of the unit. Your son, however, does.

[gwd-scouter 11]

Saw an I-phone commercial last night.

 

Need to find directions? There's an app for that.

 

Need to know if that's a red headed warbler? There's an app for that.

 

Need to know if what you're standing in is dangerous. There's an app for that too.

 

Oh well, I guess we Birkenstock-wearing Luddites will eventually be absorbed.

[packsaddle 753]

Yep, the referee's call.

Stosh, good example - definitely something that will ONLY be needed in case of a life-threatening emergency.

"3) In the real world conceal carry permit holders still are not allowed to take their guns on an airplane." or churches, schools and other places...by law. However, they are also not allowed in ANY establishment that has its own posted prohibition. Personal policy is subordinate to the policy of the establishment.

 

I too am beginning to hear the whump, whump sound.

 

Edited part: I don't wear Birkenstocks so I guess I must be a neo-Luddite.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[scoutldr 732]

Note to Tom: Did anyone welcome you to the forum? If not, welcome. Meaning, stick around and contribute. You won't always get the answer you want, but you will always get an opinion. Take them for what they are...opinions, unless backed by a reference. I think your solution is the best one...quietly discuss with the SM and work for change. (where have I heard that before?)

 

Here's an update on the school board issue:

 

By Lauren Roth

The Virginian-Pilot

May 20, 2009

VIRGINIA BEACH

 

A proposal that would allow middle school students to carry but not use cell phones in school spurred praise and criticism at a School Board meeting Tuesday night.

 

"This policy recognizes the way technology is used in the family," said board member Bill Brunke, who has daughters in sixth grade and ninth grade.

 

The changes would extend the division's high school policy to lower grades, allowing students to carry the phones for use before and after school. Phones have to be concealed and off during the school day.

 

The phones are now banned in middle schools.

 

"They all have them. That's why we want to change it," said Mardy Massey, assistant superintendent for middle schools.

 

"I'm concerned about a policy that's driven by parents breaking the rule," board member Pat Edmonson said.

 

Board member Sandra Smith-Jones questioned whether middle school students really need to have cell phones at all.

 

Carolyn Weems, a board member with five children, including a middle school student, said she has worried about her daughter's safety after late activity bus runs. Middle schoolers are "staying after school for sports and being dropped off 1-1/2 miles from their homes in January in the dark," she said.

 

Dominic Melito, president of the Virginia Beach Education Association and a former Kellam High School teacher, said teachers' voices need to be heard on the issue.

 

"If the middle schools aren't having a problem with cell phones, this does open Pandora's box," he said.

 

The repercussions for violations by middle school students would be slightly less severe than in high schools. Elementary students still would be banned from using or carrying cell phones. The policy change also would specify that students who carry cell phones in school are consenting to searches of the phone's contents when reasonable suspicion exists.

 

The board plans to vote on the proposal June 2.

 

 

[Hal_Crawford 15]

I haven't seen much of a problem with cell phones in our unit. If the scouts have them on a campout they stay out of sight until we are on the way home and parents need to be called for pickups.

 

My biggest concern is homesick first year campers. We haven't a cell phone lead to an early departure yet but last summer was the first summer that our council camp had cell coverage. I fear it is only a matter of time.

 

We all have our war stories in that regard. A few years ago we had new scout and his dad come to camp (dad had just replaced me as CC of the troop). Kid lasted about four hours before he talked his dad into taking him home. I begged the dad to give his son 24 hours; I offered to disable his car but no, little Billy wasn't happy so goodbye Billy, goodbye dad. Billy never returned, and we were out a Committee Chair as well. Cell phones can only make this worse.

 

Frankly, I liked being out of touch for a week; the cell tower was not a welcome improvement. Call me a Luddite (I don't own Birkenstocks, or even Crocs for that matter) but since I am attached to the Blackberry 24/7 the rest of the year, its nice to turn it off for a week.

[mmhardy 10]

Banning cell phones is only one of dozens of items that these boys see banned from their access. Is the BSA following the same path as our public schools? Here is a short list I found of other typically banned items.

 

Calculators

Student backpacks

Books - Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, American Heritage Dictionary, Snow White, Harry Potter, Judy Blume

Black Lipstick

Pogs

Trading Cards

Black, white, and red clothing. Incidentally, these colors are the same ones worn by the Chicago Bulls. The ban includes the new red/black versions of Air Jordans.

Sagging trousers

Pictures of Jesus

Halloween parties

Ties

Fathers Day Cards

Hugging

Birthday cakes

Soft Drinks

 

Not one of these banned items is a health and safety items.

 

[eagle77 60]

mmhardy first off BSA does not have any ban of the use of cell phones, don't think they would ever step that way either. This is a troop issue. I have seen troops that have no problem allowing their boys free use of cell phones others have more strict rules and some even ban their use entirely. I put this question to our troop PLC, I let them know my position on it, but if they would work out a solution that they could all agree with I would be more then willing to follow it, it is their scouting. After about 30 minutes they came to me with their rules.

1. Cell phones must be on vibrate during all meetings, no texting or other use during the meeting. Except during the game they could look and answer any call or message.

2. Cell phone use on camping trips would be limited to the ride to and back from camp.Phones would be left in cars once we arrived. No cell phones in tents. If a scout needs to use his phone during the trip the SPL or acting SPL would need to be asked.

3. Lending or borrowing anothers cell phone was prohibited.

4. No cell phones in latrine or shower area.

5. Adult leaders would be asked to set their phones on vibrate and take any calls away from the site or away from where the boys are.

6. Any damage to cell phone was the sole responsibility of the owner.

7. On certain trips the use of cell phones may be looked as means for one group seperate from another to communicate any info.

The last rule was the one that surprised me most.

8. Summer camp use would be at the discretion of the SM or adult leader in charge and would be used in front of him.

You see I personally don't think that a boy needs to have a cell phone at all times, but I also did not grow up with this type of communication (thank God). But today's youth have and I need to respect that. Leaving it to the PLC to me was the proper means in which to handle this. Is it a tool? Yes. But just as much as a saw is a tool too, these boys need to know when it is proper and when it is not. What better way then for them to decide on it and to over see it's enforcement. Since that time there have been no complaints and no abuse either.

[evmori 11]

No hugs! The commies~

[scoutldr 732]

NO POGS??? That list must be about 20 years old! My son had those, and he's 31 now.

[packsaddle 753]

yeah, I was still pondering the ban on Halloween panties. Oops, I guess my glasses are smudged.

[Beavah 205]

Not one of these banned items is a health and safety items.

 

Yah, just depends, eh?

 

Black, white, or red clothing or other gang sign may very well be a health or safety item in some school districts. And we won't get into da health aspects of soft drink dispensers in schools and da connection to youthful obesity.

 

Point is that there are times when a prohibition is a reasonable and logical choice, and times when it isn't.

 

B

 

[evmori 11]

Black Lipstick?????

 

Interesting!

[sandspur 10]

Well, times change.

I am old and grey enough to remember when calculators first came out. I purchased one to get me through freshman chemistry ($100 for four functions). Many profs banned them from tests (unfair to those using slide rules dontya know) also, you might use one of those fancy ones with a memory function to store a constant or formula you were supposed to memorize! Cheater! It would hamper your ability to perform math (kills the brain!)

Now my son is required by the teacher to purchase a graphing calculator that is really a mini-computer.

We went from calling calculator use cheating to requiring it.

So while I would not support a cell possession ban in our troop (and we dont have one) I still say abide by your troop rules and try to change them if you disagree. When we say change troops, that assumes the issue is so important to you that is causes you to break with the troop. I doubt that is really the case. But it is your last resort. But for me, I would not ask my scout to disregard a troop rule just because I disagreed with it.

My son asked me about a troop policy he thought was wrong and I told him to work to change it in PLC.

 

[asm 411 10]

"I'm hoping to help our SM develop a written, clear, fair, logical policy about cell phone use. This seat-of-the-pants policy is not working. I think there is a compromise here that gets what he is trying to accomplish more effectively than is happening today. "

 

So little time so many policies to write. I only have one hour a week you know.

 

Family policies and Troop Policies and school policies and sports policies. Wow, so many rules to obey.

 

tombitt perhaps you should teach your son that in different situations we have to adapt to different rules. That we work change rules we think are not as they should be.

 

FWIW our PLC polices cell phone usage this was the PLC's idea. We used to have no cell phone policy but then you have to have disciplinary action for rule breakers. The adults play the game of who has a cell phone the campout and how do we catch them with it. It turns out it is a lot easier to help the Scouts understand what is appropriate use of cell phones and what is not during Scout meetings and events.

 

Here is the kicker, most of the camps we go to have no service anyway.

 

 

 

[CA_Scouter 11]

I have been doing some thinking on this and have arrived at a valid solution.

 

I will no longer fight the battle, but will insist that they all have the same device:

 

http://www.iwood3b.com/index.php