using your cellphone at work

[Maguspk]

Seriously.

What kid needs a phone in school?

If there is an emergency, the principal can be called and school notified. They would be, anyway.

I still don't, and won't ever, see a point to have a cell phone in a high school / middle school class.

You're really annoying. Some kids have a phone for the same reason an adult has a cellphone. Convenience. Nobody is arguing it's possible to go through life without one but when the convenience is there you're only being foolish not to take advantage of it. Also, nobody is saying kids should be allowed to talk on phones during a class, owning a cellphone is perfectly fine and reasonable especially these days. We get it, you were special and grew up without a cellphone or whatever, but it doesn't mean everybody else has to. lol

As far as talking on a cellphone goes at work or school I agree it's fine as long as it isn't interfering with your work environment or production.The kid texting at the back of the class without vibrate or sound on isn't bothering anyone except the teacher's pride. Good teachers that I've had admit this, that it "hurts their feelings" to see a student not paying attention or working on other things during a lecture. So as a courtesy they ask you just pay attention and deal with it after class or leave the room, that simple. Besides, good teachers will always command the respect without having to resort to taking a phone or deal with it in such a ridiculous manner as locking it in their drawer. wtf? Teachers do this?

[Norellicus]

You're really annoying. Some kids have a phone for the same reason an adult has a cellphone. Convenience. Nobody is arguing it's possible to go through life without one but when the convenience is there you're only being foolish not to take advantage of it. Also, nobody is saying kids should be allowed to talk on phones during a class, owning a cellphone is perfectly fine and reasonable especially these days. We get it, you were special and grew up without a cellphone or whatever, but it doesn't mean everybody else has to. lol

Edit: Seems vb doesn't like the applause smiley, so /clap instead XD

Like I said elphaba, it's a direct line to your kid. Not having to worry about whether there's a phone nearby for them to reach *you* in an emergency, or you having to go through some notification chain to get word to the person who may need to know NOW and not in 30 minutes (seriously, 30 minutes to notify you that your dad has been in a car accident? wtf?), is a pretty big deal to me. It gives your kids a source of communication to their own friends as well, which makes them happy, and if you know they're the responsible sort then what's the big deal?

[Ehran]

I suppose the kid could have a beeper or the parents could just call the school but honestly it's a matter of convenience and not necessarily keeping your kid on a leash as long as he's responsible. I grew up getting the benefit of the doubt until I fucked it up, and then the privilege was taken away, assuming we could afford it in the first place. I'd rather have a way to contact my kid wherever he is if something important comes up as opposed to leaving it to them calling should they have to stay at billy's past 10. If the kid fucks up on the phone use in the wrong place then feel free to take it away but emergency contact is rather big nowadays, especially in states where a lot of highschool kids are flat out allowed to drive.

This really hits the nail on the head, imo.

I work in a fairly affluent school. Between families, jobs, and all the extra-curricular activities that the kids are involved in, phones are a huge convenience.

I don't have a problem with that.

There are also students who use their phones for completely useless conversations, and can't seem to live without calling/texting in class or between classes. On the other extreme, some students use their phones to organize drug deals and off-campus trouble. When schools are legally responsible for students from port-to-port, you're going to lose any "privacy" you think you had.

P.S. - If Kyre disagrees with me, does that mean I win?

[Maguspk]

This really hits the nail on the head, imo.

I work in a fairly affluent school. Between families, jobs, and all the extra-curricular activities that the kids are involved in, phones are a huge convenience.

I don't have a problem with that.

There are also students who use their phones for completely useless conversations, and can't seem to live without calling/texting in class or between classes. On the other extreme, some students use their phones to organize drug deals and off-campus trouble. When schools are legally responsible for students from port-to-port, you're going to lose any "privacy" you think you had.

P.S. - If Kyre disagrees with me, does that mean I win?

Do you feel weird knowing that you play the same game some of your students could/may be playing?

[SephYuyX]

People who use phones during classes, while driving, or while with/infront of a customer, should die from cancer.

[Day]

People who use phones during classes, while driving, or while with/infront of a customer, should die from cancer.

Some of them probably will.

[SephYuyX]

From some sort of new instantaneous killing cancer.

[Furtwangler]

Seriously.

What kid needs a phone in school?

If there is an emergency, the principal can be called and school notified. They would be, anyway.

I still don't, and won't ever, see a point to have a cell phone in a high school / middle school class.

I disagree with this too, what purpose do you have using a cell phone at work unless it's a company bought phone for business reasons? My mom argued this route with me for years and go figure she hates cell phones and barely uses one herself. Even teachers in my school are using their phones at random times and they really don't have a place using them when they should be teaching either.

[SamanosukeShiva]

using cellphone for personal use @work is even more counter productive than "smoke breaks" IMO

[killerx]

I keep mine on me at work, and if i get the chance i'll text the gf here and there to see how her days going or something. When i have time and don't have pallets and pallets to unload. And if im expecting an acutall call i just tell the boss phones on me so if you see me going to the back room you know why.

edit and the only reason I'll take a call is for my doctor, lawyer and a family emergency

[Day]

using cellphone for personal use @work is even more counter productive than "smoke breaks" IMO

I do both, as well as watch movies/post on BG on my second monitor. I'm about on par with Bush as far as productivity, so I'm doing my share.

[Ehran]

Do you feel weird knowing that you play the same game some of your students could/may be playing?

I actually started playing because some of my students told me they would get me a world pass.

I used to run a gaming club at the first high school were I worked. It was an excuse to keep my xbox and PS2 at school, and I could play Halo and Soul Calibur 2 when I was waiting for the students that I was tutoring to show up.

[Azalee]

I actually started playing because some of my students told me they would get me a world pass.

I used to run a gaming club at the first high school were I worked. It was an excuse to keep my xbox and PS2 at school, and I could play Halo and Soul Calibur 2 when I was waiting for the students that I was tutoring to show up.

This doesn't surprise me... We had a teacher that ran the Magic The Gathering club at my high school.

Also, the general manager at the movie theatre I used to work at kept a PS2 in his office...

[TacoTaru]

"The Court had earlier held, in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School Board, that students do not shed their constitutional rights at the school gate."

You shed freedom of the press.

I don't think anyone is arguing that it is in anyway a necessity, but rather a convenience; like most of everything else we have/use.

[TacoTaru]

I thought you were automatically removed from the testing site if your cell phone when off during ACT/SAT/etc due to it being interference and possible grounds for cheating?

[Ryko]

I dont see how people saying "it's a convenience" gets interpreted as "it's a necessity".

[Arrmani]

I'll text and take calls, because the work I do isn't terribly important, or needs attention the whole time. Plus my group drives around so I'll text in transit, but overall it doesn't bother anyone and we still get our work done.

[Atma]

Cell phones in my mind have always been a means of emergency contact

This. The cell phone I own is kept in my car for the unlikely event that my car breaks down, I get lost, or I'm involved in an accident and need help. I've only ever used it once.

At work, I usually don't notice people using their phones, however that's usually because they hide in the back somewhere before they start talking or texting or whatever the fuck. I think it's pretty annoying -- do you really not have the patience to wait and do your job for a few hours before you have to talk to one of your buddies? It's especially annoying when someone could disappear from sight for a good 20-30 minutes, while I'm at the counter working, and the managers don't really care. You could tell me "Well then why don't you do it too", but call me crazy, but I actually prefer to be doing the work I'm supposed to do rather then goof off.

[archibaldcrane]

This. The cell phone I own is kept in my car for the unlikely event that my car breaks down, I get lost, or I'm involved in an accident and need help. I've only ever used it once.

Most of the people I know don't have home phone lines. Their cell phone is their phone.

Not that it's relevant for work (only if not busy, never when dealing with customers) or class (off) but yeah - I don't...know anyone anymore under 35 whose cell isn't their "main" phone.

[Maguspk]

I actually started playing because some of my students told me they would get me a world pass.

I used to run a gaming club at the first high school were I worked. It was an excuse to keep my xbox and PS2 at school, and I could play Halo and Soul Calibur 2 when I was waiting for the students that I was tutoring to show up.

haha, that's really cool actually. I wish my teachers would just play games I played during high school. Probably kind of a nerdy teacher thing to do though, it'd be funny as hell to play Halo with your teacher and just like talk trash on the other team then forget your teacher is listening to you. I remember my latin teacher ran the D&D club at our school but I never saw or heard anything about it past him mentioning it one time.

@Elphahabab: You've got to be shitting me. You probably don't mean to but you come off as batshit crazy. Threatening to stab people while taking the SAT? Nobody is saying cellphones are like water/food, what the hell? They are a convenience just like a computer or a car. Do you own a car? Do you own a computer?