Texting in class is a criminal offense

[Gidan]

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/ye ... sung1.html

FEBRUARY 17--A 14-year-old Wisconsin girl who refused to stop texting during a high school math class was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, according to police. The teenager was busted last Wednesday at Wauwatosa East High School after she ignored a teacher's demand that she cease texting. The girl, whose name we have redacted from the below Wauwatosa Police Department report, initially denied having a phone when confronted by a school security officer. However, the phone was located after the girl was frisked by a female cop. The Samsung Cricket, the police report noted, was recovered "from the buttocks area" of the teenager. The student was issued a criminal citation for disorderly conduct, which carried "a bail of $298," and had her phone confiscated. The girl, who was barred from school property for a week, is scheduled for an April 20 court appearance on the misdemeanor rap.


When they found the phone and searched through it to determine that she was indeed texting during class, they did prove she was texting, her father.

[Harrison]

Now our overrated bullshit daycare that we call high school can get people arrested for using a cell phone?

Wow.

[Drem]

The girl, who was barred from school property for a week, is scheduled for an April 20 court appearance on the misdemeanor rap.


When they found the phone and searched through it to determine that she was indeed texting during class, they did prove she was texting, her father.

sad

[Harrison]

Even worse is that they were allowed to go into the fucking thing to "prove" anything.

They would have had to pry the phone out of my cold dead hands simply out of principle.

[Gypsiyee]

call me crazy, but we weren't allowed to bring our cell phones into the school, much less use it in class. outrageous that she was arrested for it, though - in school suspension or saturday school would've been sufficient.. jesus.

[leah]

yeah, we couldn't have phones in school either. the times, they are a-changin'. i think school shootings have a big impact on allowing phones--being able to call parents to assure safety or to call for help.

either way, yeah, it sucks that she got arrested. and harri, you can be a toughguy all you want, but this was a 14-year-old girl! she was probably scared shitless. "cold dead hands" indeed.

[Harrison]

Even Saturday suspension is a flying crock of shit.

You spend every day of your week there already wasting your time. Who gave them the authority to take you in when school isn't even in session?

Detention is fucking stupid as well. Punishment isn't a school's responsibility. It's the parents'.

The whole idea is ludicrous.

Addressing the ninja post: I said what I would have done in that position. I am not, and never have been, a fourteen year-old girl. I was brought up not to take shit from anyone.

I've never agreed to a search my entire life. Fuck that.

[ClakarEQ]

I'm not sure I see a problem with this. Had she done what she was told there wouldn't have been an issue. Frankly teachers don't have many options today when it comes to students that do not take direction.

If a cop pulls me over and asks for my license and registration, I don't say no. If my child wasn't eating his dinner and I said to finish it, he knows better than to say no. If a teacher told me to do my work, I'd do my work.

School shootings shouldn't create justification of cell phone use. Look at the problems cell phones create in schools today.

I agree the punishment and such was a bit harsh, but what option did the teacher have while still maintaining a position of authority?

Harri, who is in charge of the child when they are at school, the parents? Is it not the teacher, principal, etc? Also, I bet all that you are worth you didn't tell your CO or anyone else that now owns you "no", even though you've been asked to do things you don't "want" to do, point here is, your current career choice is not in line with your upbringing , because you'll be taking and eating a lot of shit from a lot of folks.

[Harrison]

Difference here being that I volunteered for this.

I was forced into school to be "taught" by underqualified retards with power complexes.

If my child wasn't eating his dinner and I said to finish it, he knows better than to say no. If a teacher told me to do my work, I'd do my work.

Apples and oranges...

[Arlos]

Since when were kids allowed to do whatever they want in school? Did teachers let you pass notes? Did they let you talk during class? Did they let you otherwise be disruptive? Hell no, not if they were good teachers. There is no way one kid should be allowed to disrupt class for everyone else, period. If there was some emergency reason why she was talking to her father, the kid could have told the teacher that, and asked to be let go outside for a few minutes, as she was talking to her parent about Emergency X.

Hell, not texting in class is common courtesy. It's not even allowed in COLLEGE classes, where everyone's an adult. Obviously there's no detention in college, but no professor I've ever had would tolerate it.

As for arresting the girl, you ever think they might be sending a message? You think the next self-entitled little brat who is addicted to texting might act somewhat differently if they knew they might get arrested if they disrupt class that way?

-Arlos

[Gidan]

IMO the situation is easily dealt with without the need for the authorities.

The teacher makes a demand of the student, if the student doesn't comply the teacher takes it up the chain of command to the principle or whoever they have in charge of such things. Respect of authority figures is something that should come from the parents. Our school systems are there to educate and aid the parents in teaching children how to succeed in life. A situation like this proves that parents are not doing their job. In such a case, put the burden on the parents. Should the child refuse to obey the principle, then the parents should be told they need to come pick up their child followed by a suspension from school. Not one of those in school suspensions, the real thing. If the parents are not available/refuse to come get their child, then turn to the authorities, call the police and have her escorted to the police station to await her parents there.

She should not have been searched on school grounds, nor should the police officers have looked through the phone in any way. Having read the police report, I wonder if the police officer ever actually read her her rights. I did really like the reasons for the arrest. Disrupting the class by using a phone (under her desk), disobeying the teach and no telling the truth.

[Evermore]

Pathetic. simply pathetic.


/sarcasm on
and yes this is because Dubya was in charge....


/sarcasm off

[ClakarEQ]

IMO she was made an example of, I would bet that teacher won't have another cell phone issue the rest of the year .

I didn't read every page but this student is a repeat offender and from what it sounds like this isn't her first run-in with the cops. It also appears that the teacher did go up the line to the principal because the admin staff was already aware of the situation when the cops got there (this is implied).

Just like some of you have said, it isn't the teacher or schools job to "parent", why should the teacher call a parent that has failed?

As for being searched, she lied to the cops and the teacher, that IS justification for search when the question you were asked has something to do with property on your person. She was asked do you have a phone, she lied and said no. That provides REASON for search.

I think everyone here knows a cop can find any one of a thousand excuses to search you, right or wrong doesn't matter, legal or not, sorry doesn't matter, all the cop has to say is "I thought yadda yadda yadda". You know, I thought I saw a pot seed on the floor, I thought I smelled booze, I thought I heard something come from the trunk, I thought that buldge was a gun or needle.

[Harrison]

Yes, and none of that bullshit carries out in court when they're caught exploiting the fact most retards aren't aware of their rights.

They can't just fabricate excuses to search you and your property, end of story.

[ClakarEQ]

Yes, and none of that bullshit carries out in court when they're caught exploiting the fact most retards aren't aware of their rights.

They can't just fabricate excuses to search you and your property, end of story.

So what, court means nothing in a case like this. The cops got what they wanted, they did it illegally, I think we can all agree to that, and guess what, big fucking deal. The cop is gold the kid is screwed, life goes on, and the cops will do it again and again and again . . .

They can't just fabricate excuses to search you and your property, end of story.

I just wanted to say it again, you are WRONG. I could only guess but I bet more cases of search and seizure are illegal than legal. The deal is the defendant is either too stupid to know, doesn't really know their rights, the lawyer is too stupid to get it out of him, or they just want to mitigate the issues where they stand.

[Tuggan]

I don't see anything illegal here. The officer questioned friends and teachers involved, had reason to believe the "suspect" was lying. There is your "reasonable suspicion" to frisk the girl. The arrest isn't for lying to a cop, or texting in class. It was for disorderly conduct, I don't get what everyone is so upset about.

I'm just glad I never had this teacher. I'd been arrested so many damn times in High school

[ClakarEQ]

I agree with Tuggan (shocking as it may seem LOL, Diek, you catching this?)

[brinstar]

fuck all the bullshit ITT

teacher tells you to stop

YOU FUCKING STOP

PERIOD

dumb bitch got what she deserved

[Jennay]

I don't know if the police coming were necessary but if I were that teacher I would have asked once, and if she persisted, send her to the principals office to explain and give a failing grade on the test. I don't care how much has changed in the last 10 yrs since I was in school, when I have kids they will learn to respect their teachers and be courteous to the other students. Kids are brats nowadays.

[Gypsiyee]

I don't know if the police coming were necessary but if I were that teacher I would have asked once, and if she persisted, send her to the principals office to explain and give a failing grade on the test. I don't care how much has changed in the last 10 yrs since I was in school, when I have kids they will learn to respect their teachers and be courteous to the other students. Kids are brats nowadays.

agree

what do you mean saturday school would be bullshit for it, harrison? you think she should just be able to do what she wants when she wants? this whole rebel against the man thing isn't going to work in the army, you know. teachers are incredibly underpaid and underappreciated for what they do as a whole, especially when they have to deal with kids like this girl who blatantly ignore them or people like you who completely disrespect them and call them unqualified retards. I'm sorry you had a bad high school experience, but you're in the minority if you think that all schools are a waste of time.

getting arrested for it is over the top, but that doesn't mean she didn't deserve any reprimand for being a rude little cunty up herself brat.

[araby]

The charge was a bit much. She refused to stop texting, and that would have simply been as easy as removing her from the classroom. Escort her to the office and let her explain it to them.

She won't explain it to them? If I were the principal, I would have called her parents.

That was easy.

[Maeya]

The only problem with calling the kid's parents is that you then get the parents who cry "HOW DARE you take my child out of the class room?! I'm suing this school!"

Especially if the dad was the one texting her during school to begin with. You think he gives a shit?

[araby]

If it were my school I wouldn't give a shit if he gave a shit.

and that's what is wrong with the damned public schools these days anyway. If my son's principal called me to say he was texting, and it was ME who was texting, I would have to ask myself if I knew better. HELLO...the rules don't apply to everyone except who's texting their dad.

Look, I don't agree with MOST of public school policies, lesson plans, evaluations, tests, etc...but honestly people it does not take a scientist to know better than to interrupt a teacher during class with your cell phone. I don't care if it's Jesus Christ incarnate calling...give her the respect of not disrupting class.

That's what I would tell that parent, if I were the principle. Shame on that father, if it were an emergency he could call the school directly and have them take the child out of class. Leave a note for the kid for when the bell rings.

[Harrison]

And this is exactly why there is a mass of tools who just take everything that is shoved down their throats their entire lives. It's ingrained from fucking childhood to just bend over and take it from everyone.

I highly doubt she was "disrupting" anything by texting. It's not like a siren goes off every time she sends or receives.

Next they'll start arresting kids who don't do their homework. This is fucking pathetic.

[araby]

And this is exactly why there is a mass of tools who just take everything that is shoved down their throats their entire lives. It's ingrained from fucking childhood to just bend over and take it from everyone.

I highly doubt she was "disrupting" anything by texting. It's not like a siren goes off every time she sends or receives.

Next they'll start arresting kids who don't do their homework. This is fucking pathetic.

sorry, but if you let one, you have to let them all. the rules are the rules...exceptions to the rules are the problem, and who gets them, and why...and so forth.

I still say the punishment was ridiculously harsh, and way over-dramatic.