I agree.

I agree, teachers are in the schools to teach and kids are there to learn. Some schools here do ban the use of cell phones during the actual teaching time. There is a use for emergency only situations which I can see, but during the actual teaching time-NO NO.

What's his idea of used correctly? I can't really think of a good use for them. I can see the new "list" of required provisions: Pencils, Facial Tissue, Hand Sanitizer, Cell Phone...

Also, the teachers are upset because THEY are not allowed to use c/p's in class. I think they have reason to be upset, but the irony is that this premier got into office by courting the teachers and winning their support. This c/p idea is a very bad idea, but I don't expect anything better from McGuinty. Can we get in trouble for talking about CANADIAN politics here? LOL. J/k.

Yes it is a really stupid idea of his to allow it and he has gotten lots of flak. His example of a teacher asking students to search a website is just nuts. The screens are too small to really search without being awkward and some kids don't have cellphones let alone ones with internet capability. Kids should be paying attention in class and not texting their friends and ignoring the teacher.

I agree. It's not a good idea.

Well,heck, who needs a teacher? Just get on that old cell and you can find any amount of knowledge!

I haven't had a child in school for 4 yrs but I can tell you that they were removing cells back then. If kids took them to school they were left in the office and the kids had to pick them up at the end of the day.
There is no reason a child in school needs a phone, but I can see a teacher in each class having one for emergency reasons.
The kids just tune out the teachers now a days. I have no problem with computers in the class as long as they are strictly monitored. Unfortunately these kids know way too many ways to get around blocks etc. I think a better solution might be a smart board in the class rooms...but no government is going to pay for that!

Used correctly???? More dumbing down of America. In a town I used to live in, they voted to allow kids to wear their hats to class, calling it 'self expression' I told one teacher, they had plenty of time for 'self expression' after school and weekends. School was the place the kids were to learn to be productive adults, some day. Geesh!!

Well being that I work in our schools at all the levels.

I don't know what kind of tool they could be classified as.
Unless they all have smart phones and internet access..they could do research..but that is certainly stretching it. LOL

In Elementary..phones are to be turned off in backpacks out of reach for the day. (we have a lot of latch key kids in our community)
In middle school, the phones are to be turned off and can be kept in pockets or back packs and brought out at Lunch.
In high school, here's where it gets a bit tricky. Technically the rules are the same as Middle School..however there are some teachers that use them themselves and check their phones often and allow the kids to have their phones on and in use in class, unless it's during a test. But there are more teachers that will confiscate a phone than not. The kids do know which teachers allow phones and which don't. Over the 2 months I worked at our 9/10th grade campus last year, I had 5 or 6 phones turned into me for parents to come pick up.

Did you know that kids can text without looking under their desks? It's quite an "impressive" skill to see..LOL

Texting without looking is simply a form of touch typing. I'm not looking at the keyboard while I'm typing this. In fact I'm watching "Highway Patrol"!

AFAIC teachers complaining about not being able to use them, don't they know they're supposed to be "working", and I use that term quite loosely considering what the bulk of teachers do.

Emergency? Hmmm, that's stretching it a bunch but I don't object to a teacher having one for a once-in-a-lifetime event but I do object to them using it for any personal reason from the time they come into the building until the time they leave, with the possible exception of their lunch break.

I think Phyllis touched on a great idea. Let's get rid of some teachers. Save the money and kids can teach themselves. In a lot of ways and in a lot of cases they do it anyway.

Or another option to save some money: Make the kids provide net-capable cell phones and eliminate all the computers and internet access in the schools. Lots of possibilities here.

I graduated from high school in 93 and I did it without the help of a cell phone. In 4 years of school the 2 times that I needed to leave early due to a family emergency my parents called the school office and they came and got me out of class. I'm pretty sure it works the same way now. If kids take their phone to school, I'd say that 99% of them take them out of their bags for some stupid reason and usually get busted.

Sign me as someone who had to go to their nephew's school to pick up his cell phone because he was "just checking to see if anyone texted me." My response," At 830 in the ****ing morning?!!"

Gee, I guess passing notes to classmates has gone out of style. And there used to be punishment if caught!!
I agree with Phyliss who needs a teacher........

I agree Jasdip, I don't get it either. I have a daughter in HS and it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

McGuinty said that cps are a good tool to use when accessing information and that's how it can be benefical to the students.

The kids will not be allowed to text until Teacher says it's okay.

My question is, who will pay for these phones? What about the kids who can't afford cell phones and espcially the cell phones that have internet access. We will have to get our kid a Blackberry now. The cost isn't a hinderance to me, but I can see it being one to parents who have several kids.

The logic behind it is still pretty sketchy to me. Shrugging my shoulders on this one.

BJ

BJ, that's my thought as well. Are WE going to be footing the bill for those kids who can't afford Smart Phones? Just because of McSquinty's stupidity?

Kids on tv were saying that it's great, they'll be able to have their phones *on top* of the desk now instead of in their laps, texting. And one kid said he puts his "hat on his desk" and hides the phone in there and texts. The hats in school, that's another thing that bugs me.

OMG! Jasdip! You call him McSquinty, too? ROFLOLMAO! That's what we call him! TOO FUNNY! It's the squinty eyes, isn't it. I see you are a McSqunity fan as well! LOL

McSquinty! LOL!

Back in the olden days we'd pass notes or hold up something to read, but then again, in those days we could read and write!