Cell Phones

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I don't have a cell phone (wow), so I've never had any personal experience with the school's policy, but I've heard and and seen it many times. During lunch and free periods (or any time you're in the commons), there are no problems with having cell phones or other electronic devices out. If you're in a class or study hall, however, it's a different story. One of the study hall moderators is fine with any electronic device as long as the room is quiet; the other does not allow anything but books and paper to be out (and possibly a calculator), and if he sees headphones or a headset, they (and the device they go to) end up in the office.

Different teachers have different policies as well. Some will take the cell phones and give them back at the end of the class, some will follow official rules and hand them over to the office (first offense: end of the day, second offense: end of year, parent must pick up), and others have their own methods of punishing people who use them (one teacher will erase everything on the phone, even if it takes him a few hours). Most teachers warn, then take the phones. Very few people will pull their phones back out after a warning.

During passing time, there are hall monitors (yes, I know, "in a high school?") that watch us and will confiscate any visible electronic device. They do not give warnings, and follow school policy strictly.

The stupidest thing is that most of the people are required to carry them at all times by their parents, even though the parents know they're not supposed to be brought to school. Just one of the things that annoys me about the people here….