To think parents are not teaching any independence?

[MrBlobbysNuts]

A local parent group is in uproar because their precious secondary school children are apparently "too vulnerable" to get the bus before and after school without a phone (phones have been banned from premises entirely)

How is getting a bus for 15 minutes without a phone unsafe? Back in the day we just had ourselves and we survived. Give the kids cash and teach them to stop relying on phones to get around. The world is no more dangerous than it was 40 years ago, if anything it’s much safer!

I work at a university. A few years ago a father complained because we hadn't shown his child how to use public transport.

Say what now?!

It’s pathetic! People getting babysitters for their NT 14/15 yos for a couple of hours after school, contacting employers on their adult children’s behalf.. it’s endless

I worked at university many years ago, and a parent complained because her adult child had signed a private rental housing contract and she had signed as his guarantor. She was furious that the university had not proactively informed him that a signed contract would be legally binding.

(Not all parents of course - some have prepared young people ready to launch into the world)

How could they enforce this? They could make the children put their phones in reception during school hours but I can't see how they'd stop them having them out of school hours and building?

I'd not like this rule for my child. At my high school ( over 20 years ago now so maybe things are different ) after school was prime time for any fights or attacks. I'd hate my child to have no way to contact me and being frightened and potentially hurt

Unfortunately parents may have to prepare their children to deal with it fairly quickly.

My kids are not at this age yet, and I walked for 2 hours a day with no phone as a teenager, but I don't think I would like the idea of my kids doing this without a way of contacting me. People forget that "back in the day" there were payphones, which don't really exist any more.

It also depends massively on where you live - in my local area a lot of the school kids have one bus option and if they miss it, there isn't another one. This means that that 15 minute bus journey turns into an hour's walk. Not a problem as such, but if my kid took four times longer to get home than normal I'd be worried for all that time.

My primary aged kids get the bus and don’t have phones. Just like I didn’t.

I work at a university. A few years ago a father complained because we hadn't shown his child how to use public transport.

And what had he been doing for the past 18 years?

In my local area a lot of the school kids have one bus option and if they miss it, there isn't another one. This means that that 15 minute bus journey turns into an hour's walk. Not a problem as such, but if my kid took four times longer to get home than normal I'd be worried for all that time.

Wouldn't you just think he or she had missed the bus?

My kids are very independent, however their bus pass and tickets are on their phone. No phones would be an issue.
Phones have to be switched off and put in bags on school premises, no issue with that.

I agree.

Fine to switch phones off at school but I’m not having a school telling me my child can’t have one on the way there and back. They can’t go to a pay phone like we used to. Things have changed. I used to use pay phones all the time to call my parents if I needed them

We didn't have phones, but there were ample phone boxes and we always had money or a BT card. People seem to forget this. Had a horrible experience walking home from school when I was 12, we'd been followed by a van, a guy leant out and tried to drag my friend in. We ran for the nearest shop and the police were called.
I always made sure my kids had phones. Bad stuff can happen even on a short journey. DD had kids threatening to beat her up, she didn't get off the bus and phoned me to come and get her. There are kids catching the tube home and other trains, what if they need to phone the BTP.

Wouldn't you just think he or she had missed the bus?

Yes of course I would know that would be the most likely scenario. But I think that them having a phone on them or not would make a difference. I.e. if they had a phone - oh they're not back yet, maybe something's happened, but if they need help they'll text me. If they didn't have a phone - oh they're not back yet, maybe something's happened, but I have no way of knowing if they need help or not.

The best compromise is non-smart phones.

Hopefully thhe new Schools guidance will mean that bus tickets becomme phydical rather than digital. (They are in our area, and they hope them to be free for all U16s in the new future).

People have rose tinted slecs over phone boxes... I had an hour trip to Secondary, the only phone box I passed was outside the school!

Completely agree re. dumb phones. And would 100% support sanctions in school itself e.g. instant detention if phone seen out of bag etc

Wonder if phone boxes depended on the area. There were lots near us, but most families we knew couldn't afford a phone (we were one of them).

I had an Emergency Pound for payphone which as soon as my parents gave me/replaced the missing one I would immediately spend it on sweets over and over again. Then make calls to them by reversing the charges.

Where do they get the school bus from? Right outside the school and can they phone from the school if necessary?

My dd has a 20 minute walk to the bus stop through an area known for antisocial behaviour. Another hour before she would be due home. I wouldn't like her to not have her phone. They are not allowed phones during school hours which is great.

Ds gets the bus right outside the school and teachers are around if a child misses the bus. He doesn't need a phone.

I also don't like going out without my phone, am I not independent either?

I’ve heard people saying it’s because their kids bus passes are on the phones Tbf.

They don’t need the phone, I don’t understand why the school needs a blanket ban. My DD is not allowed use her phone in school, it’s confiscated for 3 days and enforced. She does not use her phone in school.
Some schools are not setting standards either. It shouldn’t matter if they have to smart phone or a non internet device.

Children managed 20 years ago, and they’ll manage now.

Is the thread only about phones? And yes, in the 1960s, 70s, 80s there were a LOT of phone boxes and everyone knew how to make a reverse charges call. Times change FFS.

I will never forget being on here saying I was worried about my (then) 18 year old DD and someone came on and posted well if she's dead she's dead there's nothing you can do now. Is that where we are setting the bar?

They leave the classroom to use the bathroom - that’s often where they use their phones.
we gave a phone ban, but it’s still out of control.