NYC Schools going after 'sexting' outside of schools

[Spidey-Bat]

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/sexting.nyc.sexting.2.1760507.html

NYC Going After Teen 'Sexting' -- In The Home
Dept. Of Education Targets Sexually Explicit Text Messaging Outside Of School Hours With Up To 90-Day Suspension
NYCLU Slams Idea, Says It's A Violation Of Freedom Of Expression

NEW YORK (CBS)
Parents and schools struggle with the role technology plays in kids' lives. But a new push to keep them safe has some saying it goes too far.

Schools now want to punish students caught "sexting" -- no matter where they do it.

The Department of Education wants to ban both cyber bullying and sexting in New York City's public schools at all times, even outside of school hours.

"We've always been respectful of first amendment rights. I think we'll get the right balance here," said Schools Chancellor Joel Klein.

While new laws are being enacted to prevent cyber bullying, sexting is not so straightforward.

Sexting has drawn the opposition New York's Civil Liberties Union.

"What on earth is that? It is a vague, undefined prohibition that impacts expression outside of school," said Donna Lieberman of NYCLU.

The proposal would let a principal do anything from hold a parent conference to expel for cyber bullying.

Not only does the Department of Education want to ban sexually explicit text messaging that students may do off hours on nights, weekends and summer vacation, but they also want to punish them for it, handing out up to a 90-day suspension.

Students said this proposal is going too far.

"If they're doing it inside of school, that's perfectly fine, but outside of school they don't really have a right over what you do with your phone," said Brooklyn resident Valerie Valdez.

"If it's not in school then I don't see how my cell phone and the school have any relation together," said Queens resident Naomi Moore.

Yet parents find it less of a black and white issue.

"What may be acceptable for a parent to their child may not be acceptable to a school and where do you draw the line?" said Lisa Spector of the Upper East Side.

"I wouldn't want them punishing my child, but somehow if we could prevent sexting and cyber bullying and everything I would be in favor of that," said Brooklyn resident Betsy Davidson.

Both issues will be debated next Wednesday. Parents expect those meetings to be heated, indeed.

 

[bored]

As okay as I am with discouraging kids from doing it like bunnies and all, this is a touch draconian.

 

[Docker2.0]

Until a underage girl accidently sends you a text message of her naked pics, then you will be clamoring for this thing to go through. I work at a prison and you'd be surprised how often that thing happens or what is considered kiddie porn these days.

 

[Figs]

Until a underage girl accidently sends you a text message of her naked pics, then you will be clamoring for this thing to go through. I work at a prison and you'd be surprised how often that thing happens or what is considered kiddie porn these days.

That's a ***** because you could just instantly delete it to keep out of trouble but at the same time you wouldn't necessarily know she was underage and might keep it on there.

Personally this isn't surprising with the way this country is going. It's sad how the parent's right to raise their children is quickly getting taken out of their hands. No school or principle has or should have the right to tell someone, regardless of age, what they can talk about on their cell phones when not at school. This is utterly ridiculous and sad.

 

[Drakon]

Disgusting.

 

[Nell2ThaIzzay]

the problem is 2 fold. not only are parents rights being taken out of their hands, but in many cases the parents WANT it taken out of their hands, because they want govt to make sure kids are never exposed to anything bad. its sickening how kids are being raised these days. people would have a fit with the way i plan to raise my kids.

 

[Docker2.0]

That's a ***** because you could just instantly delete it to keep out of trouble but at the same time you wouldn't necessarily know she was underage and might keep it on there.

Personally this isn't surprising with the way this country is going. It's sad how the parent's right to raise their children is quickly getting taken out of their hands. No school or principle has or should have the right to tell someone, regardless of age, what they can talk about on their cell phones when not at school. This is utterly ridiculous and sad.

You do know that once a picture is deleted from your computer or phone it's always there unless it's wiped clean, no matter how much you delete it. That's why the FBI always take a pedophiles computer first when they raid their houses. I'm not saying I agree with the rule but I have seen so many guys in prison because of mistakes and the girls get off scotch free.

 

[Carcharodon]

Heh...scotch free.

 

[El_Citrus]

I would say this is a taaaad too far. Why not teach why sexting is not a good thing for them and show them the real life consequences for their actions, such as their friend going to jail, or if they're seniors and 18, how their pictures can end up on the internet. Adding punishment outside of school hours is likely just going to promote the rebellious behavior.

 

[The Squirrel]

So, is the principal going to be going over each student's phone bill? Who's catching them at home? The parent I guess. So then the parent could, you know, not tell the school.

 

[E-Man]

This reminds me of the Stranger Danger episode of Penn & Teller I was watching yesterday.

 

[Figs]

You do know that once a picture is deleted from your computer or phone it's always there unless it's wiped clean, no matter how much you delete it. That's why the FBI always take a pedophiles computer first when they raid their houses. I'm not saying I agree with the rule but I have seen so many guys in prison because of mistakes and the girls get off scotch free.

I forgot about that. Well, that does suck and as Carcharodon already pointed out...Scotch free.

 

[Mee]

Personally this isn't surprising with the way this country is going. It's sad how the parent's right to raise their children is quickly getting taken out of their hands. No school or principle has or should have the right to tell someone, regardless of age, what they can talk about on their cell phones when not at school. This is utterly ridiculous and sad.

Right-o. This actually came up this year at my old high school. A guy I know got a referral (3 referrals=suspension) for not letting the principle go through his phone. (a girl accused this guy and a friend of mine of bullying her in texts) This was his 3rd referral and it came just in time for him to be suspended for the senior trip and prom. Because he wouldn't let them look through his phone.

 

[Spider-Who?]

This is a very hard topic to really say one way or the other. I think that schools are also responsible for the protection and moral fiber of its students; its not just the parents. "It takes a village", as the saying goes. If I were a parent, I would want the school to take action against students who are bullying and "sexting" since there is very little I could do without getting arrested.

Though I certainly don't think that the school should have the final authority on matters that occur off of school grounds, I do agree that if one students actions are affecting another - and the school is notified - the school needs to speak with the parents and decide on a course of action, before going for the students.

That being said, there is a fine line between where and when the school's jurisdiction ends; a line that can only be defined by trial and error, with issues such as this.

 

[Ghostvirus]

Could some one tell me what the negatives are of sexting? I mean everybody before they die will have sex it is a natural progression. Why do we feel need to stifle an important part of a childs development? No wonder kids grow up messed up.

 

[AnorexicBatman]

As far as America is concerned. Showing a gory decapitation on screen is perfectly acceptable. But a naked breast? Oh heavens no!!

Watch all the violence you want kids but heaven forbid you see a woman's exposed ankle!

 

[Judge Holden]

This is disgraceful. Stifling kids social development and privacy like this will only lead to resentment and eventually, rebellion.

As someone else said, for two reasons this is bad news.

Power is being taken away from parents. Parents are not being allowed to raise THEIR children how they want. Sure if the parent was letting their kids get away with literal murder or other extreme examples, something would have to be done.

Also, some parents wanting this to happen simply because they don't know, or don't want to raise their kids themselves. Passing the buck so to speak. Passing the responsibility of raising their kids to other authority figures.

It's happening too often with too many things. Movies and video games as well for instance. A parent notices their child displaying violent tendancies or using bad language. But no it's not the parents fault! It's movies and video games!

 

[Kelly]

The whole sexting thing is just stupid....but it is not the school's job to be the parent.

If they are doing it in school, do what my school does....

Take the phone up, parent can come in the next day pay a $15.00 fee and get the phone back..
Second time, we keep it a week, and parent has to come in and pay a $15.00 fee.
Third time, we keep it a month, and parent has to come in and pay a $15.00 fee.
Fourth time, we keep the phone until the last day of school and the parent comes in to pay the $15.00.

After that first time, many of the parents say "don't take the damn thing to school..." some parents say, too bad...not paying the $15.00 sorry honey you lost your phone...MOST, allow them to keep the phone, but threaten them with their life if they pull the thing out and text on it.

NY just needs legislation like we have in Texas, regulate it....and leave the parenting to the parents

§ 37.082. POSSESSION OF PAGING DEVICES. (a) The board of
trustees of a school district may adopt a policy prohibiting a
student from possessing a paging device while on school property or
while attending a school-sponsored or school-related activity on or
off school property. The policy may establish disciplinary
measures to be imposed for violation of the prohibition and may
provide for confiscation of the paging device.
(b) The policy may provide for the district to:
(1) dispose of a confiscated paging device in any
reasonable manner after having provided the student's parent and
the company whose name and address or telephone number appear on the
device 30 days' prior notice of its intent to dispose of that
device. The notice shall include the serial number of the device
and may be made by telephone, telegraph, or in writing; and
(2) charge the owner of the device or the student's
parent an administrative fee not to exceed $15 before it releases
the device.
(c) In this section, "paging device" means a
telecommunications device that emits an audible signal, vibrates,
displays a message, or otherwise summons or delivers a
communication to the possessor.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, § 1, eff. May 30, 1995.

 

[StorminNorman]

This is a very hard topic to really say one way or the other. I think that schools are also responsible for the protection and moral fiber of its students; its not just the parents.

Wrong. The schools are NOT responsible for the moral fiber of it's students. That is a parent's job. Burn down the village and build your own damn house.

 

[Kelly]

This is a very hard topic to really say one way or the other. I think that schools are also responsible for the protection and moral fiber of its students; its not just the parents. "It takes a village", as the saying goes. If I were a parent, I would want the school to take action against students who are bullying and "sexting" since there is very little I could do without getting arrested.

Though I certainly don't think that the school should have the final authority on matters that occur off of school grounds, I do agree that if one students actions are affecting another - and the school is notified - the school needs to speak with the parents and decide on a course of action, before going for the students.

That being said, there is a fine line between where and when the school's jurisdiction ends; a line that can only be defined by trial and error, with issues such as this.

No there's not, there is actually a very distinct line drawn through the bylaws of most districts. They usually run along these lines....

Within 300 yards of the school where the student attends, and until 4:00 p.m. what happens in that area, or on and around the districts transportation (bus) the school has jurisdiction. Other than that, no....it is not the school's responsibility.

As a teacher, I am not paid to raise the child, I am paid to teach the child. NOW, as a teacher I do need to take into account that student's home life, but that is simply a part of being a good teacher, I am not that student's parent, I don't have the law behind me that the parent has in certain areas, therefore those areas the teacher needs to STAY OUT OF....and teach. IF THAT CELLPHONE USAGE, as we are talking about in this case, is keeping learning from happening in my classroom....THEN AND ONLY THEN, does the law back ME AS THE EDUCATOR, and therefore, I can take that baby up, and follow the discipline plan of my school.

 

[The Squirrel]

I'm just waiting for a state to ban cellphones in movie theaters. That's a law I could get behind.

 

[The Geek Vault]

This is just foolish if a child isn't in school then the school should not try to police the child. The parents are responsible for how the child is raised outside of school. I don't even agree that phones should be allowed to be taken away by teachers. If a student has a phone out in class you ask them to put it away and the student on their part SHOULD put it away. If they don't you send them to the principals office. As far as sexting goes I see how sending pictures is bad and that should be stopped. But sexually explicit texts happen kids are humans and humans are at nature sexual beings these kind of things are going to happen. This would be like if the school was trying to reprimand children for watching porn.

 

[Kelly]

I'm just waiting for a state to ban cellphones in movie theaters. That's a law I could get behind.

That won't ever happen, but they could put a fine on people that have them go off, or talk on them. But, to totally ban them, won't ever happen.

 

[Carcharodon]

Well, not with THAT attitude.

 

[huskerwebhead]

Wrong. The schools are NOT responsible for the moral fiber of it's students. That is a parent's job. Burn down the village and build your own damn house.

No there's not, there is actually a very distinct line drawn through the bylaws of most districts. They usually run along these lines....

Within 300 yards of the school where the student attends, and until 4:00 p.m. what happens in that area, or on and around the districts transportation (bus) the school has jurisdiction. Other than that, no....it is not the school's responsibility.

As a teacher, I am not paid to raise the child, I am paid to teach the child. NOW, as a teacher I do need to take into account that student's home life, but that is simply a part of being a good teacher, I am not that student's parent, I don't have the law behind me that the parent has in certain areas, therefore those areas the teacher needs to STAY OUT OF....and teach. IF THAT CELLPHONE USAGE, as we are talking about in this case, is keeping learning from happening in my classroom....THEN AND ONLY THEN, does the law back ME AS THE EDUCATOR, and therefore, I can take that baby up, and follow the discipline plan of my school.