Here's one worth storing in the archives.
In an act that demonstrates absenteeism from the slide rule and pocket calculator revolution, the City of York Council Executive member for Children's Services has joined a call for parents to think carefully about letting their children take expensive and potentially disruptive gadgets to school.
According to an article in the York Press:
Her comments echo those of Children's Minister Kevin Brennan, who has joined teachers in asking parents to make sure that children do not use their Christmas gadgets in lessons.
While technology can be a good thing in the classroom where used properly, every year in the first days after term begins, teachers complain of a range of electronic toys, music players and phones being used by a small minority of children and young people.
The rules are clear - teachers can and will confiscate these items if they see them in lessons, and have the legal backing to do so.
Mr Brennan said this kind of persistent disruptive behaviour, which can often be a string of minor offences, can result in temporary or even permanent exclusion from school.
Mr Brennan continues:
Mr Brennan said: "Christmas is great fun and I am sure, as is the case in my house, children and young people from across the country will have got a whole range of fascinating gadgets such as mobile phones, handheld consoles and MP3 players.
"However, there is a time and place for them, and learning tools such as calculators aside, the classroom is not that place.
um errr, bah hum bug...
The whole story at:
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/yorknews/display.var.1936752.0.pupils_warned_over_gadgets.phpMore news via the BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7156326.stm
General secretary of teaching union the NASUWT Chris Keates said: "Every year some youngsters arrive back at school with MP3 players, mobile phones and electronic games.
"This can be a real headache for teachers when they are trying to get everyone settled down to start learning. Teachers would be grateful if pupils just brought a pen."
One hopes that Kevin Brennan and Chris Keates might discuss their views over a cuppa in the House of Commons with
<![CDATA[<a href="http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?file=http://blip.tv/rss/flash/445515" target="_blank">http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?file=http://blip.tv/rss/flash/445515</a>]]> in the very near future.
In the Guardian (
http://education.guardian.co.uk/pupilbehaviour/story/0,,2232514,00.html)
The Department for Children Schools and Families said the rules were clear - teachers had the legal right to confiscate items if they threatened to disrupt lessons. This kind of persistent disruptive behaviour last year resulted in 2,370 permanent and 72,340 temporary exclusions of children from schools.
A copy of the original press release is here:
http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gqDJX91D5K08r8Vz7rtikKfkBt4QPupils should note that:
The Government warned that new laws gave teachers the clear right to confiscate these [mobile] items if they see them in class.
Well I never.
New Laws!I predict that we will see the above quote used in presentation material used by progressive educators in the not too distant future when discussing how mobile gadgets were once perceived by the less forward thinking. I'm looking forward to reading about the first citizens arrest for text messaging...
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