January
2007
A Reader Speaks Out Against the MPS Cell Phone Ban
At Watchdog Milwaukee we are occasionally implored to write a story about an issue a reader feels strongly about. Usually these requests involve me making a few phone calls to verify the sources and a bit of investigative journalism. The story below was submitted last week but contains some information that we believe could put her in harms way if we were to publish her personal information.
Simply put, we don’t do that here.
So what we’ve done is bring you her article in its entirety but without her name. Here it is:
I have two daughters enrolled in the MPS schools… both very bright and example students… my oldest is a junior at Rufus King High… and my youngest is a 6th grader at Morse Middle School…
Due to unavoidable circumstances I had to return to the work force full time 1 year and 1/2 ago. Up until then, I personally took my girls to and from school and I volunteered during most of their school years at the schools they attended. I worked small jobs from home, but found myself having to go out and find a job with benefits since my husband started his own business – and it’s been tough.
I raised my girls to be responsible – that meant checking in and out with me on their whereabouts… Especially since the neighborhood we are in has changed dramatically in the 13-14 years where we purchased our first home. It was extremly hard for me to put them on the bus to and from school… That was when we purchased cell phones (a family plan) so that they can communicate with me or they’re father… But MPS no says they shouldn’t / it doesn’t matter. Although I read the information and it clearly states that the USE of cell phones is not allowed… But it was clearly stated to my youngest at her schoold that they are not even allowed turned off in lockers… Period… Now that is WRONG.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT MY KIDS NEED TO WALK SEVERAL BLOCKS TO GET PICKED UP BY THEIR BUSES… THEIR BUSES COME AROUND THE SAME TIME 8 BLOCKS APART! SO THEY CANNOT EVEN WALK TOGETHER FOR SAFETY… So I ask them to call me the moment the get on the bus… And as soon as they get into the house.
Why do I worry so? www.familywatchdog.us has given me a lot of reason… 87 registered offenders where found to reside in the area where we live… Below I list a mere few… That live within 3 blocks of our home (one just a few doors down) and in the pathway of their commute to their bus stops…
I write all this mainly to say that this BAN is ridiculous – they can’t even take them to school and leave them in their lockers… All I want is peace of mind that they make it safely to school and back home. I don’t understand… Real cell phone offenders should be prosecuted and dealt with – but not everyone.
So, Why don’t we move… Just getting back to the work force and paying up some serious debt is keeping us from leaving right now. We barely saved our house from repossession. We are stuck now with the mortgage at least for another year.
I am offended and will hold their schools responsible if anything happens to my children… You see time is of essence… 1 phone call first thing on the bus in the morning tells me she’s ok (BUT NOW the yellow school bus becomes MPS property where the ban exists)… A phone call by the school or by the police 4-5 hours later won’t help anyone.
PREDITORS THAT WATCH MPS STUDENTS:
First Name: ALPHONSO
Middle Name: L Last Name: JOHNSON
5910 N 35TH ST
C/O LISA JOHNSON
MILWAUKEE, WI 53209
Distance: 0.31 miles
Conviction(s) 05/11/2005 MILWAUKEE WI / 948.02(2): Second-Degree Sexual Assault of a Child
First Name: KEN
Middle Name: M Last Name: CRUTCHFIELD
5953 N 36TH ST
MILWAUKEE, WI 53209
Distance: 0.35 miles
Conviction(s) 02/20/2006 MILWAUKEE WI / 948.09: Sex with Child 16 or Older
First Name: DAVID
Middle Name: J Last Name: GANT
5632 N 36TH ST
MILWAUKEE, WI 53209
Distance: 0.06 miles
Conviction(s) 03/19/2004 MILWAUKEE WI / 948.02(2): Second-Degree Sexual Assault of a Child
First Name: DERRICK Last Name: HODGES
5542 N 40TH ST
MILWAUKEE, WI 53209
Distance: 0.3 miles
Conviction(s) 12/08/1995 KENOSHA WI / 948.02(2): Second-Degree Sexual Assault of a Child
First Name: DIANGELO
Middle Name: L Last Name: HARRISON
5765 N 41ST ST
MILWAUKEE, WI 53209
Distance: 0.33 miles
Conviction(s) 06/24/2003 MILWAUKEE WI / 948.02(2): Second-Degree Sexual Assault of a Child
First Name: JIMMIE
Middle Name: G Last Name: DAVISON
5971 N 39TH ST
MILWAUKEE, WI 53209
Distance: 0.41 miles
Conviction(s) 05/19/1992 MILWAUKEE WI / 948.02(1): First-Degree Sexual Assault of a Child
First Name: JEROLD Last Name: JACKSON
5914 N 32ND ST
MILWAUKEE, WI 53209
Distance: 0.36 miles
Conviction(s) 10/14/1996 MILWAUKEE WI / 948.02(2): Second-Degree Sexual Assault of a Child
I thank you for listening to an MPS mom who volunteered many years at their schools, who believes in the good education of her children… And who is now disappointed with MPS and their stupidity when it comes to safety.
Jim McGuigan
Jim McGuigan, Watchdogging Education
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I think MPS knows that cell phones are getting out of hand with students throughout the course of the day. There is probably a lot of texting going on, perhaps even in the classroom. Unfortunately, in this woman’s case, she actually is teaching her kids to be responsible and safe. The schools should be able to make exceptions for these kinds of situations or even for medical issues (diabetes comes to mind).
I’m glad there is a ban. If you fear for your childs safety come up with a better plan for the mps system. Don’t sit on a soap box and cry civil rights, put the box away and pen out a plan, an idea, an innovation. Our nations kids, in general, are “dumber” than in days of old. Why? Kids have little reason to pay attention in class anymore.. a text text here and a text text there, everywhere a text text. The problem ISN’T the phone, it’s the knuckleheads that are calling for backup if they were “dissed.” Maybe MPS needs an internal electronic web to ‘kill’ phone signals or maybe, just maybe, we can banned them and get back to how it WAS for us as kids. We’re here today, we must have DONE something right!
Offenders should be dealt with accordingly – schools should take the phones away on a case-by-case basis and give them back at the end of the year. Or, install kill signals as an obvious solution.
Until then–some rules are STUPID and meant to be broken–put the phones in your daughters backpacks turned off. Include a note to the school that YOU do not agree with their policy and YOUR girls do not to use the phones on school property. This is a secret you can keep with your children, instruct them not to tell anyone and NOT to use the phones unless they are in danger.
They need YOU to protect them and to feel you are doing just that. Their safety and feelings of safety are more important than THIS ignorant rule.
(I understand the valid reasons phones are banned in my district, MY daughters are NOT using the phones in school. My daughters have them in their packs.)
HERE’S AN IDEA: Scale waaay back (pretend your camping) into a uber-small rental in a better neighborhood you could buy in and rent your house out. Then find a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) or foreclosure property in need of cosmetic repair (check walls outside Town Clerk’s Office for postings and move quick to get addresses and info) and write a “no-down”/”cash-out” offer contingent on the sale of your home and financing on your new loan. Then sell your home (FSBO) and move into your new one. That way you can still reap the benefits of you tax deduction, feel safer now and get out of debt faster (by scaling back). It’s just like trading mortgages. And it’s important to keep the Realtors out as you’d be able to realize a better deal (approx. 12%) on both purchase and sale.
Don’t let yourself start feeling like a victim .. that’s when they’ve got you …
Deputy Insider,
That sounds like a great idea. Don’t some theaters have something that jams the signals of cell phones?
Jim, As proven by the fight at Tech after the basketball game the other day. It’s not the state of the technology but the state of our children that is warped. If the technology for signal squashing is there…maybe MPS can spend some dough on acquiring it. Either way I see this issue of Parent/student vs school hanging around a long time.