Teacher suspended for blocking students' cellphones via signal jammer

[price499]

"LAND O' LAKES, Fla. -- A Florida science teacher has been suspended for running a signal jammer to prevent his students from using their cellphones in class.

 

CBS Tampa affiliate WTSP-TV reports Dean Liptak was trying to get students to focus on lessons instead of their phones.

 

School board members in Pasco County approved Liptak's five-day, unpaid suspension on Tuesday. Liptak didn't contest the decision.

 

 

 

Officials say Liptak activated the jammer in his Fivay High School classroom from March 31 through April 2.

 

He later told a school district investigator he never intended to cause problems. He said he thought the jammers were allowed as long as they weren't intended for malicious purposes.

 

The district says Verizon chose not to prosecute him, WTSP notes

 

Superintendent Kurt Browning wrote in a reprimand letter that Liptak had potentially violated federal law and that the signal jamming could have potentially interfered with others trying to call 911 during an emergency.

 

"Verizon had come to the school saying someone had a jamming device, because the cell phone service was being interrupted in the area," WTSP quotew Pasco County School District spokesperson Linda Cobbe as saying.

 

Cobbe says Liptak's jamming device blocked communication to the cell tower on the Fivay High campus."

 

Teacher suspended for blocking students' cellphones - CBS News

Opinion on this?

[UKMustangFan]

Much deserved suspension IMO.

 

I get what he was trying to do, but you can't be that stupid.

[se7ens]

The fact he gets to keep his job is shocking. I admire his creativity and motivation, but come on, you either got to know this is an incredibly stupid idea or you need to ask your administration and they can tell you that is an incredibly stupid idea.

[Clyde]

Like UKMF said I get his overall goal but... not smart.

 

Not fireable IMO.

[Voice of Reason]

The fact he gets to keep his job is shocking. I admire his creativity and motivation, but come on, you either got to know this is an incredibly stupid idea or you need to ask your administration and they can tell you that is an incredibly stupid idea.

 

You have to be kidding. Lose his job over this? I applaud his effort. If I were a teacher, I would have a mailbox system in front of the classroom and tell every student to put their phone in there before they sit at their desk

[se7ens]

You have to be kidding. Lose his job over this? I applaud his effort. If I were a teacher, I would have a mailbox system in front of the classroom and tell every student to put their phone in there before they sit at their desk

 

I agree with your system. But your system doesn't threaten communications in the general area around the school including emergency services.

[UKMustangFan]

You have to be kidding. Lose his job over this? I applaud his effort. If I were a teacher, I would have a mailbox system in front of the classroom and tell every student to put their phone in there before they sit at their desk

 

There's no chance that would fly.

[BigVMan23]

You have to be kidding. Lose his job over this? I applaud his effort. If I were a teacher, I would have a mailbox system in front of the classroom and tell every student to put their phone in there before they sit at their desk

 

This is EXACTLY the system I would implement in my class room and have talked about in the past. Numbered slots, up to 30 or so, place your phone in it and get it after class. Heck, you could even make them lockable, like a mini bus terminal locker so there is no danger of someone picking up the wrong phone as you have the key to the slot you put your phone in. And after that, if I see a phone out in class, it's mine for the day.

[Jim Schue]

This is EXACTLY the system I would implement in my class room and have talked about in the past. Numbered slots, up to 30 or so, place your phone in it and get it after class. Heck, you could even make them lockable, like a mini bus terminal locker so there is no danger of someone picking up the wrong phone as you have the key to the slot you put your phone in. And after that, if I see a phone out in class, it's mine for the day.

 

Who's gonna pay to install those in every classroom in every school?

[BigVMan23]

Who's gonna pay to install those in every classroom in every school?

 

I would do it myself and have no problem with it. Wouldn't cost much and would make it much easier I think from a teachers perspective. If old lady Jenkins in English lit don't have one, no skin off my nose.

[Twotoplace]

This is EXACTLY the system I would implement in my class room and have talked about in the past. Numbered slots, up to 30 or so, place your phone in it and get it after class. Heck, you could even make them lockable, like a mini bus terminal locker so there is no danger of someone picking up the wrong phone as you have the key to the slot you put your phone in. And after that, if I see a phone out in class, it's mine for the day.

Policy at one Boone County high school was:

 

First offense: Pick it up from teacher at end of the school day.

Second offense: Pick it up from principal's office at end of week.

Third offense: Pick it up from principal's office at end of semester.

[75center]

I can appreciate his frustration but there are better ways to achieve his goal.

[BigVMan23]

Policy at one Boone County high school was:

 

First offense: Pick it up from teacher at end of the school day.

Second offense: Pick it up from principal's office at end of week.

Third offense: Pick it up from principal's office at end of semester.

 

I like that. With that said, I'm quite sure many were taken away after 2nd and 3rd offenses, prompting dozens of parent phone calls and visits to the principles office. if you have them lock them up in the beginning, the temptation isn't there. And we all know for every time a teacher catches a kid on a cell phone, there are probably 20 others they miss.

[Lawnboy13]

Policy at one Boone County high school was:

 

First offense: Pick it up from teacher at end of the school day.

Second offense: Pick it up from principal's office at end of week.

Third offense: Pick it up from principal's office at end of semester.

 

NewCath had a policy similar to this, except 2nd offense was the ENTIRE school year.

[Wireman]

I've had my cell phone signal blocked once...and that was at Parris Island.