Another Brick in the Wall

Let's see how long it takes you to figure out THAT reference!
I think most people believe that the public education system in this country has begun to lag far behind most of the rest of the civilized world. I hear complaints that we spend too much time and energy on the arts and physical education and not enough on math and science. Kids don't know history, geography or civics...there's not enough money, teachers make TOO much money...taxes are too high. The litany is endless...and, in many cases, justified. But here's how difficult it's gotten in the classroom:
Wauwatosa East school district has a policy that prohibits sending text messages while in class...supposedly learning something. Many schools have a policy similar to that. Rules must have consequences if not followed...we all get that. I know of one teacher who would take offending students' phones and post their names on the board in a sort of "put them in the stocks" justice. My favorite moment occurred when an industrial arts teacher, let's just call him "Duane," took a kid's phone and sawed it in half on a band saw in front of the class! When the student angrily announced that he was going to call his mother, "Duane" gave him the two pieces of the phone and said, "Go ahead." This was a GREAT story until we all found out that it was a staged event and that the kid was in on it. But, back to 'Tosa East:
A 14-yr.-old girl was found sending text messages in the classroom recently (though not "sexting" as is the current rage). The teacher demanded the phone, and the student denied even having a phone, not once but several times. Knowing better than to get into a "stinking match with a skunk," the teacher called the "resource officer" who demanded the phone, again drawing stout denials from the student with regard to possession. (all the while, SOME students were probably trying to learn). Being male, the officer could not search the offender so he verified that she was, indeed texting during class by interviewing classmates (depriving them of learning time); at this point, he summoned a female officer who searched the youngster and found the phone hidden in her clothes in the "proximity of her buttocks." EEWWWW! AS a result of the actions of the student, she was cited for disoprderly conduct, fined $298 and suspended for a week from learning opportunities. Subsequently, she was cited for trespassing twice during the next two days for being on campus. AND ALL OF THIS INVOLVED ONE KID IN A SUBURBAN HIGH SCHOOL! For TEXTING! Imagine what else must be happening. And when the phone manufacturer sees the free publicity it got from being named in the article, it will probably pay the fine and make a commercial.
A poll of readers in the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinal asked readers whether they felt the suspension was justified. Predictably, 83% said "yes." Of course, only people who could read would be able to a) read the article and b) read the poll question and respond to it, so it's not surprising that the vote leaned heavily in favor of punishment. I would surmise that few respondents were high school students.
My point is that the distractions in the educational setting have LONG passed boy/girl flirting and macho posturing. Metal detectors, drug-sniffing dogs, police officers and lockdowns have become all too common.Private schools can somewhat avoid some of the pitfalls by being selective about the type of student they "allow" to enroll, but I'd bet they are not squeaky clean, either.
If you agree that texting in class isn't such a big deal, then you must concur that not paying attention and failing to take an eduicational opportunity is acceptable. In that case, I hope you can read the article and take the poll.