Schools ban iPods to foil cheaters

Of course we all know that the best way to prevent a few people from doing something is to punish everyone. What about no use of (or touching) media players during tests. Potentially include confiscation, and expulsion for repeated offense? Naw, punish everyone. It's easier.

"Of course we all know that the best way to prevent a few people from doing something is to punish everyone"

What are you talking about? How is banning an entertainment device from a classroom "punishing"? While banning them from being in lockers may be a bit much, they should certainly be banned from classrooms. Although, I'm not sure I'd want to leave an iPod in my locker unattended.

Did your school allow you to listen to a walkman when you were taking a test? Our kids are in the classroom to learn, not to listen to their music. They can do that on their own time.

ban pens because those subversive little charmers may resort to writing the test nores on their arms. Wait a minute! Let's also ban sleeves so thay can't cover their arms when they may have written notes for the test. where does classroom management end?

How about not listening to music while at school? That doesn't seem like an unreasonable request, as you're making it out to be. Why they even bacame popular enough in schools to be used as an apparatus for cheating puzzles me.

"Oh no! I can't listen to my music and ignore my teachers, and then blame them for not learning the difference between 'their' and 'there' and 'they're.' What travesty! I being punished!"

Please . . .

Deny things march on. Rather than learn how to use the most important intellectual equalizer to date, they ban it. How about the use of the recording ipod to record classes forever? Without much thought, this is the reason for banning ipods in the classroom. The teachers would be exposed for the monkey see monkey do learning techniques of the past century. Keep the masses dumb. The teachers certainly are. The smart and wealthy ones have the machines at home. Rant, Rant, Rant

I'm sure many kids with iPods would probably be able to figure out some possible way to use iPods in the classroom for the purposes of study, it would be reeeeeally stretching it. Even the most progressive, technology-embracing schools and teachers should definitely exclude these from the classrooms. Any kind of device that is by definition designed for distraction should really not be there. Unless school develops some kind of programme that will specifically require iPods in the course of the curriculum, a kid has absolutely no use for it at school. Children that do well won't really miss it in the classroom. Those that don't (and would mis their iPod) are precisely the reasons why they shouldn't have them.

And yes, the majority of teachers out there already have their own iPods as well, so it's not exactly like they don't understand what it's all about.

Now, if you're a student out there, could you please argue for me, why exactly do you need to have your iPod in the classroom during a test (or even a normal class)? I honestly would like a valid argument (rather than 'rant, rant, rant'...).

Obviously, cheating with an iPod is far more difficult to prevent since it's not as blatent/permanent as ink on your skin or a piece of paper. So I understand the concern of teachers. But I imagine the ban can only be to the extent of the iPod being visible. Unless they also propose to inspect students clothing and bags (as if iPods were weapons).

Maybe the bigger issue here is WHY teachers didn't anticipate this problem long ago and make arrangements to deal with it responsibly?? And it also begs the question - should ANY non-educational device be allowed in a classroom?

Not having media players at all on school property is too extreme of a measure.

I see no problem with listening to an iPod in a library or cafeteria.

I do see a huge problem though when a school district policy is needed to prevent students from using an iPod in class. What teacher in their right mind would let students use them in the first place?

I see the fact that students are cheating on tests with iPods as a reflection of really thick-headed naïve teachers.

We (meaning us adults that should have our children's best interest at heart) really should take a serious look at what "educating our children" means to us. 1) doctors have proven that headphones emitting 70% volume damage our ears.

here are a few ideas:

1. students are not in class every second/minute/hour of the day, while at school. 2. everyone is a criminal/can't be trusted. 3. teaches wrong problem management technique to students. they will carry this into their adulthood as an example of how to handle a problem, large or small.