Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Parents Like Their Kids to Be Cell-Outs
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 27, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 27, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The Department of Education meant business when they started their new random scanning system - cops found a knife, boxcutter and some mace at the Acorn High School in Brooklyn. Plus the scanning set-up made a kid run away only for the cops to find that he had pot on him! But the real haul was 129 cellphones (and 2 iPods), which Schools Chancellor Joel Klein says the kids will get back. Cellphones have been banned since 1988 in NYC public school systems, but many parents believe they are critical in knowing their kids are safe and are even threatening civil disobedience in order to have their kids pack some portable communications. Klein says he understands, but, hey, when kids are taking pictures in locker rooms and cheating on tests, parents need to understand - and parents can always call the office. Ha! We're sure the office workers will love that. If school officials want to keep this ban, they should at least give kids a chance to call or email their parents during the day. Or maybe parents should microchip their kids.
National School Safety and Security Issues website says that there are some reasons for schools not to cave into parental pressure - for instance, kids call in fake bomb threats with cell phones and during emergency, cell phone carrier overload anyway. Mayor Bloomberg said cellphones are distracting from the wonderful teachers NYC public school students have.
Tagged
bloomberg
bomb
brooklyn
cell phone
cell phones
Chancellor Joel Klein
education
high school
joel klein
kids
love
mayor
mayor bloomberg
News: NYC
nyc
pictures
public school
safety
schools
schools chancellor
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein
The Department
the office
trends
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Mamdani names re-entry specialist as chair of Rikers oversight board
Christopher Watler will help the department that a federal monitor says remains in crisis.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 6, 2026 at 3:52 p.m. ET
NYC weighs expanding upstate reservoir following drought
The Delaware River Basin Commission is evaluating options to increase water storage, including expanding a reservoir in New York City.
By
Rosemary Misdary
News
NYC weighs expanding upstate reservoir following drought
The Delaware River Basin Commission is evaluating options to increase water storage, including expanding a reservoir in New York City.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Legionella found in Staten Island building's water system after 2 positive cases
By
Catalina Gonella
Legal 'loophole' helps NY Gov. Kathy Hochul, Bruce Blakeman raise millions
By
Jon Campbell
Police identify 2 men wanted for stabbing an off-duty NYPD officer
By
Ben Feuerherd
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .