Schools confiscating students' property

[Fizzzard]

Well, yesterday my laser pointer was taken by a security guard at my school because one of my friends was playing with it. After talking to one of the vice principals today they are not going to give it back to me.

There is no rule against bringing laser pointers to school but they are calling it a dangerous weapon.

 

Is it legal for them to do this? I live in the United States if that makes a difference.

 

Anyone else had something like this happen to them?

[Riku3220]

Yes it is legal to confiscate it. Some people's eyes are super sensitive to laser pointers and your friend was probably being an idiot and flashing people with it.

[Orpheus]

Laser pointers can often be coupled with weaponry, which was probably their main concern. You are aware of a lot of the recent school shootings, I presume?

 

Or worse, you could put someone's eye out or blind them. It is partly your fault though, one: bringing the pointer to school; and two: letting your idiot friend mess around with it. Perhaps you could have your parents retrieve the pointer for you, as a small consolation?

[Fizzzard]

He was pointing it at me...

 

And yes they can confiscate it but shouldn't they have to give it back at some point?

[RSBDavid]

I had a pencil taken away because I was drawing on my arm. My teacher thought I was cutting myself. She later gave me a discipline referral because I didn't have a pencil. What a [bleep]. That was in third grade though.

[Orpheus]

I doubt they are required by law to return a laser pointer, so no.

[K4ylan]

I had a pencil taken away because I was drawing on my arm. My teacher thought I was cutting myself. She later gave me a discipline referral because I didn't have a pencil. What a [bleep]. That was in third grade though.

 

This made me lul. Third-grade emos ftw?

 

And anyway, laser pointers aren't supposed to be brought to school.

[Guest Mrmegakirby]

I think it should be a "put it away" if it's not dangerous. If that keeps happening, there's really no other option other then detention/suspension.

[Kiriyama]

Get your parents to go and get it from the school?

 

Although, I think they can only keep stuff until the end of the year.

[Skull]

Yeah, I'm not surprised they took it away. Normally they make a parent come pick it up or something at my school, but they have no obligation to give it back as far as I know.

[sarg1010]

Honestly I think if it is worth more than $30, they shouldn't be able to take it away without a very good reason. And as a compromise you can get it back when you go to the principal with your parents.

[champion]

Next time don't bring a laser pointer to school?

[Giordano]

Honestly I think if it is worth more than $.01, they shouldn't be able to take it away without a very good reason. And as a compromise you can get it back when you go to the principal with your parents.

I fixed it. There's no reason whatsoever the school should take your stuff when its CLEARLY not a danger. Even a laser pointer, used by some teachers, cannot and should not be classified as a weapon. There is a lot more "dangerous" items a student can bring to school than a measly laser pointer. And I don't mean the obvious like knives or guns.

 

The school officials should place themselves in the student's shoes from time to time, not just sit in their high horse and view every teenager as a future gangsta.

 

My advice for you is to complain and push the issue over and over again. Bring your parents as well if they're willing to.

 

The ease you guys accept rules worry me. Think of yourself and think of the past when you say things like "it's a rule you shouldn't be doing it".

[Skull]

I'd say just don't get caught. Those are words I try to live by.

[Giordano]

I'd say just don't get caught. Those are words I try to live by.

Unfortunately that's not just the case. Laser pointers, hats, dress codes, Axe cans, sharpies, and white-out have no dangerous quality enough to be banned. Why should I, having nothing on any danger value, have to hide and protect the item like a top secret nuclear detonator?

 

Besides, with the attitude schools have, you're guilty until proven innocent.

[Fizzzard]

A phone call from the school says a parent can go pick it up. It's not the type of laser that's gonna burn your eyes in less then a second, if it was I'd be blind by now(damn windows).

I can think of things that I am required to bring to school that would be easier to hurt someone with than a laser pointer, pencils, pens, scissors. Most of my textbooks would make decent blunt objects.

Unless someone actually used it to attempt to hurt someone I don't think it should be taken and not given back(actual weapons excluded).

 

But say I did want to push the issue, any recommendations on how I might do this?

I really don't think school officials should be able to just take anything they want.

[Skull]

You give up a lot of your rights by entering a school. It's taken too far in some places sure. In my school, no one really cares. I forget that the policies are a lot laxer here than many other places. Minus possibly laser pointers all the things you mentioned are fine at my school and the dress code basically requires you to be wearing a pretty minimal amount of clothing.

[Danqazmlp]

Don't bring it in to school? Things like that only take common sense to know they will get confiscated. Almost any item which is not going to be used to learn in a lesson can get confiscated. the things you learn in school about how to obey rules and how to follow them properly can pay off a lot in later life in developing you into an adult.

[TTanT]

Don't bring it in to school? Things like that only take common sense to know they will get confiscated. Almost any item which is not going to be used to learn in a lesson can get confiscated. the things you learn in school about how to obey rules and how to follow them properly can pay off a lot in later life in developing you into an adult.

 

Since when? I myself wouldn't have labeled a laser pointer as a 'common sense' object. I mean, the sole danger is being an idiot and shining it in eyes.

 

I say that if you can do more damage with your bare hands than with said object, said object isn't a weapon. Unless it's strikingly similar to a real weapon, of course.

[Riku3220]

I'd say just don't get caught. Those are words I try to live by.

Unfortunately that's not just the case. Laser pointers, hats, dress codes, Axe cans, sharpies, and white-out have no dangerous quality enough to be banned. Why should I, having nothing on any danger value, have to hide and protect the item like a top secret nuclear detonator?

 

Besides, with the attitude schools have, you're guilty until proven innocent.

When you go to a school, you play by their rules. More often than not the rules are instated because idiots were using them for the wrong purposes. I'm sure schools wouldn't mind gum if students didn't stick it under desks and chairs making the janitors do more work or spit it wherever making people step in it. You also have to remember that breaking the rules isn't proving that you deserve to have that rule removed. If you think a rule is stupid and that it should be removed, then make a petition stating why you believe it should be removed and letting the school have to power to ban whatever item again if it's still being used improperly.

[Giordano]

Don't bring it in to school? Things like that only take common sense to know they will get confiscated. Almost any item which is not going to be used to learn in a lesson can get confiscated. the things you learn in school about how to obey rules and how to follow them properly can pay off a lot in later life in developing you into an adult.

My school bans sharpies and white out. How is this common sense not to bring it? If I write a mistake on pen, isn't common sense to fix it with white-out? If I want to write words on notecards wouldn't it be common sense to use a sharpie? If it's cold isn't it common sense to wear gloves or a hat? All those items are banned in my school. Why? [cabbage] relations to gangs and graffiti (except for the white out which I don't know how you can write on a wall with that).

 

I disagree on the second statement. People WILL try to trick you in your adult life. Accounts slipping some cash through your tax records, clerks charging you more than you should, doctors that tell you good news so you don't have to bug them anymore. Questioning these people and finding out what has happened to fix it is much more important than following bureaucratic rules.

 

The most common of rulebreakers are for the most common of offensives. Offensives the majority of us can agree to. Though the specific rules don't make much sense other than providing a false sense of security in school, shouldn't exist in the first place.

[SeanyTheSailor]

Didn't read ll the posts but... could they have taken it? Ya. Are they allowed to not give it back? Last time I checked that's called theft. In my school if you accidentally bring a knife and turn it in they give it back to a parent. To not give a laser point back is just stupid.

[sees_all1]

Well, what color was it?

If it was red, I'm sorry you lost a dollar item.

 

If it was green or blue, you're a bonehead for bringing it into school. Lasers are dangerous items because they will blind people if misused. Green, Blue, or Violet more-so than red (with their higher frequency, higher energy).

 

 

They can also be distracting. The idea that a school can take away your stuff for any reason is akin to a students limited freedom of speech, limited privacy on person, and no privacy for lockers.

Don't like it? Get home schooled.

[Guest Mrmegakirby]

I was told that sharpies and whiteout were banned to prevent kids from sniffing them and getting high off it. Pretty stupid imo.

[Giordano]

I was told that sharpies and whiteout were banned to prevent kids from sniffing them and getting high off it. Pretty stupid imo.

My school bans sharpies for graffiti in bathroom stalls. And I guess that's why they ban whiteout. XD

 

All stupid though, course.