To the editor:

I am writing concerning the Union County School Board. This recent cell phone news has gotten my attention.

I agree that NO student should use a cell phone at school, not even during lunch breaks. If there an emergency arises and the student needs to use the phone, they should be allowed to go to the teacher, or the office and use their phones. This would allow monitoring of the use to enure no abuse of the emergency use rule. I do, however, feel that students should be allowed to have their phones on and all volume/vibrations turned off. Phones are used by parents to keep track of where their children are. I feel strongly that the way society is today, we need every edge in knowing the whereabouts of our children.

My child is not yet in high shcool, but he does have a cell phone. He is not really interestd in using it at this point, but we do have him carry it for tracking purposes. Not that he is away from us very often at all, but in the event he were to be taken by someone else, until that phone was found; we could find out where he is. This could be done simply by the tracking device.

We are living in violent, unpredictable times; we need to use any technology available to assist us in attempting to keep our children safe. If they are taken, we need as much help in finding them as possible.

I don't feel the school board has the right to take away as valuable a tool as the cell phone. They are, in some cases, being carried for the benefit of the parent. Rules should be put in place concerning the cell phone at school. I feel that no use is not unacceptable. They are there to learn. If an emergency arises, if using the cell phone is prefered, the student must place his/her call in the presence of a teacher/staff member. Rules are great when they don't take away rights. Taking away the cell phone completely would be taking rights from the parent.

I do not feel if the rules set forth are broken, the phone should be taken for the remainder of the year. This is costing the parents money monthly. If the student does not follow the rules; then he/she may be separated from other students and not allowed the previledge of bringing the phone to school at all.

There should be rules and consequences for breaking those rules. Taking rights from everyone is not the answer.

Stacie Sorrow

Buffalo