Legally is my principe allowed to do this?

Question

At my school we are not aloud to use cell phones but there have been a couple of incidents where my principle confiscates phones because people use them but she opens the phone and searches through everything like text messages , internet history, and call log.....

Legally is she aloud to do this?

Isn't this an invasion of privacy?

Also i have a screen lock on my phone and she asked me to unlock ..but what if i said no would i get in trouble?

Oh also im in 7th grade living in austin,texas if that helps at all.

1 day ago - 2 days left to answer

Answer 1

Minors have NO rights.....for the safety of the other students, and faculity, you are obligated to allow this....and PLEASE learn to SPELL....   PrinciPAL is the correct spelling. If you want to be taken seriously, ask and spell correctly!!!!!

Answer 2

Yes she is allowed* to do this. [They can check all calls/text messages, it happens throughout the country and no lawsuits yet]

When you are at school there is no "right to privacy" It sucks but that's how it is.

They have a policy against cell phones and will look through them to make sure nothing serious is on them (Or thats the excuse they may use)

However, you do NOT have to unlock it for the principal.  Always refuse. Let your parents deal with them if she threatens you further.

Its smart to have a screen lock.

Answer 3

honestly I don't think that is legal I live in WI and I have my phone confiscated before but never looked through  

Answer 4

Yep. It is illegal. Same applies to company phones that the company pays for. They are allowed to keep track of how many minutes you use and how many times you called, but are not allowed to monitor the contents of the phone.

But you are not a business. Unless you all signed a waiver (which I doubt) allowing school personnel to monitor your cell phones, notify the school district. Of course, you will remain anonymous because of your age, so no need to worry.

Just to speed up the process, I would refuse to unlock my phone when the principal asks. Tell her to take you to her office so you can make a phone call to the district office and ask is it legal for school personnel to be MONITORING student phone records? If so, which laws are these?

If the principal gives you any punishment for doing so, serve the punishment and report it to the school district. The more dirt you can get on your principal, the more trouble she will be in.

Pompous power hungry people like your principal deserve to be in major trouble.

Answer 5

i say NOT! your nosy principle should be replaced.

Answer 6

I'm unsure of the legality of browsing through someone else's phone.  If you're very concerned, you could bring this matter up with your parents and see if they'd be interested in getting legal advice from an attorney.

I really don't mean to sound rude and unsympathetic, but there's a simple solution:  Don't bring your cellphone to school.  If you really have to (there's a family situation, etc) keep it on vibrate in your pocket.  Give your principle NO REASON to confiscate your cellphone, and you wont find yourself in a situation where your private conversations are being discussed in the teacher's lounge.

Answer 7

Your age is not a factor. It is one thing to confiscate a phone, it is another to browse through your phone. This is a serious invasion of privacy, and no they don't have the right to do it without a good reason.

Answer 8

Most likely the old coot is trying to find proof that you used it during school hours so to punish you even more. I know you said you cant use them but are you allowed to bring them into the school itself? Here in NYC you cant, so they do take them, but I have never seen them go thru personal stuff.

Next time it happens just tell her thats you personal info that you dont want or have to share......Or you could just stab the *****. Giggety

Answer 9

When you are at school, the school administrators are acting "in loco parentis." They are allowed to make some decisions for you the same way your parents would, as your parents are not there.

In the case of illegal activities on school grounds, the principal is even allowed to waive your Miranda rights.

As your parents are allowed to snoop through your cell phone, your locker, or your book bag in an effort to keep you safe, your principal is also allowed to do so.

You would likely get in trouble if you refused to unlock your phone. Look up the penalties for insubordination at your school. They are what you would be facing.

Answer 10

  no she cant get any type of info/ from you phone .if this happens to you and your phone is locked and she ask you to unlock it .tell her to go pound sand . its your privacy rights. good luck

Answer 11

if the rules are stated as no cell phones or else they will be confiscated, then they have the right to take it away,

however, she is not allowed to search through anything, make phone calls  nor ASK TO UNLOCK YOUR PHONE.

if you said no, no harm would be nor can be done to you.

Answer 12

yes it is illegal

Taking your phone is one thing but looking through your stuff to be nosy is another matter.

this should be told to your parents and they should then ask the principal why she feels this is appropriate behavior for her to do this an invade her students privacy.