Ipod Controversy

[dpc]

bob said:

concerned said:

Does it bother anyone that the girl who lost the ipod was showing off her new ipod. The girl that lost her ipod comes from a single parent home and saved her own money to buy the ipod. It must hurt her to see her exfriend showing off her new ipod on the front page of the paper.

I agree. It was a slap in the face.

Yes it was. At least the girl who loaned the ipod to the irresponsible brat learned a hard lesson about "what is a friend". I feel sad that these girls are starting out their high school years on such a distasteful note. Hopefully, if the leave the adults out of it, they can rise above it all.

[bob]

I just read that Central banned all Ipods during school. Get caught, receive detention.

I totally agree with this policy.

[wvhsparent]

bob said:

I just read that Central banned all Ipods during school. Get caught, receive detention.

I totally agree with this policy.

we talked about this at one of the parent's advisory comittee mtgs at WVHS too.

[EagleDad]

bob said:

I just read that Central banned all Ipods during school. Get caught, receive detention.

I totally agree with this policy.

I'd support it also, there just is no need for these at school, and given the disruptions thay are causing, it seems time.

[proschool]

from the Naperville Sun

iPod suit is not frivolous
There's nothing like a lawsuit over a missing iPod to cause comment all over the world – in the media, on the Internet and undoubtedly at water coolers.


We must plead guilty to being the newspaper that broke this story and nurtured it along while another area newspaper ignored it as unimportant, until the weight of worldwide comment forced it to do otherwise.

In case you've just returned from a vacation on Venus and don't know what this is about, here's a brief synopsis.

Last spring, Shannon Derrick and Stephanie Eick were classmates at Still Middle School in Indian Prairie School District 204.

On the last day of class, Shannon had her iPod with her and Stephanie asked to listen to music on it.

While Shannon was out of the room, Stephanie returned the device to the top of Shannon's unoccupied desk.

When Shannon returned the iPod was gone, presumably stolen by a third party.

After Shannon's mother, Melanie McCarthy, tried unsuccessfully to get the Eicks to reimburse her daughter for the iPod and the iTunes in it, she sued in DuPage County small claims court for the loss plus court costs.

Since that time, a DuPage County judge has thrown out the case but given McCarthy the opportunity to file a more detailed complaint, which she has done, so the case will be heard.

The incident raises issues of personal responsibility, use (or misuse) of the court system, relations among kids and parents and the importance of securing personal property in a school environment.

While this is, indeed, a "small claim," the cost of an iPod to a teenager is a significant amount of money.

And while some may rail that this is the kind of frivolous suit that wastes court time, we would point out that disputes of this nature are why small claims courts exist.

One good thing has happened to date. The principal of Naperville Central High School has banned iPods. Other principals should follow suit.

Kids go to school to learn, not to listen to music.

08/25/06

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I half agree the editors of the Naperville Sun on this one. Small claims courts are established for settling differences just like this one. I think that it is totally appropriate to let the small claims court settle this dispute.

I don't agree with the statement "kids go to school to learn not listen to music." Music is an important part of the curriculum especially in District 204. Our music program is outstanding and music has everything to do with education in District 204.

If a book was stolen I would not support a ban on books. I don't support a ban on ipods either.

The problem is the theft not the ipod.

If I think that my child's listening to music is worth the chance to have an ipod stolen then i will send her to school with an ipod. Thats my decision.

If I am willing to accept the responsibility for a ipod that my daughter borrows then I will not object to her borrowing an ipod.

If my daughter borrows an ipod and it is stolen before she returns it I would replace the ipod.

[EagleDad]

New headline....

"Naperville Sun pleads Guilty!!!!"...details to follow

proschool, I entirely agree with your viewpoint, the problem is that some (many) parents will not take that personal responsibility for the decisions for the decisions they make (allowing their kids to take the device), or the actions their children take (loosing a borrowed iPod).

This in itself is fine, there are a lot of irresponsible people in the world. It is a sad fact of lack of personal responsibility and accountability in the modern world.

I normally would say that out government/SD has no business regulating personal responsibility, but I am torn as in this situation the media distractions and overall embarrasment to our community are unwarranted. I do not want MY kids hearing and dealing with this as they begin a new school year. We are training our children via the media (refraining from the L word here) at a very early age to be overly litigous and shift all responsibilities for anything that happens to them onto others.

[wvhsparent]

proschool said:

from the Naperville Sun

iPod suit is not frivolous
There's nothing like a lawsuit over a missing iPod to cause comment all over the world – in the media, on the Internet and undoubtedly at water coolers.


We must plead guilty to being the newspaper that broke this story and nurtured it along while another area newspaper ignored it as unimportant, until the weight of worldwide comment forced it to do otherwise.

In case you've just returned from a vacation on Venus and don't know what this is about, here's a brief synopsis.

Last spring, Shannon Derrick and Stephanie Eick were classmates at Still Middle School in Indian Prairie School District 204.

On the last day of class, Shannon had her iPod with her and Stephanie asked to listen to music on it.

While Shannon was out of the room, Stephanie returned the device to the top of Shannon's unoccupied desk.

When Shannon returned the iPod was gone, presumably stolen by a third party.

After Shannon's mother, Melanie McCarthy, tried unsuccessfully to get the Eicks to reimburse her daughter for the iPod and the iTunes in it, she sued in DuPage County small claims court for the loss plus court costs.

Since that time, a DuPage County judge has thrown out the case but given McCarthy the opportunity to file a more detailed complaint, which she has done, so the case will be heard.

The incident raises issues of personal responsibility, use (or misuse) of the court system, relations among kids and parents and the importance of securing personal property in a school environment.

While this is, indeed, a "small claim," the cost of an iPod to a teenager is a significant amount of money.

And while some may rail that this is the kind of frivolous suit that wastes court time, we would point out that disputes of this nature are why small claims courts exist.

One good thing has happened to date. The principal of Naperville Central High School has banned iPods. Other principals should follow suit.

Kids go to school to learn, not to listen to music.

08/25/06

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



I half agree the editors of the Naperville Sun on this one. Small claims courts are established for settling differences just like this one. I think that it is totally appropriate to let the small claims court settle this dispute.

I don't agree with the statement "kids go to school to learn not listen to music." Music is an important part of the curriculum especially in District 204. Our music program is outstanding and music has everything to do with education in District 204.

If a book was stolen I would not support a ban on books. I don't support a ban on ipods either.

The problem is the theft not the ipod.

If I think that my child's listening to music is worth the chance to have an ipod stolen then i will send her to school with an ipod. Thats my decision.

If I am willing to accept the responsibility for a ipod that my daughter borrows then I will not object to her borrowing an ipod.

If my daughter borrows an ipod and it is stolen before she returns it I would replace the ipod.

I agree with you here PS. I just want to clarify something...again it's all up to the interpretation one puts to it. when the EDs of the Sune refer to music...I think of Brittany Spears/pop artisit of the day etc. (or in my case...dating myself...Pink Flyod/Eagles/Led Zepplin), which is not the music one attributes to learning. That's the type of music I think they were referring to. Now if you have the latest band pieces in MP3 format or a podcast of a lecture or music for a dance routine ...I am ok with it.....but let's be realistic; that's not what is on the iPods.
the reason for not letting them in school is theft/distraction IMHO.

[Arch]

If there was not an eye-witness who actually saw who took it, one has to basically treat it as if it fell out of her book bag in the hallway.

I think the 'lender' takes the ultimate risk of loss of property by the fact that they brought it in the first place and let it out of their sight.

If someone were to come forward and say "I say So and So put it in her purse", then my opinion would definitely change.

It seems reasonable to believe that since the case got this far, that it would have been returned by now if it really was in the other girl's possession. Not 100% certainty, but a decent chance....just to make it all go away.

Sorry Mom, cheap lesson to learn in life. Let it go and be glad it wasn't your $7,500 diamond ring that they 'lent' out.

[wvhsparent]

PAGING JUDGE JUDY!!!!

[proschool]

Parent: I stiil saying that listening to music is part of the learning experience and that even applies to pop music. I don't have a music background but I do know people who believe that their exposure to music was very important in high school.

ED: I think that the school district is responsible to let parents know that there is a high risk of theft when ipods are taken to school. If the district wants to limit their responsibilty for stolen property, they should mention it in the same letter. After that the decision is with the parents. I think limiting distractions is a valid concern for school districts but I don't think that it applies here. This case is being settled in the courtroom outside of the school.

Arch: I believe that the borrower assumes the risk for something untill he or she returns it properly. It's not our place to teach the lendor a lesson about responsibility. She is learning plenty from her experience of having to sue for it.

[Arch]

proschool said:

Arch: I believe that the borrower assumes the risk for something untill he or she returns it properly. It's not our place to teach the lendor a lesson about responsibility. She is learning plenty from her experience of having to sue for it.

"properly" is open for interpretation.

Yup.. I put it on YOUR desk where YOU should find it upon your return from the bathroom or wherever it was. There should be *SOME* assumption that people shouldn't take something that does not belong to them off of a desk, so I think the grey area here is Does returning something to someone by putting it on THEIR desk show an 'effort' of due care to return something back to someone?

Now, if she left it in the hallway or some community place then I would definitely agree with you... it's the borrower's fault.

[EagleDad]

OK, now it's clear that the girl who lost her iPod, and her mom, Melanie McCarthy are just plain being small-minded, petty, and grabbing all the attention they can, in my book:

www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/news/6_1_NA08_IPOD_S10908.htm

Why wouldn't you take them up on this offer?

Anyone know this Melanie McCarthy's email address? I'd like to let her know what I think.

[mommygator]

Egads! Is this what our self-driven "me" society has come too? Honestly, this sue, sue sue, mentality in our nation must stop. People take responsibility for your actions and move on.

[proschool]

eagledad said:

OK, now it's clear that the girl who lost her iPod, and her mom, Melanie McCarthy are just plain being small-minded, petty, and grabbing all the attention they can, in my book:

www.suburbanchicagonews.com/sunpub/naper/news/6_1_NA08_IPOD_S10908.htm

Why wouldn't you take them up on this offer?

Anyone know this Melanie McCarthy's email address? I'd like to let her know what I think.

I disagree. If Shannon were my daughter I would support her efforts to have her property returned to her. I would not allow her to accept an expensive gift from a stranger.

I don't know what was in that letter that was attached to the ipod but it is obvious to me that there was more to it than meets the eye. Afterall if the stranger just wanted to see everything come to an end he or she could have made a gift to Stephanie and her parents so that they can make good on their own responsibilities.

If Melanie is out there maybe she can participate in our board. The Sun won't comment on the contents of the letters or the donor (I think that they should have left it at that and not printed the story either). But Shannon and her mother are free to participate in this board.

[EagleDad]

I'm glad the Sun published the story. It speaks volumes on the motivation behind the continuation of the suit.

It appears as an outsider that the only reason the suit is being pursued is to publicly punish Stephanie Eick. Don't get me wrong, when I first saw the story, I would have expected the Eick parents to take responsibility. I still think they should, but I don't understand why this offer was not accepted.