Rule Breaking is OK, or Not

Will Richardson, in his blog, weblogg-ed tells a story of a student in in-school suspension. This student, while under suspension, texted a teacher for help on homework. School policy says no cell phones in school. The story as told:

She was checking her email and received this message from one of her students. It read: “Hi Mrs. Smith. This is John. I had a question about the Hamlet homework you assigned. I am texting you from my cell phone in [in-school suspension].”

The school has a simple cell phone policy: “No cell phones or text messaging during class.” The policy holds true when you are in [in-school suspension] because it is on school grounds. You are in [in-school suspension] to do school work, that is it; no socializing, no talking, no sleeping, no listening to I-pods, and no texting.

The student received 2 extra days of in-school for violating school policy, and for refusing to give up his phone.

Here are my questions:

1. Is it OK to violate school policy if you have a good reason?

2. Did the student really want help, or was he just pretending, just to break school rules?

3. If the student really wanted help, couldn't he have just asked to in-school monitor?

4. Should the teacher have just helped the student (and then violated policy herself)?

5. Should teachers not follow the rules, if it will help a student?

6. Should a parent encourage rule breaking if their son is in the right?

Lots of questions, no sure answers. Your thoughts?

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