Singapore parent takes school to court to get kid's iPhone back
Proving to the world that frivolous lawsuits don't only happen in the US.
If you're looking for a textbook example of helicopter parenting, a father in Singapore has stepped up to the plate.
The man sued his son's school over a confiscated Apple iPhone 7 , which he used during school hours in breach of its rules. The phone was to have been confiscated for three months, but the parent wanted it returned immediately. Names were not disclosed to protect the identities of the student and school.
After sending an email and a letter of demand through a law firm and not getting a reply, the parent took the principal of the school to court.
Common sense prevailed, however, and the phone remains in remand. The judge threw out the case after stating that returning the phone would "send a wrong signal to the students that they can use their mobile phones during school hours with impunity, thus rendering the Phone Rule otiose."
In case you're wondering, the word "otiose" means "to serve no practical purpose or result," and I'm betting the judge has been dying to use it in court. For the full judgement -- I warn you it's a lengthy read, due to the inclusion of other cases used as examples to justify the decision -- head here.