| | | | Should Schools Allow Students to Have Cell Phones? |
By Kristen Houghton
If you ask me if a child should have a cell phone, I will answer yes without any hesitation. I think children today need a cell phone simply for safety sake. There are phone plans and parental restrictions to suit all needs. In today’s world, a cell phone is a necessity for any child old enough to be able to use it in an emergency.
The problem arises when the cell phones are brought to school. Many school districts prohibit their use, even their presence at all times, even during prep periods and lunch. Student handbooks outlaw the possession of a cell phone anywhere on school grounds. Any child with a cell phone can have it confiscated by faculty.
I disagree with this policy. And while I am well aware that many students will use their phones indiscriminately, trying to call or text friends during class or risk having their phones go off in the classroom, I can’t agree with the policy of no cell phones. It isn’t practical.
Specific rules need to be put in place so that phones are silenced and in backpacks during class. Having been a teacher in a high school I know it can be done and done successfully.
Mobile phones are a safety feature in a world that has become unsafe and unfriendly especially to children. How many adults feel safer knowing they have a cell phone in their possession, not simply for talking to friends, but “just in case.” I know I do and have used it more than once to summon help. How much more necessary is for your child to have one on their person “just in case?”
School policies are not always made to benefit all students. The disallowing of cell phones because of misuse by a minority of students is unfair to the majority who would adhere to the rule of no phone use in classes.
As an educator I know that most students would limit their phone use to before and after school, during free periods and for emergency calls. I also know firsthand of two incidents where student use of cell phones was a practical help. When there was a crisis at my school and faculty and students had to exit the building immediately, many students called their parents to let them know they were safe. Another situation concerned a boy’s uncomfortable feeling about a fellow student who had made threats. When the administration dismissed his fears he used his cell phone to call the local police who found a weapon in the locker of the student who had made the threats.
If your child’s school has a policy against cell phones and you object, make an effort to enlist other like-minded parents to join you at board of education meetings and lodge formal protests. Stress the safety factor of having cell phones as your children’s right.
Cell phones are not only convenient, they are one more way to for you to stay connected with your child and know they’re safe.
Post a comment
I think that they should have them - no one can deny the usefullness of the GPS system on them in the event a child is kidnapped, but in the same respect, how do we enforce using them respectfully? My daughter is not allowed to use her phone during school (though it doesn't stop them). The students have all been told to turn them OFF (which I don't agree with) and leave them in their purses/backpacks. I hope that my daughter complies by at least turing all sound off and keeping it shut away, but she has called me on more than one occasion from the girls' room.
My problem with cell phones is what it has been since they started creating them for MORE than making phone calls ... we have had complaints that students are taking pictures of each other in the locker rooms and then posting them on myspace or other pages of the internet ... recording each other's conversations, then using them to start fights ... sending videos of each other through the internet or in messages to other phones ... THAT is ridiculous. I am all for the safety of my child, but not when that safety can be compromised by someone else's need of a phone that can do more than call home ... does that make sense?
dianerene
I agree that children should have cell phones. I also think it is fine to have them in school, with the history of school violence, I for one would like to be able to speak with my child in a school being shot up and know they are ok.
I do not feel children should use them to texted during class, or cheat.
julieb
I think its a great idea for a child to have a mobile in school as long as they have had good directions as to its use. For example its for emergencies and should be on silent during lessons etc.
jonnyjonny_uk
Yes it does, diane. I think that's horrible that they even use them like that. It takes meanness to a new level eh. Maybe the schools need to stipulate that they can only have a BASIC no-frills phone and nothing else. Sure, they might need to buy another one purely for school but that'd only be about twenty bucks for a simple pay-as-you-go one. OR ban them completely. When I was in school, if you needed to call home you could go to the school office and ask to use their phone but you paid for the call and only did so if it was fairly important (like forgetting to say you needed picked up or something).
I read about a kid's watch once that set off the GPS signal inside it if it was removed from their wrist without some kind of special code input or something like that. It also had a high decibel audible alarm too that you couldn't turn off if I remember right. There's nothing stopping parents buying something like that if that's the function they're looking for.
fiery
i think that we should have cell phones because we might need to call our parents in case we get bus left. the teachers have phones so we should be able to have them to.
tay
I think that we should be able to use our cellphones in school because just like you said it can be used for safetty rules. I also think that we should be able to use any other electronic at anytime.
Anonymous
Definitely kids should have cell phones. I agree with Diane that it can be used in the wrong way by some kids but I still think that the benefits outweigh the downsides. The best every parent can do is to make sure their own kid knows how to use the phone for the right purposes.
Ofear
i think that the schools should let their students use their cellphones during school hours. if you agree you should post a comment with this.
kiasa carlton
i think we should be able to have phones to call our parents. the teachers have cell phones and they ring during class. they use theirs during class.
kofi
well in my school, we are doing a debate on weater we should be allowed ti hace cell phones in school or no so my group is aginst it. we had 2 research it and stuff and our pretty convincing1.safety issues like we found students were calling in bomb threts to the schools and also with drug dealing.
In my school, we are allowed to have cellphones just that we can't use them during lessons.
And yes, I do think that teenagers nowadays do need cellphones for communication purposes although having a cellphone at too young a age can be a hazard to their health and is not necessary.
Lukero
i think we shoul because we might need to call home for some very bad reson.
kearstin
Phones should not be banned at school but certainly should in classroom. I was watching a program on cnn last week that featured a company called phonebuster who claim to have developed a specific detector. Not too sure how this would work
Carly
i think dat they shouldn't be band because wat if thre is an emergancy who might hav 2 tell ur parents or if you got lost on the wy hme frm skool u can ring ur mam up and tell her 2 come and pick u up or wat if someone had come in the class wth a gun ur teacher cant fone the police can she, JuST ThInk AbouT It...........
AnOyin Person
HELLS TO THE YEA we should have cell phones cuz there can be a criminal anywhere they can do anything to child ,but if they have a cell phone they can call 911
Ashley
i agree w/u too good job
lizzie
Let's see, when I was young we didn't have cell phones, there were many times I had to run to a payphone in the hallway looking to make an emergency call home or parents job. I had to walk home many times because the bus left me behind, the weather was horrible in NJ, whether it was raining or snow, I had to walk. If I had a phone all it would take is one phone call. During gym class I had an emergency but couldn't do anything about it because I couldn't go out of the class to make a call. If I had a cell phone during all those times, things would have gone much much better for me. So, my response to this cell phone use in class, is YES of course, my kids never had any problems in class because of a cell phone. Our children know when to turn them on, and for those that don't, then just take them away from them until the end of class, PERIOD!
Marylite
I agree with your statement about students having cell phones in school. Because I'm a student myself and I think we should have our cell phones for emergency purposes also. But yes, I really do agree with your statement on students having cell phones @ school.
Sha'von
yes I think we should be allowed to cell phones in scool but not during class only after class and during passing period
wanda
THAT STUPID THAT WE CSNT USE CELL PHONES DURING SCHOOL HOURS.WHAT HAPPENS IF WE ARE GETTIN SICK AND U DONT WANT TO GO TO THE NUSE CUZ U KNOW SHES GOIN TO SEND U BACK.IT WOULD BE BETTER IF YOU WOULD CALL A CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER,CUASE THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND YOU..THAT U R NOY FEELING GOOD!AND WHAT IF THERES A SHOOTING IN OUR SCHOOL...WHAT R U GOIN TO DO?TEXT TO THE COPS!!!THATS JUST F**** STUPID!
GORDITA_619
i think that we should have cell phones.this reason being is because our parents could contact us where ever we are if we have it on.also we could use it for safety as in case if we lose the bus or if we get lost somewhere the town.now you could be able to know that we need cell phones where ever we are except in a theater.:P
william g. r.
Well, I don't know about all that, but I can say this. In my day (and I'm not that old) we never had cell phones and we all did just fine. We used the payphone for emergencies and saw the nurse if we were sick. We only went home if we were dying with something contagious and my mother would have been the first one to send me back if I wasn't that sick. A shooting would be different but how often has that actually happened? Where a student called 911 from their cell for something like that? I think students are [b][i]far[/i][/b] more likely to text, chat and use it for enjoyment as opposed to a life or death emergency.
ChristineB
exactly, I made it through school without a cell phone. I have honestly begun to find my child's use of her cell phone annoying. Her school was on lock down the other day because of a bogus bomb threat made ... she felt the need to call me about every 20 minutes to give me the status/to ask me to come pick her up/to whine ... I told her the first phone call was fine - let me know and I will take action if there needs to be action taken, but the rest were just ridiculous. I LOVE that my daughter chooses to call me and tell me everything that is going on, but sometimes I just wish she would focus.
sorry, it turned into a vent, huh?
dianerene
I also made it through school without a cellphone and managed perfectly well. In my opinion its just an excuse to have another toy to play with. Yes of course they can be useful tools but in the wrong hands they can be a nuisance. If you need to contact someone in an emergency at school im sure there are enough landlines to contact whoever.
jonnyjonny_uk
i Tink that we should because if something happens that you can't get to a phone you can use a cell phone and teachers shouldn't be able to confescate them from us. because they have very usefull programs.
randall
I think that all kids in middle and high school should be allowed to have cellphones in class as long as their not using them DURING CLASS but the should be allowed to in hallways and stuff because teachers do!my teachers text their husbands while their talking! but i agree that they shouldn't be used in locker rooms for privacy purposes of others because sometimes ppl take pics and behind them someone is dressing.
theresa2008
I notice a theme here that most students say yes and most adults say no. Coincidence? Like I have said right along, I grew up without a cell phone and am successul, well rounded and happy...it can be done! lol Nothing should interrupt the school day, and if kids focused on school rather than who called, who may call, who they may text etc. perhaps they would learn a little more and stress a little less. Just a thought....
ChristineB
I totally agree. Lots of people have become totally obsessed with mobile phones and forget we managed perfectly well without them before.
jonnyjonny_uk
They are a distraction for ME, so how can they not be a distraction for a teenager trying to learn?!? I re-agree jonny, lol!
ChristineB
Maybe we should start a campaign Christine? [:(] We seem to feel very strongly about this.
jonnyjonny_uk
Let's do it!!!! [:D]
ChristineB
Ok I'm behind you all the way [:(]
jonnyjonny_uk
I think cellphones should be allowed with limits.
Obviously, they should be on silent during class time, and they shouldn't be texting or anything while in class. That being said, they are a very useful tool, and can be very useful to provide information or contact the necessary authorities in emergencies.
People may have survived without cell phones, but that doesn't make it a valid argument. People survived without cars, should we get rid of those? People survived without the internet, should we get rid of that? People survived without democracy, should we get rid of that? How about human rights?
The sooner we quit trying to go back to the "good ole days", the better. Don't forget that when my parents were growing up, it was ok for a man to beat his wife and kids if they spoke up and racial slurs were acceptable. Does that mean it was good?
Travis
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and add fuel to the arugument that the younger people are saying yay cellphones and the "good ole days" people are saying mostly no to them?
And, when my parents were growing up it was not ok for a man to beat his wife, or beat their kids. Not sure where you're from Travis but as far as I know it's never been ok, or even legal...and racial slurs were not ok back in the day either, not for everyone, and not in my house. Careful with the wide range of generalizations.....it gets trickey when you start speaking for everyone.
ChristineB
I totally agree with moving with the times Travis, but what I'm trying to say is lessons are for studying and not for using mobile phones. Just because we are saying not to use them in school doesn't mean we want to do away with them completely. All the things that have come about through modernisation and technology are very useful in the right place and at the right time and this is what the argument is about. Nobody is talking about doing away with cars, internet or democracy, that would be absurd, but you wouldn't have a car in a pedestrian zone would you? that is the same kind of thing when it comes to mobile phones in class as far as I'm concerned.
As for it being right for a man to beat his wife I'm afraid that is total rubbish. It has NEVER been right to do something like that and never will be.
jonnyjonny_uk
I couldn't have said it better myself. Thats what I was trying to say actually......[:'(]
ChristineB
i think they should let us use our cell phones at school because we can call our friends or our boyfriends,or may be ther's and emergency
maria
i think there should be cell phone at shool because if something had happend you call you mom and let her know what happend.And tely if you are ok so she can come and get you.
elena
again, payphones work great for calling boyfriends, girlfriends, parents etc. even in an emergency. Go figure.
ChristineB
How dare you mention that sacred word payphone Christine [:(]
jonnyjonny_uk
LOL! I assume that we still have them right? Or did they go out with the horse and buggy?
ChristineB
Lol. Now your being silly, of course we still have the horse and buggy; I never leave home without them [:(]
jonnyjonny_uk
hee hee hee. I may be getting back on my soap box but I swear we are raising awfully lazy people. Between video games, remote controls and now kids being too drained to walk to a payphone..I dunno......the future frightens me.
ChristineB
I think to some extent its fine, but kids may get disturbed by cell phones, in case of emergency they can use school phones [&:].
LesFex
I think kids should be able to have cell phones in school because of emergency purposes and for the parents to talk to you during school if there was an emergency or something.
bball_31
christine how many payphones have u seen in ur town whare i live i cant think of 1
chaser
i am a sophomore in high school, and i have a huge problem with the "no cell phone" policy. in my school, i received a detention because my FRIEND used my phone. that's not right. i had it silent in my purse, which is why i did get the detention. the principal said i should keep it in my purse, because i told him i'm paranoid and i'd like to keep it by me, and reassured him i did not use it during class. what if my phone was in my locker and an intruder came into the school, and we had a lock down? (there would be hundreds of worried parents wondering what is going on, if their son/daughter is okay, or if it's just a drill.) i would have no contact with my parents nor the police to make sure they are on their way. i do agree students are using their cell phones for texting in class. there are a few girls in my geometry class whom text all the time, and the teacher doesn't even notice. if you really do want to stop cell phone usage during school, train the teachers to not be so nieve and oblivious. it's that easy.
alyssa
well back in my day we never such fuss about this so called cell phone or pay phone heck we did not even have morris code yet but i was just going to say i think that you people should just get a life because your kids are doing a fine job and they can just use there schools phone but i am going to sadle up my horse and get back to hunting so goodbye all my friends! and remember always keep the safty on ur gun when you are not using it thanks
Daniel Boone
now THAT is funny! Thanks Mr. Boone! [:)] (lol)
ChristineB
this is great totally funny lol but still very interestin
janette
i think that cell phones should be allowed in school because they are an important part in the kids life, they are there for emergancys and everything,..i think they should be allowed,,.:)
colt
It was good but not very good.it should have more information in favour of mobiles
anmol arora
We are 7th grade stundent and are haveing a debate in class if cell phones shoould be used and we think that cell phones should not be alound in school for alot of resons like that kids could be distracted in there work and there grades could slip and they could be to conserd in the text measage the are reciveing instead of the teacher explaining the math promblem on the boerd
M&M
i agree with this article big time
jenny
I've heard that some schools are starting to jam cell phone signals to cut down on texting during class time. I think it is a good policy since the signal can be restored in the event of an emergency. There is a time and place to "play" with your phone, driving and school is NOT that time or place. There is nothing worse than visiting friends and family who keep reaching in their pockets and peck out a few key strokes = brain dead.
Laura
yea me too! cell phones should definately not b banned cuz it is part of many ppl lifes
ashnell
lol, it is definitely affecting the quality of education. I think this last post speaks more than I could ever say!
ChristineB
I agree with ChristineB!!! Sad isn't it.... just "cuz it is part of many ppl lifes", education deteriorates.Laura
Laura
Thanks! [:)]
ChristineB
I think that students should have cell phones in school because what if something were to happen and they can't call anyone....what if they are stuck some where?? whats gonna happen?
WOOP
does anyone else get the feeling this will go on and on and round and round with no end?
ChristineB
I am in school and we're debating whether or not to have cell phones in school. I think not. It's stupid. ur mom.
Wally
i think yes because cell phones can be turned on vibrate and the teachers can check if they would like to make sure they are on vibrate if it gets to out of hand they can leave them in the office or in their lockers just try it.
kellu
Yes Christine I have a feeling this will be debated for a very long time lol. I still can't believe how people feel there life will end without a mobile when everybody functioned fine without them before.
jonnyjonny_uk
To answer that question, yes I think that all kids should be able to have their cell phones at school because soppose and enmergency happens or they leave thire key outside and the shcool phone isn't working then whaat woould they do?
rose ingram
For the record, I think having a cell phone at school is fine.... it is when little children text and call each other during school hours, rather than leaning to SPELL, that I object to. Parents could (and should) monitor their children’s phone usage, and if they find that usage is going on during school hours they should take away that child’s phone privileges OR remove their child from school to stop the cell phone disruptions.
Larua
Remove their child from school? Sounds pretty harsh, no?
ChristineB
im tired of all these old people saying "well in my day, we lived just fine without cell phones". thats crap. schools dont have payphones anymore you old lady! and the world wasnt as dangerous as it is now. you could actually walk down your street and not be worried that your going to get kiddnapped! So What now? I think all kids should have cell phones!
me
LOL! I am in my thirties and can honestly say I have never been called an "old Lady." I am still laughing. I volunteer, substitute teach sometimes and can say without a doubt, that in the inner city school I work at, there ARE payphones, the kids USE them and for the most part they can't afford cell phones. Keep in mind "me" these kids have far less than you apparently and still manage to pull down great grades and function without texting or calling friends.
Perhaps kids with the ability to pre-judge, make generalized comments and insult others should focus more on more fulfilling things, like donating time to inner city kids. Then perhaps you could have the ability to see beyond your narrow views and "crap."
ChristineB
I am a student, and at my school, you are allowed to have them off in your locker.
Jessica
i definetly think they should have them espesially if the school has a history of dangerous students and what not.
krystal
that's a good idea too. That way they're accessible but not in the way.
ChristineB
As a high school teacher, I think that it is fine to allow the students to have the cell phones in their pockets for emergency use, but I also believe that punishment for text messaging at inappropriate times, harassing other students, and using the phones to cheat should be much harsher. I have heard of students arranging parties, setting up buying drugs, harassing each other and sending nude pictures of each other on their cell phones. In instances like this, the schools should be able to take the phone for long periods of time. I would say out of a class of 28, 2/3 of the kids have a cell phone on them at a time. Out of that group, there are probably only 3 or 4 that have problems. If you take the phones away from those students, there are still are good 15 students in a class with a cell phone should there be an in school emergency. The "safety" argument is usually made by the idiots selling drugs and their parents who don't have the will to be a parent and discipline their kids.
Mr. S
[font="times new roman"][size=4]Of course they should! But I think they should keep it in their locker at all times unless emergency! Kids pay money for them and they should be used with that money they paid. Kids are responsible and should be trusted.[/size][/font]
[font="times new roman"][size=4][/size][/font]
[font="times new roman"][size=4]Fairy Princess xoxo[/size][/font]
Fairy Princess
I agree with both of you, unfortunately Fairy Princess sometimes that trust is abused, and sometimes Mr S it isn't given as freely as it should be to those deserving it.
I'm not sure we will ever come to a black & white conclusion and unfortunately it is those few rotten apples that will always spoil the barrel.
ChristineB
i thinkk its good to have cell phones in school for emergencies and sometimes personal issues you may not wana talk about infront of people at the school office, i totally agree :]
courtney
i think students should be allowed to use there cellphones in between classes, and it's not fair to the student that the teachers can use there phones during class ,between classes ,and after class. students should atlest be allowed to use there phones inbetween classes for emergencys.
DarrinB.
except for the fact that the teachers have already graduated (and most from college at a high level) I agree with you...
ChristineB
No.Cell phones are a distraction and a way for dishonest students to cheat. Why are we so important that someone has to be able to reach us 24-7
Tim O. Thee
why is that? let's look at that......
ChristineB
I think we should be able yo use them because teachers can.
cookie
okay, well personaly i would love for every school to have cell phones BUT i don't think it's a good idead..becase of TEXTING-uhg, major problem! even with myself, i can't controll it.
Momo! (:
I don't really get this logic. Students and teachers are not equals and students should not be afforded the right to do anything they want just because the teacher can. Teachers are educated adults at their place of employment, not minor students at school. As a teacher myself I don't think students should have their cell phones in school. I have had many instances where students were texting under the table or even texting in their pocket instead of paying attention to the lesson. As a teacher I don't think I really need one either. If there is a problem at the daycare or with something else I can be contacted through the school office.
Renae
While we are on the subject I just want to say that as a teacher it is very frustrating to see things like ur, IDK, l8, cuz, etc. on a science test. We are trying to teach students english proper english. Texting like that is great there is a place to use those abbreviations but that place is not on school assignments. I have started taking one point off for every single texting abbreviation that appears in one of my essay questions.
Renae
LOL. That is funny! A friend of mine was saying the same thing! She said if someone doesn't know the answer, they'll put IDK.
My daughter just won't stop texting!! I had to take her phone away today. She has been texting all through school. I wanted her to keep the phone in case of emergency. Texting her friends is not what I had in mind.
Lisa
Shame on the school administrations for ever denying children of such a necessary invention. Schools need to realize that they are not the gustopo. Children should definately have cell phones.[X(]
Tawn
Tawn
gustapo? for banning cellphones? I think we sometimes forget the meaning of words and use them carelessly, when in fact, certain words, are not just words and hold a much deeper meaning. That word in particular is a far cry from what you are actually saying, and sad really that you'd use it so casually....
ChristineB
Dear ChristineB: I am so sorry to offend you. You must be a teacher. I only said what I feel. I have seen innocent children get suspended for having a cell phone. Fortunately, my grandson is now in a private homeschool program to avoid these contolling situations. You are certainly entitled to your oppinion. He is ahead of regular students now.
Tawn
sorry, but if the school rule is no cell phones and kids have one, then they are not innocent. I for one have no problems with kids not being allowed cell phones. I think they should have them if there is an emergency, but if the rule is not to have them, then leave it at home. My kids function with or without ... I grew up with out one and had to use a pay phone, my kids can do the same if needed.
The one issue I have with technology of these days is the feeling that it is "necessary". yes, life is a little easier, but in this respect I feel it more convenient, not necessary ... the wheel? sure. Electricity? sure. Cell phones? lol no
dianerene
I agree that cell phones are not necessary and that breaking a rule is breaking a rule whether you agree with that rule or not. Being punished for breaking a rule is necessary. If students were not punished for breaking the rules nobody would follow them. Schools have rules for a reason. Any single parent might think it isn't a big deal for their kid to have a cell phone in class. They don't understand being on the other end and having to monitor 20 kids with phones. There are days I feel like I am the phone police. It is very distracting to the child's education and to the education of everyone around them when they are texting in class. Those parents who think it is ok probably have not sat in on conferences with parents where a boy texted a picture of his genitals to several girls at school. Then the school is being held responsible because it is happening at school. If the phones were at home this would not be the schools problem at all. I am tired of parents letting their kids bend the rules and then holding the teachers and schools responsible when it doesn't go as well as they had planned.
Renae
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