By Paul Silli
It’s a real debate among students, teachers, administrators, and many parents…
Some say YES!
What if there’s an emergency? A child could easily use one of the office phones, but still! What if the student forgot that he/she had an after-school program to attend, and the offices were closed or the phone was occupied? Most students have trouble contacting their parent(s). Parents often get worried, and the school phone maybe unavailable. Then what do ya do?
Some say NO!
If a child has a cell phone they should be allowed to take it to school but then when they get there it could be collected, and when they leave it would be returned to them. Many teachers and faculty don’t agree with this system. It could cause a big mess… For example, what if the phone gets damaged, lost or stolen? Would the school district have to pay for the phone? Ouch! That could get costly! School Offices can be contacted if you need to get hold of your child urgently, or if your child needs to contact you. Unfortunately, you only have to look at websites like You-Tube.com to see what kids are actually doing with their mobile phones while at school (and they ain’t calling their parents). Students use their cell phones to play games, listen to MP3 music, text message each other (a big one), and even access the Internet, among other things. Keep in mind that our kids are supposed to be learning at school. Right? Can cell phones somehow be used as a learning-tool for teachers? Hm…
Also, sadly there is a new source of bullying, in that if a student does not have the “popular type” of cell phone or one of the fancy features, he or she can can often be looked down on by their peers. Mobile phones have definitely become a status symbol for young people.
What do you think? Please add your comments.
May 14, 2008 at UTC0205UTC p20081431UTC14:
I believe that a blanket ban on cellphones in schools is a shortsighted policy that reduces opportunities for learning and development. The extensive media and informational capabilities of mobile phones makes then ideal for learner-creation of media for learning and recall (e.g. making a video of a science lab experiment), for storing and sharing resources and ideas, and for organisation and planning of learning tasks (e.g. in the phone’s calendar function or a specialist application).
There are certainly opportunities for abuse; but such opportunities exist in myriad forms throughout a school environment. The opportunity to abuse computer or internet resources does not, however, preclude their presence in schools; paper can be turned into paper aeroplanes or spitballs, and bullying can be done in a hundred different ways that does not involve a mobile phone.
Rather than banning cellphones in schools, the emphasis should be on the appropriate use of cellphones, just as it is on the appropriate use of computers or paper. Certain *behaviours* -such as bullying- should be punishable, but these behaviours should be punishable whether they occur via cellphone or in the otherwise: harrassment, being distracted in class, or cheating for example. The cellphones may be a medium for some such behaviours, but those behaviours have been around long before cellphones, and it is those that need to be controlled, not the phones themselves which can (and should) be used for positive activities and learning opportunities.
May 15, 2009 at UTC4305UTC p20093331UTC15:
i think cell phone’s should be aloud in school what if somthing happens and the child forgets there home phone number or parents cell
May 14, 2008 at UTC3505UTC p20084231UTC14:
Sorry I think the complete opposite, and the cell phones if taken to school should be taken from them, and then returned when leaving school.
May 5, 2009 at UTC5505UTC p20090731UTC05:
you are a wonderful blog writer, and I agree with everything you mentioned here. Please take away my cell phone priviledges. Gosh, this site is excellent. keep it up.
May 16, 2008 at UTC0705UTC p20084131UTC16:
I agree with you that a blacket ban on cell phones would not be beneficial. I have even used cell phones within my lesson plans to offer my students a techie method of teaching which turned out pretty well. However, some schools I have visited actually allow kids (teenies) to use their cell phones while they are walking to their next class in the hallways. I DO NOT think this should occur! Many students get into verbal fights and miss class or are late because they are distracted by the phone conversation. These kids are not in college and are still the responsibility of the school teachers and administrators. Cell phones should only be allowed for emergency use. Kids do not need them while they are walking to their next class. Cell phones are still a luxury item that are not essential to learning. Unless, you use them within a lesson activity. I have to admit though, if I were a teen, I would want to use them all the time as well.
May 17, 2008 at UTC2805UTC p20080831UTC17:
In Panama where I teach, people live by their cell phones. Banning cell phones would just mean more work for the staff. Collecting telephones would just mean more work for the staff. We literally have had students use their cellphones in an emergency–for example, when the school received a bomb threat, parents were easily able to be contacted through their own students. Homeroom teachers only had the secretary make phone calls if their homeroom students expressed that they couldn’t get in touch with their parents. As a result, we had a very quick response time to getting kids out of the area and in their own homes. We have a basic rule: You can bring it, but we can’t see it or hear it during classes or in the hallways. This rule is harder to enforce when the students are hanging out in the lunch area, but usually they are using their phones to text or use the calculator, not to cut themselves off from their peers. Cell phones are confiscated if they are heard or seen in class and students are fined from the office before they can get the phones back. That is a pretty good deterrant for misuse, in my opinion. In our country, it is the parents themselves who buy the cellphone for their kids for safety purposes. They actually tell their kids to bring the cellphones in case they need a ride after school or in case they have some kind of event such as detention or a makeup test.
May 19, 2008 at UTC1405UTC p20083431UTC19:
Wow! I welcome my visitor from Panama. Great. Nice to meet you here… Your explanation to keep cell phones among the kids is worthy. I understand fire & bomb threat issues. My school had our students (1,600 middle) use their phones one day to call their parents to pick them up at the curb when we had a bomb threat. It worked out well. The only problem I see is many kids are just too immature to use them wisely. They often take advantage of the “If we don’t see it” the phone is okay rule. Many of our administrators are bogged-down by the pressures of having to enforce the rule… and it takes up a lot of their time. I know cell phones have a use, I just don’t see a perfect solution to the problem of our kids abusing the priviledge of having them. And as I mentioned, some high schools in my district actually let students use them in the hallways. It’s sad how many kids are late or avoid class totally because they were talking on the phone. Oh well… technology has its ups and downs.
September 19, 2008 at UTC4209UTC p20082630UTC19:
i like your site. thanks much! Good stories.
October 16, 2008 at UTC1410UTC p20082031UTC16:
i think mobile phones should be allowed in school not so that kids can play with them but because mobile phones can help kids with there education if they dont have a calculator they can just use there phones and teachers should trust us.
October 16, 2008 at UTC3510UTC p20081331UTC16:
I agree that cellphones should be allowed as a “tool” in schools…However, just remember, to ask for trust from your teachers & administrators who run your school, you must first EARN THAT TRUST. Think about it. If you use your phone for games, music, and messing-around at school when you are not supposed to, trust will not be earned.
November 10, 2008 at UTC5511UTC p20082630UTC10:
my class is doing a debate on this so this info has helped me heaps thanks who eva wrote it i thnk that cell phones shall NOT be used in the school times of 8.30am – 3.00pm
yours truly Quad babe!
November 28, 2008 at UTC1211UTC p20082430UTC28:
I argee with you to because I use to run home and my parent would ask me why i’m home at this hour so i can’t get my teacher to go to my house and tell my parent that the was a fire or bomb threat.
November 28, 2008 at UTC3111UTC p20081530UTC28:
I just don’t know about this… hm
December 27, 2008 at UTC1312UTC p20083631UTC27:
I agree with gatorball.
I am in middle school
and kids should be allowed
to bring cell phones to school!
It is very unfair, and
sometimes, there is an acual emergency! You never know if someone ct of the phone line, and
December 27, 2008 at UTC0912UTC p20083731UTC27:
You rock! Thanks for the comment. And yes, you never know when you will need it.
January 6, 2009 at UTC5101UTC p20095631UTC06:
cell phones shoukld be allowed at school because of they need to go home they can call
January 19, 2009 at UTC5401UTC p20092431UTC19:
I think, they should NOT be allowed in school. They cause a distraction between the students they send text messages to each other, listen to music while teacher is teaching, I think if the students want to bring it so they should give it to the principal or the vice principal (if they have an emergency only) so I think it should be brought and not.
THANKS
Take Care
January 19, 2009 at UTC5601UTC p20093631UTC19:
February 4, 2009 at UTC5902UTC p20093428UTC04:
yes cell phone are sweet…..
February 5, 2009 at UTC2902UTC p20091928UTC05:
Thanx for the help…
Cell phones should be banned in schools.
February 6, 2009 at UTC0202UTC p20094528UTC06:
Thanks for the input people. We all have different outlooks here about this.
February 8, 2009 at UTC5002UTC p20094628UTC08:
Yea your right, thanks for the information. Cell phones should be band. lol
March 2, 2009 at UTC1903UTC p20094531UTC02:
do you think that kids should bring cells phones to schools? what is your opinion??????????????
March 2, 2009 at UTC2703UTC p20094631UTC02:
tell me why becuse if there’s an emergrcy would you allowd you kids to bring cell phone’s to school
March 2, 2009 at UTC2903UTC p20093931UTC02:
i am in elementary school
and i say yes!
hello
March 3, 2009 at UTC4603UTC p20093031UTC03:
luv u
March 5, 2009 at UTC1303UTC p20090131UTC05:
do think that kids should bring cell phones to school.
March 5, 2009 at UTC3003UTC p20093831UTC05:
Yes, but if they are miss used by students they should be taken away and not returned until the end of the day. I think cell phones are great technology for students & teachers; however, they can not be abused while in the classroom (for example, be a disturbance).
March 5, 2009 at UTC1803UTC p20091631UTC05:
should the kids moms let them bring cell phones to school
March 5, 2009 at UTC4203UTC p20094431UTC05:
you will never now when you need it.
March 9, 2009 at UTC3003UTC p20090731UTC09:
i like the story thanks for the infomation
March 10, 2009 at UTC5703UTC p20091931UTC10:
Thanks. I am glad it was helpful.
March 12, 2009 at UTC2203UTC p20092031UTC12:
I love your story. I agree with everything you said here.
March 26, 2009 at UTC5703UTC p20091731UTC26:
i am agree.i spoken verry badly english and i am 71 year.student should not allowed theyer phones at skolan…varje varje varje kvälll…….hoppas vi sees på veckoslutet….
March 26, 2009 at UTC0003UTC p20095631UTC26:
yes i agree.children should not use cell phone middle of the lesson.
March 26, 2009 at UTC0203UTC p20095231UTC26:
NO
Teenagers today are addicted to this innocuous little box of wires, computer chips and buttons. Just try and take one away from a teenager for any length of time! There is a removal process, stages of removal, withdrawal if you will. These little cell phones are the new drug of choice for teens of today.
In the particular school that I teach at, cell phones – just this year – have been banned from usage, even in the parking lot as you are leaving school for the day. Bravo I say! But the big loophole in this new rule is that the school has not banned cell phones from campus. You can still carry them, just don’t use them? what?! This is much like a rehab clinic telling a meth addict “oh sure you can CARRY the meth around in your pocket, but just don’t use it” How redundant.
On a regular basis, meaning several times a day, I witness students pulling out their cell phones, looking right then left under veiled eyes and then quickly, thumbs flying, get off a text message. It happens on precious class time, lunch time, go sit in your car and pretend you are getting your home work time, run to the bathroom time, you name it. If this is not a serious distraction at the very least, or a serious addiction I don’t know what is.
There is ABSOLUTELY no real NEED for a student to carry a cell phone for the 6-7 hours that they are at school, SUPPOSED to be devoting themselves to the learning process. If there is an emergency at home, the student can be notified very efficiently through the office at school. If there is an emergency at school the parents are notified very effectively, again, through the office.
Cell phones are a major distraction and should be treated as such on campus.
March 26, 2009 at UTC0403UTC p20093331UTC26:
Should children have cell phones at school?
YES
Children should be allowed to have cell phones at school, but they should be switched off during lesson time. It is important for children to be able to contact parents or emergency services if they run into trouble on the journey to or from school. The safety benefits of having a cell phone far outweigh the disadvantages of the possibility of disruption to lessons by a few irresponsible students. It is important for adults to show that they trust children to live up to the expectation of using their phones responsibly. Treating children with positive regard is more likely to bring out good behavior, than depriving children of responsibility on the expectation that they will behave badly.
It is important for children to learn how to keep themselves safe. Parents need to teach their children to tell them where they are, who they are with and what time they will be coming home. Even with the best organization, children will sometimes forget to inform their parents of an after school club or an invitation to a friend’s home for tea. Taking a cell phone to school allows children to contact their parents and let them know if they are going to be late. When children are unable to get in touch, it can put them at risk due to inaccurate assumptions about their whereabouts.
Teachers are allowed to take cell phones to school. If adults are sending out the message that they need their phones in order to keep safe and maintain contact with others outside school, it follows that the needs of children should be recognized in the same way. In many ways, children are more vulnerable than adults and the issue of whether or not children should take cell phones to school highlights a misjudgment of priorities and needs. Teachers set an example to children and they need to be seen to place fair standards upon their own behavior, as well as upon those of the children. Inequalities in the rules on cell phone use in schools could easily be interpreted as inequalities in standards of care.
The potential for children to cause disruption with cell phones during lessons has been overplayed. There are many ways of children causing disruption during class, but the underlying problem usually lies with the nature of the particular child. If a child is going to be disruptive they can do so with the flick of a ruler, talking over the teacher, rattling a window blind etc, etc. Having a cell phone will not make a child disruptive – the need for discipline in class will always remain the same.
Absolutely, unequivocally, resounding NO.
I have the wonderful fortune of working with teenagers all day long in the high school setting. This is what I have witnessed;
Teens have distractions that would boggle the mind these days. Clothing, shoes, boyfriends, peer pressure revolving around drug use, sex, and other questionable activities. Now we have added to that the cell phone. Such a small innocent looking little thing, but, as they say, sometimes dangerous things come in small packages.
NO
Teenagers today are addicted to this innocuous little box of wires, computer chips and buttons. Just try and take one away from a teenager for any length of time! There is a removal process, stages of removal, withdrawal if you will. These little cell phones are the new drug of choice for teens of today.
In the particular school that I teach at, cell phones – just this year – have been banned from usage, even in the parking lot as you are leaving school for the day. Bravo I say! But the big loophole in this new rule is that the school has not banned cell phones from campus. You can still carry them, just don’t use them? what?! This is much like a rehab clinic telling a meth addict “oh sure you can CARRY the meth around in your pocket, but just don’t use it” How redundant.
On a regular basis, meaning several times a day, I witness students pulling out their cell phones, looking right then left under veiled eyes and then quickly, thumbs flying, get off a text message. It happens on precious class time, lunch time, go sit in your car and pretend you are getting your home work time, run to the bathroom time, you name it. If this is not a serious distraction at the very least, or a serious addiction I don’t know what is.
There is ABSOLUTELY no real NEED for a student to carry a cell phone for the 6-7 hours that they are at school, SUPPOSED to be devoting themselves to the learning process. If there is an emergency at home, the student can be notified very efficiently through the office at school. If there is an emergency at school the parents are notified very effectively, again, through the office.
Cell phones are a major distraction and should be treated as such on campus.
March 31, 2009 at UTC0503UTC p20092531UTC31:
i think that students should be alowed to bring cell phones to school because it is importanat to let them use it imagen you were at the school in mahatan the day the twin towers were exploded the office phones would be ringing off the hook how would the kids contact the parents
May 4, 2009 at UTC1005UTC p20093331UTC04:
I’m a chinese student ,I think our students should not be allowed to bring cellphones to class.As we all kown, the electric wave radiation which is thought to be harmful to users’ brains. what’s more,if we are having a class,the ring of the cellphones may interrupt others.You know,only we keep health can we have a nice life!!!!!!
May 11, 2009 at UTC2505UTC p20095331UTC11:
i think students should be allowed to have there cell phones in class because
May 12, 2009 at UTC5205UTC p20090531UTC12:
this is totaly right im wrighting an essay on it! we should definitly not be allowed to have cell phones in school! it’s a big deal! thanls for the info!
May 18, 2009 at UTC5205UTC p20095331UTC18:
thanks 4 all the opinions..
its very help me in my examination
May 25, 2009 at UTC3905UTC p20091131UTC25:
i’m in elementary school and i always see people texting during class . the teachers don’t see them usually, but if they do they just tell them to turn it off and put it on their desks . they’re not allowed to take it out during recess but as soon as the bell rings for the end of the day, they’re allowed to take it out ..
soo like , im in favour of cell phones at school ?
June 2, 2009 at UTC4606UTC p20094930UTC02:
i was doing a text response on this and when i read the comment that u wrote helped me alot with my txt response so thank uuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.
June 2, 2009 at UTC4706UTC p20095730UTC02:
this site helped me with my txt response so thank uuuuuuuuuuuuuuu