By Abby McGinn and Anjali Arigela
Should WHS Allow Cell Phones in Class?
Earlier this year, Westborough High School started to allow students to have access to their cell phones during break and lunch. Now people wonder why they still can’t use cell phones in class. Smartphones can be used for more than social media, they can be used as an academic tool. However, any type of cell phone can be considered a distraction in class, too. These positives and negatives of cell phones in school should be considered in determining whether or not cell phones should be able to access in class.
The Positives of Cell Phone Use in School:
Cell phones are a necessity in this day and age. Many teachers don’t take into consideration that students need to stay in touch with their parents in case of schedule changes or emergency contacts. An example of why students need more access to phones the bomb evacuation at WHS last year. During the evacuation, students were outside for an hour with parents aware only by email about what was going on; but they did not know if their children were okay because they didn’t want to get in trouble taking their phone outside with them. This event left parents panicking that nobody was answering phone calls or texts, and students who did bring their phones outside ended up passing them around for others to let their parents know that they were okay. According to a Pew Center study published last year, 48% of parents monitor their child’s location with their phones. Cell phones are not just a safety precaution, they can also be a useful tool. The Pew study also said that 73% of advanced placement and national writing project teachers allow their students to use their cellphones as a tool in the classroom. Natalie Milman, a George Washington University education technology professor responded enthusiastically to the change of allowing cell phone use in classes. “With mobile apps and the internet at their fingertips, teachers and students are now using phones and clickers to answer questions, providing feedback on student progress, and also document labs, collaborate on group projects, and capture teachers’ notes.” Teachers and administrators know that students bring their phones with them to school daily, so why not take advantage of the 21st century technology and encourage students to use them? No, that doesn’t mean let them text each other from across the room during a test, obliviously there should be limits, but smartphones can be used for a calculator, calendar to replace daily homework planners, online textbooks, educational videos, internet, and can be used to learn more about financial education. This type of technology is in every student at Westborough High School’s back pocket, and instead of discouraging them, it should encourage the use of them in classrooms.
The Negatives of Cell Phone Use in School:
Cell phones are not allowed to be used in certain times in the day for a reason. Cell phones are considered to be very big distractions such as; texting making calls, interference with other students’ concentration, affecting academic performance,etc. Cell phones in school could also be used in wrong or illegal activities. Thefts, drug deals, taking pictures and uploading videos in a wrong way, and cheating can all be done on cell phones. Social problems, hierarchy, jealousy, ragging, and thefts can be a result in cell phones in school, also.
The National School Safety and Security Offices(NSSSO) said, “We have opposed policies allowing or encouraging students to have cell phones and pagers in school. On a day-to-day basis, they are disruptive to the educational environment. This also has been the general position of many school districts over the years.” The NSSSO states that cellphones are commonly mistaken as a safety precaution when they are most often times used as a prank such as the false alarm of a bomb threat. Also, the vibrations of cellphones in class, although it might be a mistake is still a major distraction not only for the other students, but also for the teacher. As the cellphone vibrates, it causes an interruption in the students’ focus, therefore leading to the teacher having to dismiss of the problem in the middle of class.
With the help of a smart phone, bullies can harass students at any time during the school day. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, when cellphones are allowed in school, it is almost as if the school is encouraging bullies to send awful messages to students all day. Social networking sites can be accessed at any time during the school day if cellphones are allowed and this could be the perfect opportunity for a bully to upload nasty comments. The children’s safety is what is most important for any school and a simple device such has a cell phone could jeopardize their security, so why risk anything? For these reasons, some schools have limited the use of cellphones in school and other schools have even banned cell phones altogether.
Conclusion:
In general, the overall percentage of students in school chose a side in this topic. It is unclear whether the students know about all of the positives and negatives about the issue , however both sides are important. Cell phones are amazing resources, however can easily be a major distraction, and, cell phones might cause distraction, but are amazing tools, are two arguments that should be considered when addressing the topic of whether or not students should be allowed to use cell phones during classes in the Westborough High School. 74% of students prefer to have cellphones in school and 26% of students say cell phones should not be allowed in schools. Whether the statistics are increasing or decreasing, the choice is up to you.
Works Cited
Higgins, Josh. “More Schools Allowing Students to Bring Smart Phones, Tablets to the
Classroom.” USA Today. Gannett, 07 Aug. 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2014. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2013/08/07/views-shift-on-cell-phones-in-school
Madden, Mary. “Teens and Technology 2013.” (n.d.): n. pag. Pew Research Centers Internet
American Life Project RSS. 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.
Marqueses, Vier. “Cell Phones at School: A Need or a Hazard? – ECycle Best Blog.” ECycle Best Blog. ECycle Best, 10 Dec. 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.
http://www.ecyclebest.com/blog/features/cellphones-at-school-a-need-or-a-hazard
“Putnam County CUSD 535 – The Pros and Cons of Having Cell Phones in High Schools.” Putnam County CUSD 535 – The Pros and Cons of Having Cell Phones in High Schools. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.
http://www.pcschools535.org/vnews/display.v/ART/4e6037d2467b9
“Should Cell Phones Be Allowed in School?” The Premier Online Debate Website. Debate.org, 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-cell-phone-use-be-allowed-in-schools
Zhelilova, Sanira. “BANNING CELL PHONES IN SCHOOL.” Academia.edu. Academia.edu, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.
http://www.academia.edu/5161349/BANNING_CELL_PHONES_IN_SCHOOL
Olivia Arnold • Dec 1, 2014 at 5:28 pm
I love how you integrated the facts to support what you were saying. Personally I do believe cellphones are not needed during class because they would be a distraction. Also, most students in the school took their phones with them outside during the situation last year. Those who didn’t could have called their parents easily by borrowing someone else’s phone. That is the only thing I disagree with but overall I think this is really well-written.
Laurie Brown • Nov 12, 2014 at 1:42 pm
This article does a good job examining various pros and cons of the issue regarding cell phone use in school. I allow my students to use cell phones occasionally during class when it suits a valid educational purpose. I have found that WHS students generally keep their cell phones away and silenced during class and are respectful of school cell phone guidelines.
Todd Ryan • Nov 5, 2014 at 6:09 pm
As our new policy was explained to me, teachers get to determine whether a cell phone can be used in class or not. As long as the phone has a valid educational use (according to the teacher), I believe we can allow students to have them. I have had a couple of times during this year already that I’ve allowed them to be used.