1. Cell phones in schools
As cellular technology develops, some social debates erupt. It’s been in the news for some
time now and parents and children are protesting against it: the ban on cellular phones in schools.
How should the matter of cell phones in schools be handled?
Cellular phones in schools are a problem. Students are using them a lot and most of them
couldn’t imagine living without a cellular phone. This brings the following issues:
The Bad
1. Cell phones are a distraction – The students use short message service (SMS) and not
everyone remember to turn off their phone during class.
2. Cheating – Students can share information during exams. They can also store any
information they want on their cellular phone.
3. Invasion of privacy – Camera phones are very popular, and they are sometimes used in an
inappropriate way in schools, for example in bathrooms.
4. Harassment – Text messaging is used as a form of harrasment or bullying.
5. Stealing – Mobile phones are usually worth over $100 and not every family can afford to buy
one for their children. These two factors often lead to cell phone theft.
One could argue that cheating has always been and will always be and that and bullying existed
before cell phones came to schools. Cell phones only emphasize existing issues.
The Good
1. Feeling of security – Knowing that your children are reachable anytime is quite reassuring for
a parent, especially after events such as the Columbine shooting and the September 11th
tragedy.
2. It brings families together – Families don’t seem to have much time to spend together
anymore. With overtime and after-school activities, having the ability to communicate with
any one of your family member helps bringing families together.
3. Cellphones are convenient – Everybody is more busy nowadays. Students are involved in
activities after school, and practices and meeting time tend to vary a lot. It is very
convenient for a student who does not have access to public transportation to call their
parents for a ride when they need one.
Again, one could say that parents should trust the school’s representatives with their children’s
safety and that families should try to spend more time together instead of having to talk over
electromagnetic waves.Yes, you can still live on without a cell phone.
Most students use their phone responsibly. Instead of enforcing a ban, teach them how to use
their mobile phone in society. That way, when they get out of school, they will be more aware of the
people around them when they make or receive phone calls. I bet they will behave better than 75%
of the adults with cell phones out there.
New technologies are a part of our lives, and responsible use should be learned in school.
