The issue of cell phones in school represents a contentious issue debated across the nation. As cell phones become more and more common, schools must determine how to deal with cell phone use in school.
Many people believe cell phones make schools less safe and less effective. Opponents of allowing cell phones in school argue that cell phones create a distraction, facilitate cheating and do not necessarily improve student safety.
Creating a Classroom Distraction
Opponents of cell phones in schools contend that cell phones create a distraction in the classroom. Students may text their friends, play games or browse the Internet instead of paying attention in class. In addition, cell phones that ring or vibrate in class disturb everyone. Cell phones in school may therefore hinder student learning.
Helping Students Cheat
Cell phones can facilitate cheating on tests, quizzes, in-class essays and other assignments. For example, students in a class may silently text each other the answers.
Students whose phones have Internet access may look up answers on the Internet. Students may also use the calculator function on their cell phone to compute math problems or may store information as a "cheat sheet" in their phone.
Cell Phones May Not Improve School Safety
Opponents of cell phones in schools believe cell phones do not improve school safety. For example, in the event of an emergency, cell phone signals can become jammed if everyone attempts to contact people at once, which can make it difficult for teachers to contact the authorities.
If students do successfully contact their parents, parents may all rush to the scene, which can conflict with evacuations or other responses. Cell phones can also facilitate the spreading of rumors during emergency situations.
In addition, cell phones are sometimes used to call in bomb threats or other threats, which students may do in order to evade a test. These calls often are untraceable. Cell phones can also be used to detonate real bombs.
Possible Health Risks
Scientific evidence is still unclear whether there are long-term health effects from frequent cell phone use. Children are more susceptible to most environmental dangers, since they are smaller and still growing.
If cell phone use does involve health dangers, allowing kids to use cell phones in schools could endanger their health.
Cell Phones in School
Schools and other institutions inevitably change with advancing technology, such as cell phones, computers, the Internet and digital books. Schools must examine the benefits and drawbacks of allowing cell phones in school and consider the methods of enforcing their decision.
More Information
National School Safety and Security Services: Cell Phone and Pager Issues
Public School Review: Should Public Schools Ban Cell Phones?
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Rebekah Richards - Rebekah Richards has published fiction and nonfiction in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Brandeis Law Journal, Where the Children Play, ...
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