Schools are starting to ban cell phones because they are becoming a big problem for schools, according to studies by KFF, and CBS News. This debate is starting to get more and more popular each day. Educators around the country say, "students are less focused than ever," (Most, 2023). Schools have been looking into banning phones for more than 30 years. In 1989, Maryland passed a law that banned taking pagers and "cellular phones" to school. Students who violate this could face fines and jail time. In the 1990s, more and more students brought their phones to school. Some school districts made bans to remove devices that were distracting in class. After the Columbine and 9/11 attacks, schools decided to unban phones to contact their parent in case there was an emergency. The ban managed to make its return in the 2010s due to popular social media apps like Facebook taking arise. 90% of schools prohibited phone usage during school hours. Some students lived in low-income families. Those who couldn't buy a laptop for school used their phone. This caused some school to rethink their decision. By 2016 only 2/3 of schools had bans which is still a lot. But since then the reason schools want to push the rule further is because of cyberbullying. And the constant use of social media in school has made more schools consider this ban.
Some people think that cell phones should be banned, and some don't think they should be banned. Statistics show that it's the mental health that causes the ban. And because we aren't paying attention to the teacher. The UNESCO report was posted on the Washington Post. "School should ban smartphones. Parents should help." This one quote that stood out to me. "Students need to learn the risks and opportunities that come with technology, develop critical skills, and understand how to live with and without technology," UNESCO said. Unlike them, the U.N. Agency stated that exposure to digital cell phones helps students understand and develop critical parts of emerging technology.
My opinion on this debate is we should have our phones in school. In case an emergency were to happen, our safety is being able to contact our parents from whatever. Cell phones have proven to upgrade a student's academic learning. Phones have tools that are not available to everyone. They can improve the idea of creativity. Those are the reasons I want them to be in school, but in some cases where I would be fine if the schools got rid of phones if we just paid attention to our phones. And not to the teacher giving the lesson. Or if there were cases of cyberbullying being made. And we lose the sense to communicate with each other on one or when we are to be in a group. But we also need to look at our mental health and how it's affected by it or how our attention span is decreasing. Computer scientists who studied attention spans say over the last 20 years we are down to 8 seconds. 20 years ago we used to have an attention span of 2 minutes to around 45 seconds.
Do you think they should ban cell phones?
Should teachers be allowed to take away our phones?
Do you think that students pay more attention to phones than to the teachers?
Sources:
Replies
I agree with you, allowing students to keep them for safety reasons is important, having immediate access to a phone can be crucial for contacting and emergency services if needed.
In my personal oppinion I think cell phones should not be banned becasue if you get a personal call from your parents that is really inportant than you should be able to have your phone. Also If some people cant not be on their phone than you should just punnish that person not the whole class.
I think that call phones shouldnt be banned, instead having steady rules to follow. Simply as being asked to put them away or to not be on them during class. If an emergency were to happen and no one had their phones to contact a loved ones or somebody it would be bad. I think banning them shouldnt be the answer.
Me personally I think that cell phones should not banned inless everyonen is stuggling with staying off them when needed, I think If a person has been asked to stay off there phone mulitple times and still does not, then I think they should get punished themselvs but not have the school ban phones.
I dont think phones should be banned technically, i think personally i better approach at "banning" phone would be using data blockers. So kids can have their phone on their persons so if an emergency were to happen, they could get in thouch with parents.
I don't really think that they should ban cell phones because a lot of kids use those to text their parents or call them when they are in trouble. I think just putting the phones away in a certain place is enough but not fully taking them away. They should pay more attention to the teachers since that is why we are in school.
I think a ban would be a little overkill, but there should still be restrictions on when we can use them. I think that teachers should be allowed to take our phones ONLY if the phone is being a distraction. We should definitly pay more attention to the teacher and not our phones.
I also believe that banning them is too much, but certain restictions on them are useful. That could bring the grades for the student down. Only if we are doing bad in class, teachers should have the right to take it away from them. And paying attention to your phone more than the teacher is really noticable when grading, they can see who is distracted and who isn't .
I feel like cell phones should not be banned, because in emergencys the parents needs to know what happening and if there kids are ok. Teachers should only be allowed to take a students phone away if it has caused trouble more than once. It comes to a certain extent, if the teacher makes the class fun and interactive they will be less likely to want to go on there phones and more on class.
Cell Phones shouldn't be banned unless you're not in class or you don't have anything to do in class. For educational purposes we should put them in a phone socket so we can prevent cheating on tests. So yes teachers are allowed to take our phones away. If the teachers allow phones in class I think the students are more on their phones then listening to the teacher.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
of 5 Next