Should schools ban cell phones?
April 24th, 2008 by Treena ShapiroI’ve been going nuts because my son has only called me once during the four days he’s been on the East Coast.
It was a good time to hear about a New York judge’s decision not to overturn a 2005 ban on cell phones.
Jacqui Chen wrote about it on Ars Technica yesterday:
Thousands of parents petitioned to have the ban overturned, asking that cell phone use be prohibited but possession of the devices to be allowed in case of emergency. Many argued that their kids had to commute on public transportation and through various parts of the city in order to get to and from school, and that a cell phone was essential to their safety during those times. Some parents even complained that if their kids had access to a cell phone, they could have called for help when being bullied by other children at school.
(New York Supreme Court Judge Angela ) Mazzarelli wrote in her opinion that she sympathizes with these parents, but pointed out several other rulings that shot down their arguments. One court noted that cell phones had only begun to be widely adopted (what ever did they do before?), and that parents and children had adapted their behavior to be dependent upon them, for example. Mazzarelli also noted that the ban does not infringe on parents’ constitutional right to care for their children, because “the right is not absolute and is only afforded constitutional protection in ‘appropriate cases.’”
She noted that cell phones have been used for cheating, sexual harassment, prank calls, and intimidation, and that all of these things threaten order during school hours. She also rejected the suggestion that kids be able to carry cell phones but not use them, pointing out that even adults cannot be trusted to turn their phones off (or on silent) during movies and cultural events. “While the vast majority of public school children are respectful and well-behaved, it was not unreasonable for the Chancellor to recognize that if adults cannot be fully trusted to practice proper cell phone etiquette, then neither can children,” she wrote.
I’m one of those parents who feels more comfortable knowing that my son can call me in an emergency. I don’t want his phone to interfere with his education, but I don’t see what’s wrong with him having his phone – turned off – in his backpack.
Maybe I’m wrong, though. Since I haven’t been able to reach my son on his cell while he’s been gone, I’ve been trying to figure out whether to risk embarrassing him by calling him in the hotel room he’s sharing with three classmates or going even further and asking people who live in Washington, D.C., to track him down and tell him to phone home.
That’s all silliness. I can’t mortify my son just because I miss him.
Still, in my discomfort over his refusal to call or return messages, it’s occurred to me that I have numerous ways to track him down – even all the way across the country – regardless of whether or not he picks up his cell.
We’ve never had a problem when he’s forgotten to take his phone to school with him, a pretty frequent occurrence, so maybe he doesn’t “need” it. I just want him to have it.
I have to admit the arguments for banning cell phones are legitimate. Most of today’s parents survived school without them and there’s no reason to think that things have changed that much.
Kids can still use the phone in the school’s office in an emergency and there’s nothing to stop parents from giving their kids some extra quarters for the pay phone.
Does it make me a “helicopter parent” to want my son to have a phone for extra insurance anyway?
April 24th, 2008 at 1:59 am
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April 24th, 2008 at 6:52 am
At my sons high school, the cell phones are not banned but must be turned off during school hours and can’t even be used for emergencies. If he must use the phone, he’s to go to the office and use the office phone. If I need to contact him for any reason, I call the office and he will get my message.
April 24th, 2008 at 8:35 am
yes, i think the cell phione shoulod either be banned or if a child brings one to school, they should have a secure place to store the phones. i think most schoools have phones in the classrooms or at strategic places. cell phones does interfere with school work.. we did’nt have cell phones back then and your argument would be yah, but everything is different… i feel a cell phone for a child should be a privilege and not a right..
April 24th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I agree that students should have it but not be allowed to use it in class. At this one high school they designate a time the students are able to bring it out. The judge sounded so backwards. While yes, some adults don’t have cell phone etiquette down, this gives us the opportunity to teach our kids cell phone manners. Technology is here, we just need to learn how to use it correctly.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:52 am
i think the only reason a child should have a cell phone is for emergency purposes. the way i see it, they really don’t have a reason to be making a lot of calls anyway…it’s not like adults who have meetings, appointments, are constantly on the road, and conduct business where having a means of communication is necessary. i didn’t get my cell phone until i was in high school and i could have paid for my bill (if i had to) but now i see 3rd & 4th grade kids with phones! and some are fancier than mine!! i always wonder who they’re calling…their friends that they just spent the entire day with?
in school they should be learning about things other than cell phones & text messaging…if it’s an emergency then yes by all means, they should be able to contact their parents. and if the parent needs to get a hold of their child during school hours…that’s what the intercom in the classrooms are for
April 24th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Maybe not ban cell phones from being carried, but enforce some kind of rule. Maybe all cell phones should be shut off during school hours and if any one is caught using their phone without permission should have it confiscated.
April 24th, 2008 at 11:39 am
when i was in intermediate pagers/beepers were the fad…but they were contraband at school, so even if it wasn’t going off, if they saw us wearing it or in our bags they could confiscate it. now that i’m a little older i keep thinkin’ how dumb we were, why did i at 13 years old need a pager? lol! but it makes sense…kids shouldn’t have cell phones in school because its a distraction, it could get lost/stolen, and there are other ways parents can get in touch with their child. i could see if your child is old enough to drive why they’d need a cell phone. when i started driving we had my moms cell phone, but it stayed in the car, i never carried it with me. but seriously where is an 11 year old going that he needs a cell phone? during school hours you can reach your child through the school office and after school shouldn’t they be at home or another program that you could reach? kids having cell phones just doesn’t make sense to me…
April 24th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
I believe that kids should be allowed to have their phones with them, but it should be turned off during school hours. My 15 yr old daughter goes from school to the Boys & Girls Club. She & her friends walk there. If she doesn’t show up @ the club, I get a call. It makes it so much easier to track her down. If she’s late, I can find her. If she misses the bus, she lets me know.
At first, I didn’t want to get her a phone. Now? It’s a blessing/curse. I can get instant relief when she’s late. Her problem? She’d rather text me than call.
Of course, she could be lying when I ask “Where are you?”. But sometimes, it’s just a relief to hear her voice.
April 24th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
What some teachers have been doing is requiring students to turn off their cell phones and put them in a box at the front of the room with the teacher. Then the students can take them back at the end of the class. I had to do that for driver’s ed, and I helped to enforce that during ACT testing. I personally think that’s fine right there.
April 24th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Sounds like your son must be having a good time on his trip! He probably doesn’t have enough time to call (yes, it might only take a minute, but you know how it is on trips when you feel like you don’t have any down time?) but I’m sure that he’ll be more than excited to tell you the details of his trip when he gets back. If there are no chaperones calling you up about your son, count your blessings and know that you raised him well enough for him to handle being on his own.
In regard to cell phone, I agree with you. I don’t see a problem with kids being able to have their cell phones in school as long as they are off and in their backpacks/bags. However, I think lots of kids are using their phones to text message during class, cheat and do other things, even when they aren’t supposed to. I can understand how teachers/schools would not want students to have cell phones in class.
Personally, I like when my son has his phone because it’s must easier for me to contact him when I need to. However, he’s had his phone taken away many times for various reasons and we are able to get along without it just fine. It’s kind of a Catch-22 - I want him to have it but he ends up being distracted with text messaging and phone calls (at home) that are hours long (when he’s supposed to be sleeping so he can function the next day at school!). Ahh, the joys of having a teenager!
April 24th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
When I was your age:
We neva have cell phones or pagers.
aiyaa….wrong blog.
April 26th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Seriously, even if the school rules as students to turn off their phones do you think they really will? And, will web browsers on ipods and cell phones it is easy for students to cheat…camera phones make them lazy….c’mon parents…be reasonable…how many times would you call a kid for an “emergency” and even if you had one, the school should be able to contact your kid for you in a timely manner.
April 28th, 2008 at 8:53 am
gotta agree with Lei…cell phones aren’t even really allowed in schools now, but kids are still bringing them. how much worse would it get if it were OK to bring them to school?? i think we’ve just allowed ourselves to get so dependent on our cell phones and other electronics. i got my first cell phone when i was 19, then gave it to my boyfriend (now husband) to “hold” since he used the car and had two jobs while i only went to school and rarely drove. after about 4 years i got a new cell phone…the irony…i was totally okay and figured out ways to get in touch with people without a cell for 4 years, but now, if i happen to forget my phone at home i feel lost without it! i would think kids are places like school, after school programs/clubs, athletic functions where they can be reached through other means besides their own cell phone…i dunno…beating a dead horse already…
April 28th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Yeah, let ‘em keep ‘em. Keep ‘em on vibrat’ mode (silent) or take ‘em away. And senseis, give a little slack — let ‘em call for at least . . . one recess. Because, you know . . . you never know when those many phones’ll need to call for help. In this day and age. At least there’ll be MANY phones on campus to call.
April 29th, 2008 at 7:45 am
I would want my kid to have a cell phone, for emergencies. I do beleive they make cell phones that have only 3 buttons, of which you program to dial a preset number. Other cell phones can be locked down to do the same.
Of course as they get older itll become a status symbol but it is quickly becoming a neccessary tool for everyday life. I’d worry about bullies taking your cell phone though. Or your kids misplacing it.
I agree that the phones should be turned off during class hours. If schools cant enforce the no-cell phone use, they need to confiscate phones or make some kind of penalty/deterant.
June 11th, 2008 at 6:30 am
im doing a essay for english and this really helped. I think that cellphones should be allowed couse what you said in case of emergency, others. thanks for helping me out. i need more help on my essay because the question i have is kinda hard and i dont really have enough information. so if anyone can help me it will be great. My essays on: Should Cell Phones and Pagers Be Allowed In School?
July 13th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Mobile Phones Banned By Schools
Thanks for this post!
August 20th, 2008 at 9:41 am
I am a bit confused about but before making comments about it I will make more research first then come back. thx be back later