Notes

Article 1: Should Schools Allow Cell Phone Use
During the School Day?
School systems in the United States face a challenge pertaining to the regulation of cell phone
use by students in schools. There are drawbacks and benefits for cell phone use. School
administrators, teachers, parents, and students continue to struggle with policies on cell
phone use in schools since a complete ban is no longer universally accepted as best policy.
The confiscation of cell phones, an initial reaction by school administrations, has been very
controversial. Some schools take the phones from the students and never return them; other
schools keep them until the end of the school day. In either case, parents are notified that
their children have violated the school policy on the use of cell phones during school hours.
Although such confiscation policies were approved by school boards, some angry students
and parents still resent the policy. In other strategies for dealing with cell phone use, some
teachers require that phones be turned off in classrooms and placed out of sight; others label
the phones and place them in a container on the teacher’s desk until the end of class.
Moreover, inappropriate use of the phones for cheating on tests has punishments ranging
from reduction of the score by a particular percentage to automatic failure of the exam.
Disrupting class with texting, playing video games, inappropriately using the photography
feature, or receiving calls can affect students’ class participation grades as well.
Not all parents want the schools to control phone use. Some cell phone providers offer tools
for parents to control phone usage, customized to each child on the plan. Some parents prefer
that they be the ones to have control of their children’s cell phone use instead of having
schools set the rules. Scheduling and safety are the main reasons parents want their children
to have access to cell phones during school hours. Many parents recognize the distractions
cell phones can create in the classroom and are concerned about mobile access to
inappropriate content.
Recent research has revealed that texting (in class, in meetings, at dinner) has become a
significant problem in the United States. A recent university study found that 90% of college
students surveyed admitted texting during class. Some even admitted sending messages
during tests. This rampant abuse has led some professors to ban phones during tests and/or
during all classes. One professor informed students that if he even saw a phone during a test,
the owner would receive an automatic zero, whether the phone was in use or not.
Severe penalties like the zero on the test go beyond the classroom. The number of incidents
caused by drivers texting is constantly rising, prompting some states to pass strict laws
outlawing the practice. California and Kentucky as well as other states impose fines if a driver
is caught texting while driving. Even drivers themselves have reported texters they have
observed on the road.
Cell phones have definitely become fixtures in present-day life for most people. Phones
continue to be upgraded with extraordinary technology that makes them even more
attractive and engaging. With their widespread use, this debate will continue. There are
people who believe that students should be taught about proper cell phone etiquette and
personal responsibility for their use of the phones and are opposed to banning them. Others
see no other alternative but to support a complete ban of cell phones in the schools.
Article 2: Cell Phones in School—Yes?
Schools all across the nation are faced with or have had to address students carrying and
using cell phones in school. Even with school policies in place against students having cell
phones with them during the school day, schools continue to discipline students for
infractions of the rules and defend the policy with parents.
Schools might be able to lessen these battles by rethinking the place cell phones might have.
Cell phones are essentially mobile computers, with most featuring texting, digital
photography, video capabilities, and calculators. Some phones are able to access online
dictionaries and other resources. If students happen to have particular applications, their
phones’ research capabilities extend even further.
While texting certainly can be very disruptive and distracting in many situations, there may
be advantageous uses for texting in school. Imagine several student groups within a class or
library, each group working collaboratively yet separately from the other groups. Texting
might be used to quietly share information, ask and answer questions, indicate next steps,
and even communicate with the teacher without audibly disrupting the work of the other
groups.
With the research capabilities, students may more quickly access information they need for
the task they’re completing. The phones’ cameras may also have a use in preparation for
presentations.
In addition to the argument that students should be allowed to carry cell phones for
emergency purposes, there well may be an argument for actually using cell phone technology
within the classroom. Cell phone companies advertise their phones’ latest and greatest
capabilities all the time. Computers are wonderful educational tools; perhaps cell phones can