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Cell Phones at School: Should They Be Allowed?

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We’ve created the ultimate pros and cons list to help you decide if cell phones should be allowed at school. Are cell phones good to have in the classroom?

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Should students be allowed to use cell phones in school? Well in my opinion kids should be allowed to have cellular devices in school. Many parents want to be informed if their kids will be coming home and that way with a cell phone you can and warn your mom that you will not be coming home because maybe you are going to a friends house or you have a game after school. I think that they can have a phone but they can't use it in class. In my opinion if students will use it for something good then they should be able to use cell phones in school!

A phone can be used for many educational things like research, projects, calculators, and even putting in important dates when a homework assignment or a project is due. You can also use a phone to call or text your parents if maybe you forgot your lunch at home, need lunch money so you can eat at school, or let them know that you have tutorials after school that day. There are many things that phones are useful for! Cell phones can keep you safe. Believe it or not cell phones can save your life. People think it is okay to take photos in class and post them when actually just hurting themselves. Students should take control of themselves before doing something stupid.

Kids should but shouldn't be allowed to use their phones in school. One of the reasons kids shouldn't be allowed to use their phones in school is because they can simply cheat during a test or get distracted by text messages or any social network. But a good reason that kids should be allowed to have cellular devices is that they can act in case of an emergency. Many kids don't see the consequences, and until they get the consequences, and they realize they were wrong. Another reason why cell phones are bad in school is that kids can post a picture and cause their teacher to get fired from work.

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Should students be allowed to use cell phones in school? Well in my opinion kids should be allowed to have cellular devices in school. Many parents want to be informed if their kids will be coming home and that way with a cell phone you can and warn your mom that you will not be coming home because maybe you are going to a friends house or you have a game after school.

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Should Cell Phones Be Allowed in School? | Resilient Educator

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Today's students are digital natives. Nearly three out of four teenagers have access to a smart phone, and so many students take them to school every day. For some teachers, it's probably more uncommon to see a student without one than with one. But are cellphones in the classroom a good idea?

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The youngest children in Montgomery County's public schools could soon be allowed to bring cellphones and other electronic devices to campus under newly proposed rules.

Students would not be able to use the devices during the school day in elementary schools unless a teacher permits them as part of classroom instruction, but students could use phones and tablets after dismissal or on school buses if the rules pass.

"The reality is, they are in our elementaries now," said Patricia O'Neill, a county school board member who noted that cellphones are "ubiquitous" in middle schools and high schools. She said the proposed change would largely focus on "keeping up with the times."

Part of a broader update to the district's regulations on personal mobile devices, the change could take effect as soon as next school year. School board members discussed the change at a recent committee meeting, but it requires Superintendent Jack Smith's approval.

It comes as another sign of technology's advance in the nation's K-12 schools, where parents' interest is often a driving factor for districts to allow elementary school students to carry cellphones, said Ann Flynn, director of education technology at the National School Boards Association. Many parents want to stay in touch with children for safety or logistical reasons, she said.

"It's definitely a trend we're seeing at younger levels - being allowed to bring cellphones on campus," she said.

[Schools move toward 'Bring Your Own Device' policies to boost student tech use]

Students in Loudoun County elementary schools are allowed to bring cellphones but can use them only in emergencies. In Arlington and the District, cellphone policies are up to individual schools; Fairfax County's rules about cellphone use vary by school, but a spokesman said he was not aware of any ban on having them on school property during the school day. Prince George's County permits portable electronic devices across grades, with rules about their use.

Discussion about revising the rule in Montgomery - which would end a ban on students taking cellphones to elementary school - has drawn some skepticism.

Lisa Cline, a PTA leader in Gaithersburg, said current practices are sufficient, allowing families to seek a waiver if a child needs to bring a cellphone to school. She said she has yet to hear any evidence that would support the change and worries about the effect cellphones could have on elementary school culture.

"To expect a child to turn it off - and not touch it when it's in his backpack - is a lot to ask for a 7-year-old," said Cline, who wrote a letter to district officials. Her subject line: "Cell phones for ES kids? Seriously?"

[6,473 Texts a Month, But at What Cost?]

Paul Geller, president of the countywide council of PTAs, said he has heard parents voice concerns that cellphones could be a distraction in the classroom or a burden for teachers. Some also worry that allowing cellphones could intensify the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Geller said some parents might appreciate their children having cellphones when they walk home alone or take buses long distances. Others say cellphones, when used as part of a teacher's lesson plan, might help meet the district's technology needs, he said.

"My hope is that they're going to allow some public comment about it," Geller said.

Schools spokesman Derek Turner said the district does not expect a public-comment process because the matter is considered a regulatory change. The district had meetings with groups of students, teachers, principals and parents as officials developed the changes, he said. "We will still connect with a few more groups to make sure there is buy-in," Turner said.

Catherine Carpela, who has taught first-grade and third-grade classes at Weller Road Elementary School in Silver Spring, said she doesn't support the concept, which she believes could add to the many responsibilities teachers already bear.

"I don't want to spend my time monitoring inappropriate cellphone usage when I could be using that time for instruction," she said, questioning how devices would be secured, given that young students stow their belongings in cubbies or backpacks, not lockers.

School district administrators presented the change at a board committee meeting just before Thanksgiving as part of proposed revisions to the district's regulation on personal mobile devices, which include phones, tablets and laptops.

The new regulation would include a number of rules about appropriate use and a requirement that students using their own devices at school access the Internet through the district's network, not private cellular providers, to limit exposure to potentially harmful sites.

It would continue to allow high school students to use mobile devices during lunch. School board member Rebecca Smondrowski suggested extending lunchtime use to middle-schoolers, as well.

Smondrowski said in an interview that the regulatory change does not aim to promote cellphones in elementary schools but recognizes their presence and provides guidance for their use. There also could be benefits for instruction at some point, she said.

"More and more, as we're moving into a digital time and digital instruction is becoming greater and greater, this allows teachers to take advantage of resources when possible," she said.

Sherwin Collette, the district's chief technology officer, said the update would mesh with a broader goal - allowing students to use their own devices to augment other technology used for classroom instruction. "There is a benefit to the district as well," he said at the committee meeting.

Collette said district staff compared Montgomery with other school systems as they considered amending the regulation and underscored that cellphones already are coming into elementary schools.

"Schools work with their students and families around the ground rules about that, and they deal with issues of discipline that arise when one is stolen or comes out of the backpack when it shouldn't," he said. "Parents understand that the school system's not responsible for any damage to them."

Amanda Lenhart, a researcher who studies teenagers and technology, noted that one recent study found that, on average, U.S. children get their first cellphones when they are about 10, an age when many children are in elementary school.

"I think parents wrestle with this a lot: What is the right age to give a child a cellphone?" she said.

Sarah Kessler, a mother of two in Boyds, said that in her community, students tend to get cellphones just after elementary school. She opposes the idea of using cellphones in class during the school day: "I don't see how this policy benefits students as a whole when so few elementary school students own cellphones."

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Should children get to have cellphones in elementary school?

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The youngest children in Montgomery County's public schools could soon be allowed to bring cellphones and other electronic devices to campus under newly proposed rules. Students would not be able to use the devices during the school day in elementary schools unless a teacher permits them as part of classroom instruction, but students could use phones and tablets after dismissal or on school buses if the rules pass.

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When most people think of K-12 students with constant access to their cell phones they envision students slacking off in class by scrolling through social media, texting their friends, and playing games. But the reality is this: the scenario represents a small majority of any student body, and if those students didn't have their cell phones, they would find other distractions. After all, class goofs, mindless daydreaming during math class, and causing class disruptions are behavioral types that have existed long before mobile phones even existed. Simply put, if kids didn't have cell phones in school to use as a distraction, they would find other methods of distractions.

However, the value and benefits that cell phones add to the students' experience have no substitutes. In fact, cell phones in schools do far more good than harm as they prepare students for the real world, help them learn how to be responsible, are engaging learning tools, and help promote safety.

This article is intended to help school administrators and principals learn why cell phones in schools are a good thing. You'll learn why schools should invest in a commercial cell phone charging station and charging lockers for school campuses and why they should be installed across campus.

Cell Phones Prepare Students for Future Careers

Any working professional likely uses tools like Google calendar to schedule meetings, Slack for internal communication with colleagues and clients, and platforms like Asana for task management. We're only moving deeper into a growing digital age, and students need to be prepared to manage a digital life alongside the non-digital if they want to stick to deadlines, form strong professional relationships, and stay organized.

Today's students are savvy and can use digital calendars, like Google calendar, for keeping track of homework due-dates, study times, and extracurricular activities. By having a multi-device charging station in the quad, cafeteria, library, and in every building, students can keep their cell phones and tablets charged so they can manage their student lives while preparing for their working adult lives.

Cell Phones Teach Responsibility

There is a time and a place to browse Instagram, play Candy Crush, and take selfies. Just as a working professional would never do these things in the middle of a board meeting, so too should a student never do this in class. There's a time and a place to set your phone on silent mode and ignore it (unless there's an emergency call from family). And by allowing students the freedom to keep their phones in school, they're learning a big lesson in being more responsible that will serve them well.

Cell Phones are Tools for Emergencies

There are a number of emergency levels that constitute different threats. Whether a student left their essay at home and they need to call a parent to bring it in or if there is an intruder on campus posing a threat to the safety of all students, having a powered cell phone can help prevent a disaster from getting worse.

While we don't want to expect tragedies to happen, it's important for schools to have appropriate measures in place in the event that this happens. That includes allowing them to access their cell phones during school hours. And, cell phone charging stations and charging lockers at schools can help keep campuses safe and help alert emergency services in times of need.

Contact a Commercial Cell Phone Charging Company for Schools Today!

By providing cell phone charging stations and charging lockers throughout your school, you will be improving campus safety and empowering your students to be successful. Call a company that designs cell phone charging kiosks for schools today, and learn about the various types and options available that can enrich your school.

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Why K-12 Students Should Have Access to Cell Phones and Why Cell Phone Charging Stations Matter

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When most people think of K-12 students with constant access to their cell phones they envision students slacking off in class by scrolling through social media, texting their friends, and playing games. But the reality is this: the scenario represents a small majority of any student body, and if those students didn't have their cell phones, they would find other distractions.