Look out for more classroom distractions. Penn Manor students may be getting a break on cell phone usage.
The claim is that cell phones will provide more efficiency for internet access and other school instruments such as calculators. The real issue here is another excuse for students to pull out their cell phones. It will enable a more relaxed restriction on cell phones that may allow students an easier way to use phones without having to hide them under the desk or behind bags.
With this freedom, it is almost guaranteed that students will take advantage of it to text their friends or use the internet for games or for other uses that weren’t intended with the privilege. Even if restrictions are set on the phones for the usage to be strictly school related, it’s inevitable that students will easily sneak past any such rules.
Students are often distracted without cell phones. People already snap gum, whisper to the people next to them, rap on their desks, and cause other disruptions. Adding cell phones will just add to the noise of an already noisy environment for students who enjoy complete silence. It would be irritating to get stuck beside someone who spends their whole class period clicking mysterious messages on their phone, or who spends time twirling their phone around to mess with the latest applications.
There aren’t many advantages to cell phone usage. There are laptop carts, there are means of getting calculators, there are computer labs and other resources – let’s not forget the ever dwindling thought of using the library – that can enable students with more than enough technology to get by in school life. Past generations have learned just fine without today’s cell phone outbreak.
All that can be said is: let’s not encourage students to use their cell phones even more than they already are. It’s already an obsession to many teenagers, so why push it to become more of a necessity to life?
By: Samantha St. Clair
I think that students are going to use their phones regardless of if we’re allowed to or not. I do think however if students had the opportunity to use phones, they would take advantage of it. What I don’t understand is why teachers walk through the halls texting. It’s just the same distraction for a teacher while their teaching.
yah cell phonesssssssssssss1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE FREEDOM =)
that would be awesome if cell phones would if cell phones cuz we could use them for important stuff like calculators and telling people like parents that “I need you to pick me up at CVS”
I cant afford a cell phone, so i think we shouldn’t be able to have a phone in school. Maybe if I get a cell phone then we should be able to, but i dont believe in cell phones cause im a poor little kid.
I believe that cellular devices should not be admitted into our establishment.
They are a disruption and they destroy the enviroment and rot the brains of the users. Thus, rendering them into zombies, (yes, zombies) who just text all day and render themselves useless to today’s society. I believe we are on the cusp (yes, the cusp) of becoming a society that is fully dependent on cellular devices.
Annon, why is it a bad thing to “become a society that is fully dependent on cellular devices”? I mean, it’s an object that makes our lives easier. And texting does not lead to zombies. It can’t. The fact that texting is still a conversation between two (or more) people defies that.
I must say that I sincerely agree with Annon. The sheer amount of cell phone usage of which I have witnessed leads me to the conclusion that the student body is turning into electronically bound zombies, of whom will go into withdrawal without their “privilege.” Consequences for removing this privilege in school could result in a severe breakout, much similar to Prohibition in the 1920’s. I fear that disallowing them would only increase usage and lead to sheer pandemonium.
if it becomes bad the school could install a cell phone jammer that deactivates incase of an emergency
Somehow, I doubt the school would pay for that.
I do not think that cell phones should be allowed in schools. Teens have gotten by in life when cell phones were not invented yet, why do they suddenly grow a dependency to the object. Cell phones are also used to spread gossip about people (cyber bullying), take pictures (could potentially become an issue) and distract from the learning environment. It is also very disrespectful to be texting while a teacher is trying to explain a lesson. Another thing I have seen in comments above is that some kids make plans after school to go somewhere. An alternative to texting your parents would be talking to them about it before you leave, or asking them when you get home.
I would have to disagree with some of of the statements made in this article. The steriotype that student will automaticly take advantage of the use of cell phones is not nessisarily true. Not all students will play internet games or send a secret message to thier friends. Although many already do use thier cell phones during class, The freedom to do so without regulation might ease tensions with teachers and student. I have seen one to many times fowl language between teachers and students over phones being taken in class, especally when the student is trying to use something on the phone that can be productive in class for example a calculater.
P.s Very good article =]