Should Phones be Allowed in School? What are the pros and cons of allowing students to bring cell phones to school, and what can we do to help our students use them responsibly?
Should Phones be Allowed in School?
Students of all ages carry cell phones to school these days. The use of cell phones is on the rise, not only among high school students but also among middle school and elementary school students, too. Parents get their children cell phones at young ages for many reasons. They feel better when their children have them because there’s a direct line between parent and child in case of an emergency. Students sometimes feel pressured by their peers to carry cell phones, and parents may cave into their requests because they see the value in maintaining constant contact with their children.
Teachers often find cell phones helpful learning tools, but more often than not, they end up being distractions in the classroom. This has led to cell phone bans in many school districts. There’s no arguing that smartphones can be used as both helpful tools and harmful distractions during school hours. So, what are the pros and cons of allowing students to bring cell phones to school, and what can we do to help our students use them responsibly?
"Teachers often find cell phones helpful learning tools, but more often than not, they end up being distractions in the classroom."
What are the pros and cons of phones in school?
Positive Effects on the Learning Environment
The number one reason that parents give their children cell phones is so that their children can contact them during an emergency. With the real threat of lockdowns due to school shootings in America, cell phones can be a lifeline between children and their parents and a means of calling the police if needed.
Sometimes teachers appreciate students bringing their own personal devices, especially in public schools with little to no technology, because they can be used as a learning tool and to play various educational apps such as Kahoot! No student wants to be left out of a game of Kahoot! simply because they don’t have a device to participate with.
Older students may benefit from having a smartphone on which they can quickly research a topic or watch a short YouTube video about something whenever they need to. It can be a handy tool for students who are already independent learners and need enrichment.
Cell phones can also be used as organizational and time management tools. Students can set calendar notifications to alert them of tests and due dates or even alarms to help them get to class on time. These tools can help students develop important skills that will help them succeed in college when done responsibly and with guidance. Many students don’t enjoy carrying around extra planners and papers and prefer using technology for this purpose.
Finally, parents and administrators argue that by allowing students to access their phones in schools, we are preparing them for real-life work situations in which they will have to use a cell phone responsibly. After all, it’s easier to develop good habits when we’re young.
"The number one reason that parents give their children cell phones is so that their children can contact them during an emergency."
Negative Effects on the Learning Environment
As with all advances in new technology, there are numerous challenges associated with letting students use their phones in schools.
Some students get easily distracted by social media or other apps and may not be able to focus on their learning with a cell phone in their possession. Unlike school-provided laptops, school districts don’t have the means to monitor what students are doing on their personal devices, and it’s next to impossible for teachers to notice every time a student quickly pulls out their cell phone.
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Additionally, studies show that increased screen time can become a detriment to students’ mental health and also lead to other health concerns. Health concerns related to cell phone use include “text claw,” a strain caused by repetitive motion in your thumb from texting, and pain in the neck caused by leaning over and staring down at electronic devices, which ultimately leads to poor posture and back issues. Most mental health concerns associated with frequent cell phone use involve social media. Students who spend hours on social media often report experiencing FOMO or “fear of missing out,” as well as unrealistic expectations about life goals, weight, and appearance.
Some young people spend much more time socializing on their phones than meeting with friends in person, which means they don’t develop important skills associated with socializing. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has created a socially acceptable environment to meet friends over Zoom or only chat through text message. The result is students who are reluctant to participate in classroom activities. Although it’s too soon to judge the long-term effects of COVID-19 on students’ communication and participation in the classroom, many teachers cite the pandemic as one factor in the recent decline of test scores and increase in behavioral issues among students of all ages.
Cyberbullying is also a real threat to the well-being of students who experience any amount of time online. Of course, cyberbullying can happen when a student is at home and outside the learning environment. Still, the threat can be exasperated when students are in close contact with each other, which can cause yet another distraction in the classroom.
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As with all technology in schools, there’s also the potential that students will cheat on schoolwork, either by looking up answers online or sharing answers through text messages. Aside from standing over every student’s shoulder as they use their cell phone, which is unrealistic in today’s large classrooms, there is little teachers can do to prevent this method of cheating without clear school-wide policies in place.
"No matter on which side of the issue you stand, it’s clear that schools need to create policies that can be enforced throughout the entire school year"
There’s No Easy Solution
There is no easy answer to whether or not cell phones should be allowed in schools. During a city-wide cell phone ban in New York City schools in 2006, parents protested that the ban took away their rights to communicate with their children in the case of an emergency. Some teachers, however, argue that parents should call the school when they need to contact their children. They say parents encourage phone usage in class when texting their children during the school day. Teachers feel pressure from principals to prevent their students from using their phones for non-educational purposes. Whether you ban cell phones or encourage their use, someone will end up angry and upset.
Some smaller schools have addressed this problem by collecting cell phones at the beginning of the school day and keeping them locked in the office. Parents must call the office when they need to contact their children, and students caught with mobile phones in class are punished with detention. While this might work with younger students, high school students usually prefer to keep their expensive devices.
Some schools leave the management of cell phones up to teachers, requiring them to keep a place in their classrooms where students can surrender their phones at the beginning of class, but without any buy-in or reward, some students simply won’t participate.
We Must Work Together to Create Policies
No matter on which side of the issue you stand, it’s clear that schools need to create policies that can be enforced throughout the entire school year. If students are permitted to bring their phones into the classroom, school districts and principals must work with teachers to develop fair and realistic cellphone policies. It is impossible to prevent students from using their phones for anything other than educational purposes, so administrators must also put more realistic expectations on teachers. If students can keep their phones in their pockets, they can and will quickly pick up their devices on impulse.
As part of a fair and realistic cell phone policy, schools need to develop clear rules about where mobile phone use is prohibited, as well as a multi-tiered disciplinary plan. For example, students on their first offense can’t be disciplined at the same level as repeat offenders. If we want students to learn to coexist with their phones, we can’t severally punish them for impulsively reaching into their pockets. These rules must be clearly communicated to teachers, students, and parents alike. Students and parents should sign a contract saying they agree to the rules and accept the consequences if they break them. Everyone, including students, teachers, parents, and administrators, must be on the same page.
If we want students to reap the benefits of technology, we also must teach them how to use it responsibly, not just expect them to put them away in their pockets and backpacks when we think they shouldn’t be using them.
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