Should Cell Phones Be Banned in Schools?

by SodaHead Living Posted 2012/07/27 21:10:44

Related Topics: Cell Phones, School, Back To School, Teachers, students

2,553 votes
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	Yes, it's only a distraction!	682 votes	27%
	No, sometimes it's a necessity.	666 votes	26%
	No, please don't take away my phone!	185 votes	7%
	How about just turning it off during class?	1,020 votes	40%

Is it just us or did summer swing by faster than usual this time around? With August just around the corner, "Back to School" is the thing on everyone's mind. Well, if you're a student, parent or teacher at least.

It's almost time to swap bathing suits for books. And while you don't have to complete any tests or do any homework quite yet, we think now's the optimal time to get your mind juices flowing with our quick, 8-Question "Back to School" Survey. Don't worry: No matter the answer, we'll give you an "A+" anyway.

+24

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RS 2012/07/30 16:39:29

No, sometimes it's a necessity.

+6
In the post 9/11 world cell phones have become a need not a luxury. I ama teacher and I understand the distractions cell phones can cause but I also understand the distractions computers cause and we force kids to have them. Frankly as both a teacher and a parent I say YES to cell phones. The big possitive as a teacher is that the kids don't have to ask me to go the office to make a call.
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ChrisVollan 2012/07/30 16:16:34

No, sometimes it's a necessity.

HELL NO I WAS IN HIGHSCHOOL WHEAN CELL PHONE FRIST STARTED TO BE IN STUDENTS HANDS AMD MINE AND I DO THINK THAT STUDENTS SHOULD BE ALOWED TO KEEP THEAM IN SCHOOL DERING CLASS AS LONG AS THAY PUT THEAM ON VIBRATE.

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Mike Le... to ChrisVo... 2012/07/30 17:06:30

+8
You must have used your phone a lot during English class, eh?

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Pilot337 2012/07/30 16:15:03

Yes, it's only a distraction!

+2
Students have NO NEED for a live cell phone in school. Period. I suppose a case can be made for having them, since they are an obvious safety device before and after school, but there is no argument that can be made for needing them turned on during the school day. You're there to learn, not socialize through phone conversation, texting or e-mail. Those who think otherwise are simply trying to rationalize using them because they WANT to, not because they're needed. And for those people who say their parents can't get through to them by calling the school: Baloney. The land line telephone system the schools use is much more reliable than a cell phone. Incidentally, many if not most schools have a phone in every classroom and almost every other accessible room in the school. And while the phones may need a code [known by the teacher] to make standard outgoing calls, 911 is never blocked nor is a code needed to dial it. So much for the "emergency" rationalization.

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stags to Pilot337 2012/07/30 16:57:31

+2
They should be on vibrate but not banned. Look at the tragedy of Columnbine, if those kids didn't have their cell phones they could not have said good bye to their families. I think of that all the time. That was so sad and what if another type of emergency occurs where they can't get to the phone in the hallway, always something that can happen. Just keep the silent.

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NoName to Pilot337 2012/07/30 17:19:25

+2
"Students have NO NEED for a live cell phone in school. Period"

Just because you throw a "period" doesn't make your comment any less of an opinion.

I mean, sure it is unlikely, but what if there is an issue where access to a landline is not possible?

Due to the fact that communication is made much more rapid, which is useful in letting people know about any sort of delay in getting home - from something going on, to getting detention, I personally think it makes the most sense to ban the phones where it matters - the classrooms themselves. Outside of the classrooms, why does it really matter?

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Pilot337 to NoName 2012/08/01 15:40:35

"Just because you throw a "period" doesn't make your comment any less of an opinion."

You're correct. It's my many years of experience in the classroom-8 more than you've been alive-that makes it much more than a simple opinion. Please reread my comment. I didn't say students shouldn't be allowed to have them; I said they should be turned off during the school day. That includes class changes [usually only 3-4 minutes] and lunch. Not silenced, not on vibrate, off. Turn them back on at the end of the day. If an emergency occurs which can't be handled by the plethora of classroom phones available, then by all means, turn them on and use them. Other than that single exception, off. All day.

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me to Pilot337 2012/07/30 18:56:06

+1
Yeah, I kinda feel this way too, but voted "No, sometimes its a necessity" because I recognize its a long, long time since I was in grade/high school and stuff might have changed a lot since I went to school. But now, seeing your response, I'd almost change mine. Even back in the 1950's every class room had a phone in my school, there were pay phones and the office phones kids could use between classes or during lunch hours for non urgent calls, and there was an "emergency" number (even before "911" became the emergency standard) on every class room phone on a big red sticker in case a teacher wasn't available and a student had to use it to report an emergency...even kindergarten students were instructed how and when to use that. .

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The NJ ... to Pilot337 2012/08/10 00:00:11

+1
ABSOLUTELY! Good post.

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Torchmanner ~PWCM~JLA 2012/07/30 16:14:38

How about just turning it off during class?

+2
How about if the school blocked reception inside the building?

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Pilot337 to Torchma... 2012/07/30 16:18:17

That's a nice idea, but impossible to limit the jamming to just the school building and illegal in any case. But sure, I'd like to see that.

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You Kno... to Torchma... 2012/07/30 18:08:06

Trust me you dont need a jammer, you can simply use very thick walls, blocks reception just as effectively... without all the radiation from a jammer, of course i'm talking about in schools being built current schools would need a jammer though sometimes it's difficult enough to get reception at school.

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CUDDLY BUT STILL CRABBY 2012/07/30 16:13:22

How about just turning it off during class?

+6
If it's on, and it rings, it gets confiscated. Pretty simple rules I'd say.

American students are such pussies these days.

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ruthannhausman 2012/07/30 16:12:19

No, sometimes it's a necessity.

+3
I'd say just ban the USAGE of cell phones in school. Turn the things off but keep them in case of emergency needs. Kids need to study and participate in class, not use cell phones. But in the case of emergencies, of course, cell phones can be a blessing. But kids need to be sternly instructed -- and punished for violations! -- not to use them during class hours. Lunchtime and "recess," if they have such a thing anymore, is okay. But class time is phone-less time. Period. Strict enforcement needs to be made because today's kids are getting cocky as hell about "their rights." Knock that crap off right up front. But don't deny the total possession of the cell phones.

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Peacock 2012/07/30 16:11:00

How about just turning it off during class?

+1
They should be turned off, but not banned. Too much can happen ,and it is a necessity in this crazy world to have access to 911. Yes, there will be the ones who defy the rules, but which is worse? A pain in the ass, or a situation where you need help and cannot call.

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lonelypresence 2012/07/30 16:03:38

No, sometimes it's a necessity.

Banning it will do nothing. It will make kids want to use it more anyways. Our school used to ban cell phones. But the kids went around with a petiotion to unbanned them. In the next school year the school compensated to have them allowed in hallways and juring breaks but not in classrooms. And cell phones are a way of contacting people in emergencies to. I've used it many times to find people and ask important questions to my mom for example. They shouldn't be banned completely but just in classrooms but to like turn them off and not bring them out.

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koolkat 2012/07/30 16:01:55

How about just turning it off during class?

+1
I think we should just keep it the way it is...

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fitz 2012/07/30 16:01:21

Yes, it's only a distraction!

+1
Somehow, we survived without them when I was a teenager. There is always a way to get in touch with someone if necessary. Stick the phones where the sun don't shine.

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Fievel 2012/07/30 15:58:29

How about just turning it off during class?

Have the decency to turn it off during class.
I only wanted to say something, to get my penny into it.

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2012/07/30 15:57:12

No, sometimes it's a necessity.

+3
My high school went into lockdown several time. My cell was the only way to let my folks know I was safe.

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▼♥☆Greencone☆♥▼ PB90s 2012/07/30 15:56:59

How about just turning it off during class?

+1
Personally I think that students should not text or do anything with their cell phone during class as it just distracts other students but I see nothing wrong with allowing students to use their cell phones during lunch or between classes or before school starts or after it ends. I think it should be ok to allow students to use their cell phones so long as they are not used during class.

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IslamRULES567 2012/07/30 15:56:53

No, sometimes it's a necessity.

Say that a child gets hurt during school.. spme kids don't know their own phone numbers and then the school would have no way of contacting the parents.. its the child's choice to turn on and text in their phones during class and their grades will suffer because of it

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Pilot337 to IslamRU... 2012/08/01 15:00:17

You're kidding, right? You do know that schools have records of their student's address, telephone number[s], parent names, etc.? And it is not the child's choice. They are not adults and schools have to have rules of conduct and behavior, including banning the use of cell phones during the school day.

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The NJ ... to IslamRU... 2012/08/10 00:03:42 (edited)

By law, all schools must have the home address and contact phone numbers. Including work numbers. Parents/guardians can be charged with negligence if the school does not have that information.

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jcadla 2012/07/30 15:53:37
Liz 2012/07/30 15:52:50

How about just turning it off during class?

+1
The teachers should collect them at the start of class and return them after class as all teachers should do this

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Elizabe... to Liz 2012/07/30 17:26:16

+1
Actually some of my teachers do that. They put them in a bucket and they return them after class. If you are found with your phone during class if they collect it, they get to keep it for the rest of class.

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Liz to Elizabe... 2012/08/05 17:59:40

That's the way it should be!!!

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The NJ ... to Liz 2012/08/10 00:08:40

I tried this idea once - for SAT testing - I even had the students put their name on a index card, and attach it to their phone. But here's what happened: two phones got switched and one got stolen.

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Liz to The NJ ... 2012/09/16 15:05:35 (edited)

Oh that's not good but its still a good idea where my daughter goes to school now if they are caught in class using their phones it is taken away and the parents have to pick them up after school is out

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zombiekitten87 2012/07/30 15:50:53

How about just turning it off during class?

+4
No reason to have your phone on during class. Even in college it's so irritating when people don't silence their phones and get constant calls or texts

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Leah Thomas 2012/07/30 15:48:39

Yes, it's only a distraction!

UNLESS we're talking college because I track dates and assignments on my smartphone. But if we're talking K-12 then they have no need. And don't say have it on for emergencies because that's just BS. If your folks need to get ahold of you they will call the office because if you need to leave school they have to do that anyways.

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Peacock to Leah Th... 2012/07/30 16:14:50

+2
In N.Y. many students must take the trains or the City bus to get to High School. They have to have 911 access...and when transport gets tied up (which it does) they should be able to call home.

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Leah Th... to Peacock 2012/08/02 14:27:28

The question was should they be banned IN schools. I'm not talking about anything outside of class. I agree about phones for that. I had one when I was 14 because of my job. But during class a cell phone is not necessary for students.

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Peacock to Leah Th... 2012/08/02 14:41:56

I read the question. IF the students ride a train to school, WHERE do they park the cell phone while in class, so they have use of it going home FROM school? They should stay with the owner and not used in class, but you cannot park them like you can your car.

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Jack's Pearl 2012/07/30 15:47:58

No, sometimes it's a necessity.

+3
I think there should be rules on usage, but I don't think it's wise to completely ban them. What if a child needs to get in touch with family or vise versa? They should be able to.

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The NJ Ladybug 2012/07/30 15:47:46

Yes, it's only a distraction!

This is an easy fix. Use the kind of technology that is used to block reception. You could un-block when school is over - so kids could call home or work - but there is no reason why kids need access to a cell phone during the school day. They use it to distract themselves during class (a substitute for passing notes), for sharing answers to tests, or even worse, to take pictures of tests. Asking / requiring that cell phones be turned off during class is already the rule, and it's a rule that's ignored.

If a parent needs to contact a kid - or vice versa - there's the phones in the main office.

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Elizabe... to The NJ ... 2012/07/30 17:28:50

They block all coverage of service in the main building. The only place you can get service is on the football field.

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The NJ ... to Elizabe... 2012/08/08 01:56:57

Smart!

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DANNY59 2012/07/30 15:47:20

How about just turning it off during class?

+2
That would be much easier than collecting all the students phones as they entered the school.

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ramachandra.enagandula 2012/07/30 15:40:17

Yes, it's only a distraction!

y students need cell phone.. not necessary !!! its spoiling students mind, its effecting on their thinking ways !!!!

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