Should cell phones/ipods, etc be banned from use during school?

Do you agree?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 74 73.3%
  • No!

    Votes: 27 26.7%

  • Total voters
    101

ImJustKCClone

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My parents would call the elementary school for doctors appointments or give me a note before school, and I would have to go to the office to get a written permission slip to leave a class at a specific time during the day to go wait for my parents to pick me up. If my parents could let me know via text that they were waiting for me, it would have potentially minimized the amount of class time missed.

Or your parents could arrive at the scheduled time... :)
 

ImJustKCClone

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Jesus ****** how old are some of you? Who cares if a 18 year old has their friggen phone out in between classes. People constantly complain school isnt preparing kids for college and the real world...news flash, babying them more isnt gona help/

Between classes...no problem.

DURING classes...problem.
 

IcSyU

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Nov 27, 2007
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I get what you're saying, but fact is, kids are not responsible. Hell, I'm 30 and only really became responsible 5 years ago. If a school can have a policy where cell phones can be kept in pockets with good results, then I see no problem letting them have them in their pockets. Fact of the matter is, if they are in the classroom, there will be problems. There is an easy solution to that.

Also, this is not a kid thing. I know of a lot of peoples whose employers do not let cell phones be brought into meetings, etc.
The easy solution of not have the phone in the classroom? Are you REALLY that naive?
 

ImJustKCClone

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A question I posed earlier... Assuming you are not still a student, when was the last time you went to the library for research? When did you go to the library to look something up? Not looking for a book to read for pleasure but with the purpose of researching an answer for a question.

No, I'm not still a student. Haven't been for quite a few years. Additionally, the nearest library is around 10 miles from me. That's not the case for most high schools & middle schools though, is it? And that's what we're talking about here - what alternatives are available to students to minimize the "need" to have their cellphone ever present in the classroom.

As I mentioned previously, a library is not just books. And they generally have the cyber resources available as well. If you want students to use electronics in the classroom, they should be provided to the students on an equal basis, in the form of shared notebooks or lap tops. It shouldn't require a student's smart phone.

As for the original purpose of cell phones, phone calls and texts are unnecessary in the classroom. If there is a legitimate emergency, the office should be involved. If it's not an emergency, parents can leave a voice mail or text for their child to read after class.
 

wxman1

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It is not a straight yes or no IMO.

Yes they should be banned unless being used at the direction of the teacher while they are physically in class. Outside of that the school should have no say.

Passing time, lunch, free periods and before/after school are as much of the students time as they are the staff. They want to text, call, play a game, look at cyclone fanatic the school should have no say as long as it is school appropriate.
 

im4cyclones

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No, I'm not still a student. Haven't been for quite a few years. Additionally, the nearest library is around 10 miles from me. That's not the case for most high schools & middle schools though, is it? And that's what we're talking about here - what alternatives are available to students to minimize the "need" to have their cellphone ever present in the classroom.

As I mentioned previously, a library is not just books. And they generally have the cyber resources available as well. If you want students to use electronics in the classroom, they should be provided to the students on an equal basis, in the form of shared notebooks or lap tops. It shouldn't require a student's smart phone.

As for the original purpose of cell phones, phone calls and texts are unnecessary in the classroom. If there is a legitimate emergency, the office should be involved. If it's not an emergency, parents can leave a voice mail or text for their child to read after class.

If we, as adults, never use libraries as research tools, why should we make the kids do it? Libraries for leisure reading? No problem. But unplugging kids and having them use libraries to complete research, as one poster in here suggested, is insane.

Instead of banning, we should encourage their use. Not so much as phones but as web-enabled devices. Imagine where every kid had something that could access the web - tablet, iPod, phone. Obviously there must be some advantage to it, or so many schools wouldn't be moving that direction.

Much like anything else, kids will find a way around a ban. So why not put limits on their use and teach them at a young age how to use appropriately. Perhaps that would eliminate future problems.
 

BigBake

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Since I'm a HS teacher, most of the time it's to tell them that they're at the school to pick them up so that the waiting time is minimized. It makes sense, but that's the reason I hear the most often.

Why are kids leaving class so often that this is a valid reason to have cell phone use during class?
 

ImJustKCClone

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If we, as adults, never use libraries as research tools, why should we make the kids do it? Libraries for leisure reading? No problem. But unplugging kids and having them use libraries to complete research, as one poster in here suggested, is insane.

Instead of banning, we should encourage their use. Not so much as phones but as web-enabled devices. Imagine where every kid had something that could access the web - tablet, iPod, phone. Obviously there must be some advantage to it, or so many schools wouldn't be moving that direction.

Much like anything else, kids will find a way around a ban. So why not put limits on their use and teach them at a young age how to use appropriately. Perhaps that would eliminate future problems.

You keep ignoring the fact that I have repeatedly pointed out that libraries (or any central location...call it a MEDIA room if it makes you feel better) are not just books...they contain a variety of resources. If every student has a equivalent mobile web device at their finger tips and the school has sufficient wi-fi capacity that all can be used simultaneously, there is less of a problem.

Students carry a variety of devices, with a variety of plans/options/capabilities. Some carry phones that are not web-enabled or no phones at all (dictated by parental choice and/or finances). The variety leads to a very unequal playing field for the students. Technology in the classroom is not a bad thing...but all of the students need equal access. If the school cannot afford laptops or notebooks or Ipads for every student (or every classroom), the logical central location for them would be...yes...the library.

The original poster asked about cell phones and ipods. I responded thinking in terms of phone calls, texts, and students with earphones in, listening to music instead of the instructor. I don't see any of those things as "good" in terms of class time well-spent. Another poster (you, perhaps?) suggested that the students could use their smart phones for web searches, and I suggested the library (which, again, is NOT just books). I think you may be under the impression that I am against technology in the classroom, and I'm not. I feel that student-owned smart phones are not the best way to go about it (for the reasons listed above), and that there are better options. Outside of the classroom (during lunch periods, before, after & between classes) let them use the phones to their hearts' content, as long as they make it to class on time. :)
 
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BKLYNCyclone

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I honestly don't think there is any reason cell phones need to be allowed during the school day. I'm fine with before and after the day, but other than that I personally believe that they are a major distraction. Kids need less twitter, less texting, less facebook, less vine and less youtube (just for starters). The shallowness/look at me culture we're creating as parents is unbelievable... A lot of it is just for the sake of convenience for the parents, and it's sad we're all that lazy. I'm 33, so not that old yet... My poor kids will likely hate me for this stance, (they are 2), but I don't care. I won't deprive them completely of technology, but I sure as **** plan on limiting it. Kids need to learn how to talk to people directly.
 

NickTheGreat

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With the way kids, parents, and discipline is headed, I'd be surprised if you could prevent them during school hours. :sad:
 

cyinne

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I'm not defending the reasoning, just stating why it's hard to police. Personally, I only have an issue if a student is using the phone while I'm talking. If they want to look something up pertaining to class, or ask me to use it during class and I agree to it, I have no issue.
What are the consequences of it ringing from either a text or call during class? Slap on the wrist and a "dont do it again"? Detention? Confiscation of phone?