Changing the Cell
Phone Policy
We all know about cell
phones. Almost everyone has a cell phone these days. But what about the use of
cell phones in school by students and teachers?
“There
is a phone in the hallway for student use. Local calls may be made with this
phone…. Electronic devices may be used during lunch, before and after school.
Cell phones, headphones, iPods, and other similar electronic devices are not to
be seen or heard in school. Phones or electronic devices that are confiscated
can be picked up by a parent or guardian at their convenience.” (pg. 26, High
School Student Handbook). The handbook has made it clear what is expected as
far as cell phones, iPods and other devices go. In my opinion, however, the
handbook is wrong.
In
school, there are many assignments handed to a student. The student takes the
assignment and works on it. Because of the policy, the student is unable to
listen to his or her iPod and, therefore, is unable to listen to a playlist
that helps him or her get to work faster and stay working. Instead, the student
hands in his or her assignment and, say, gets an 86% for a grade. In a
different scenario, where iPods are allowed and the scenario is overlooked, the
student is handed the same assignment. The classroom is quiet, an environment in
which this student is unable to work. The student simply pulls out his or her
iPod, listens to his or her favorite playlist, hands in the assignment and gets
a 96% on it, 10% better than which would have originally been received.
Some
students don’t have an iPod because they own an iPhone. On the iPhone is where
all their music is located. Some teachers allow students to listen to their
iPods when working on an assignment quietly. However, since the student only
has music on his or her iPhone, he or
she is unable to listen to his or her music. The student does the assignment
and gets an 80% while the student next to him or her listening to their iPod
received 100% on the same assignment. In a different scenario, cell phones are
allowed to be used in school under strict conditions, like only for music. Now
the student receives the assignment, gets his or her phone out, turns on a
playlist and is able to listen to music. The 80% he or she received before is
turned into a 94%.
Students
don’t only use cell phones for talking and texting. Some use them for music
devices while others use them as dictionaries use while looking up vocabulary
words, instead of getting up to find a dictionary. Some students would take
advantage of such lenient phone rules, but others would be thankful of not
getting their phones taken away just for looking suspicious while listening to
their music.
I feel the ruling for picking up
phones and iPods that had been confiscated should change. As you get older,
your parents become more lenient on what you do with your life. I know for a
fact my mom’s new favorite saying is, “You’re seventeen, you should know right
from wrong by now.” I propose that the student that had the device taken away
should be able to pick it up him or herself until the second offense, before
needing a parent to get involved.
Along
with this ruling, I feel cell phones should be allowed in school for musical
and “look-up” devices. Other uses, such as texting and talking, should result
in the device being taken away. And then, it just goes to the teacher. If they
suspect the student is doing something else, they can investigate further.
Otherwise, they can let the student listen to music and look up vocabulary
words, for example. I feel this ruling would make school and the world a better
place.
By Kayla Billette
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