Social studies students in Grade 7 at the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School were asked to write arguments for and against banning cell phones in school, a debate that’s been playing out across the country, and here on Martha’s Vineyard. Here are a few of their answers.
Music in the classroom: Could phones be helpful for focus?
I believe that cellphones should be allowed in schools. One very important reason is that students can use their cellphone to call 911 if needed. For example, if someone is choking, having an allergic reaction, or there is a shooting, they can silently text 911, or quickly call 911 in case they are too far from a landline in classrooms or the front office.
Students can easily access educational websites, the time, calculators, take notes, check the date, read books,, or look at Google Classroom for any missing assignments.
Another example of phones being useful in schools is that students can listen to music. Music can help when studying, by blocking out distractions. It helps students focus because it activates the right and left sides of the brain, improving working memory and sparking creativity while helping concentration.
For the reasons listed above, I think that cellphones should be allowed in schools.
Eloise Coulter
Phones are always a distraction
We believe that cell phones should not be allowed in schools because they can distract students in class. Allowing students to have devices can draw them away from class and the tasks at hand. Recent research has shown that phone usage in schools can lower students’ grades. Students must recognize that reaching for their smartphones during class will impact their learning.
Cell phones can also contribute to cyberbullying, as students may use them to send hurtful messages or share inappropriate content with other students. Cyberbullying occurs over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Schools that allow students to have phones reportedly have higher rates of cyberbullying than schools that do not.
Parents contacting students on their phones during an emergency can actually put their child in danger. In an active-shooter scenario, students may forget to silence their phones under pressure. If parents call, the ringtone can lead the shooter toward the student.
On top of all that, phones in schools are often used to cheat. Studies show that 35 percent of students admit to using their phones at least once to cheat on a test, and 65 percent of students say they have seen others cheat using their phones. Cheating is very common in schools that allow cell phones.
For the reasons stated above, we believe that students should not be allowed to have their phones in school.
Hazel VanLandingham and Natalie Silva
Locking up phones does not work
We think cell phones should be allowed in school, but with restrictions. We think this because of emergencies and child safety.
We think this idea would work because there is always a chance of a dangerous situation, like a shooting or a fire, and students should be allowed to contact emergency services for help.
If students are using their phones when they’re not supposed to, like during class, the teacher should enforce the restriction of no phones during a lesson, instead of putting the child’s phone in a lockbox. This is because students will always find a way to avoid the rule, and will most likely use their phones more than they would usually.
Another reason is that phones can also enable students to collaborate on projects and receive real-time feedback from teachers, but phones can also be used to cheat during exams. So maybe phones shouldn’t be allowed in the room on exam days.
There will always be times they are used for good and bad purposes, but students having their phones at school can help teachers inform them, and teach them more about using technology respectfully and responsibly. There will also be times when students cannot be trusted, but not all students are like that.
As you can see from the reasons above, this is why we think schools should allow students to have their phones during school.
Bo Katherine Fullin and Hazel Katherine Hearn
Attention spans are a problem
Schools should prohibit the use of phones because they distract students. This is just one of the many reasons we will address. Not allowing phones could reduce stress caused by issues like cyberbullying and online harassment. Phones in school can also shorten students’ attention spans. For all these reasons, we believe phones should not be allowed in schools.
One reason phones are distracting is that apps are designed to keep users engaged for long periods. In the U.S., smartphone users receive an average of 46 notifications per day. On top of that, children between the ages of 8 and 10 spend an average of six hours a day on screens, 11- to 14-year-olds average nine hours, and 15- to 18-year-olds spend around seven and a half hours a day on screens.
Leo Carson and Levi Binney
At the Charter School, students in grades K through 6 aren’t allowed phones, while grades 7 to 12 can have them on campus, but can only access them when specifically allowed.
