Mr. Jordan asked his students how they felt about cell phones in school and whether or not they should be permitted. Some students had strong feelings about whether cell phones should be confiscated.

Steve says:

No, cell phones should not be banned from the classroom. Cell phones neither help nor hurt the education of the students present. The presence of cell phones is not a supplement to the classroom, due to their having no education prowess, yet they have no adverse affects, if controlled circumstances are put into place, such as absence being required during lectures, tests and work periods. Students may choose to take their phones out during one of said periods, though the consequences of regular cell phone banishment may need to be enforced, such as confiscation and a possible detention or ISS. The factor of cell phones being banned is undesirable since students may need their phones for emergencies, parent phone calls or communication, and personal development socially, which may directly affect their development educationally. A link to a social environment is enough to create a healthy learning experience for a student. All it takes for some students is a release in order to clear their mind, and having to worry about their cell phones being taken away by the slightest glimpse is more than enough to cause a stressful experience, which in turn affects the way one listens. It’s a matter of empathy, and once you put yourself in their skin, you can see that it’s better to have cell phones allowed.

Alisha says:

Cell phones can both pose a distraction and be useful during school hours. I’m on the fence about whether or not phones should be banned from school. There are reasons for allowing phones and reasons for cell phones being prohibited. Most teachers, and some students, will say that it is a major distraction to have a cell phone ring in the middle of class, which is true. Texting underneath a desk takes the student’s attention away from the lesson at hand. Teachers also assume that students would take the time to cheat through a test. I may be underestimating my peers when I say thins but, I don’t think anyone would take the time to cheat through a text. It’s too risky and takes too long to communicate the answer. In the case of an emergency, cell phones are extremely useful. If there was a dangerous situation in the school a student could text someone to get an adult if it is not safe for them to do so. For example, if a gunman was in the school cell phones could be used to communicate that threat so that the alarm can go off. When there was the treat of a gunman in Central, students pulled out they’re cells to text with students in Central to make sure they’re friends were alright and to find out the current news. Cell phones are also useful when parents need to get a hold of they’re children. I had a friend whose parents contacted her saying to stay at school and not to drive home due to the weather, that her brother would come and get her. Without her cell phone, she may not have gotten that message. Cell phones may cause a problem in class, but in the hall or at lunch I see no problem with the use of cell phones. At lunch there is no lesson to be learned, therefore cell phones aren’t distracting. There is no reason that cell phones can’t be used during our free time in the school hour. Distracting in class at times, sure, but phones are also useful. Maybe as a compromise teachers can make sure all cell phones are off during class hours but the phones are not fully banned from school usage. There will always be those who bend the rules, but that is just a fact of life.

Bryan says:

Yes, cell phones should be able to be used in the classrooms because there could be an emergency or something along the lines of that that the parents/students need to get in touch with each other. Some examples of this are like a gun threat, a bomb threat or a lockdown because of some other reason or some kind of nature threat. These all could be things that cell phones are needed for use. Anything that could need for the parents to get in touch with their kid/kids would have to be used by the cell phone. CELL PHONES MAKE EVERYTHING EASIER!!!!!!! Cell phones can also be a distraction because of texting going on during the class or the phone going off during a lesson, distracting not only that person but the teacher and the other students making it hard to get back on track. Cell phones can make a lot of things easier like getting in touch when it’s NEEDED, and they can also make things a lot harder during school. There is the temptation on looking at the cell phone to see if there are any texts, missed calls est.

Sharayah says:

I think we can all agree that we all use our cell phones in class every now and then. However, do I think that it is a good idea? No, I think that cell phones are a distraction in class. Many times I have watched my fellow classmates text in school, completely wasting brain cells on frivolous conversation, therefore completely disregarding the task at hand. I think if this was tested there would be a major difference in the amount of information one with a cell phone would get and one without. I think that if the school banned phones test grades and homework grades would increase drastically. I know from my personal experience that just having a phone in the room, even if not in use, causes distraction. When a phone goes off in class once again, it is a distraction. Cell phones are a part of our society and help a great deal in communication in today’s world but, they are not meant for school. You only get one chance at high school and things that could be a hindrance to our success should be banned.

Felicia says:

I’m on the fence about the whole idea. In one aspect I would like to think that cell phones would be ok because if columbine was such a big deal don’t you think that they would have be able to get some much needed help if someone was in a hiding spot and called 911? Another idea to support the topic is if you have cell-phones in the class room if something outrageous happens you’ll have proof of who what where when how and why right there on your cell phone. In my opinion it’s a safety measure. Your phones could be useful at school in case of bad weather or sports related. “Be sure to call home.” Is what your mom always tells you before you leave the house. On the other hand it’s true that students do mess around on their cell phones……although it’s not a crime because even most adults themselves are guilty as charged there is a time and place. There should be a limit as to what your aloud to use your cell phone at school for. Most of the time it should be permitted as long as it sits on vibrate and is used for emergencies only or for other academic purposes. There should also be a time when to play like at lunch or free time because that’s on your time. If students continue to misuse their phone privileges then that student alone should pay for the consequences but if it is more then one student then make the restrictions happen. You have to take matters seriously because if you plan to ban phones the one day you might need one will feel like your shooting yourself in the foot and that will be the irony of that.

Alex says:

I think cellphones shouldnt be banned in class cause it hasnt been a problem yet and it never will be. The cellphone is a eccentric utility for people, and it is also used for emergencies. If some dudes artery was cut in class and the teacher was gone. The cellphones are gone and they cant call an ambulance so the dude would die, and the school would be sued and the kid's parents would be rich. Then all the kids would have no school, so taking a cellphone is resulting to not having a school for the kids to learn.

Zach says:

I believe that cell phones in school should not be banned.For one thing we can use our cell phones as calculators. Also if there is a family emergency this way you can know right away and not need to be called down to the office to call back. What if the weather is bad you can check road conditions on your cell phone as well? And if the internet is down on the computers you can access the web through your cell phone. And if your friend is stuck in a bathroom you can get there if they text you.

Dustin says:

No cell phones should not be taken away in class because of emergencies at home or something like that. Cell phones should not be taken away because there is NO LAW THAT SAYS WE CANT HAVE CELL PHONES IN SCHOOL! There is no way teachers can stop us from having them because if they search our stuff there doing something ILLEGAL. They cant search our stuff without a warrant our something like that. They cant confiscate them without changing the rules in the handbook and that would mean buying new agendas for every student in this school. Because if they do confiscate them and they don't ring or vibrate or f they dnt catch us with them then there going against there own rules. Cell phones should be allowed in school because of emergencies like one of your parents get hurt or a family member dies you have to know about it when it happens. And if teachers do go with whatever there talking about ill form a petition to get the back and I can get the whole district to sign it. All the students in the Douglas district would sign it because were kids and cell phones to us our more than they are to adults. we don't just talk on them, we text, play games, listen to music, and we even get on the internet with them. What I want to know is why would they want to take them away at the door, why take the away at all. Technology is the future and teachers are keeping us from that uture by making stupid rules like this.

Brandon says:

In my opinion cell phones are a nuisance, but they do save lives everyday, whether it's a fire, robbery, fights, car accidents. They also help us communicate to other people whether it's family or friends. I think that it would be unfair that us students would have to give up our cell phone privileges. Teachers and staff are allowed to have them, the teachers phones even ring during class causing disruptions. Yes, we all have text messaged in class, who hasn't? I also think that it's age discrimination since we aren't allowed to have cell phones in school. Yes, it is a learning environment, But what if the Unimaginable ever happened such as a Fire, or a shooting, or a teacher that flips out on their students, how would anyone know? They wouldn't. That's why cell phones would help. No, I don't think they should be confiscated because that would be retarded...

Ashely says:

No, cell phones should not be banned from the classroom. Cell phones don’t hurt or help the classroom but if there is an emergency at home or something and your parent(s) can’t get a hold of you then you have no way of knowing what is going on. If you get caught in an emergency at school, like if you had an after school activity and you got locked in a room, you would have no way of contacting help if you didn’t have a cell phone. Also many teachers have cell phones on them and it makes the teachers look hypocritical if they have their cell phone when the students aren’t allowed to have theirs on them. I think that if cell phones are banned at a school then the students will be less likely to enjoy going to school and we would have more dropouts and failing students. This could in time cause less and less of this generation to be properly educated. I admit cell phones can be a bother to teachers with kids texting instead of paying attention, but cell phones are a basic necessity in most peoples lives. Besides if cell phones were banned students would still bring them to school anyway and this would result with more and more students getting ISS or Detention which is kept on your permanent record and that could hurt their chances of getting into a good college. So that is why I feel cell phones should not be banned at school.

Brodirck says:

I think cell phones shouldn’t be banned form school. Students should be responsible for there cell phone. What happens when the is a emergency and somebody is trying to reach you? I think that if your cell phones ring in the middle of class the teacher should take it away, just so it won’t distract the class. It shouldn’t be taken away to the office and have your parents pick it up. If schools are going to do something about the cell phones, then we should at least have the cell phones on silent. If the student doesn’t want to pay attention, then that’s there choice. Ultimately it detracts the student’s learning, but again, its there choice.

Brenden says:

I think that cell phones should be band because they are a detraction to students work. But not in the way of taking it way from them, but in the way we have it now. If people have a way to be sneaky and not get caught and are not bugging other people they should do want they want on there phones. But if you do take it away you will have to take a teachers away because the students would cry about it because we are teenagers and we want to be like everyone else or want to go our own way.

Dustin Says:

No Cell phones should not be banned in classrooms. Cell phones add to the classroom by allowing us contact to the world outside of the classroom. They give us news or allow us to be contacted in emergencies by our parents. They also allow us to look up facts for say a project or essay if use of a computer is not readily available at the time we need the information.

Daniel Says:

Cell Phones are a big deal for many people in many ways. Teenagers have their cell phones in school and in classrooms many times. I am basically on both side of the stick. Cell phones in the classroom, of course, can cause many distractions while others are trying to listen. It can also prevent students to listen to important notes of material for a test. This can be bad for the education and teens miss out on a building block in life.
On the other hand, cell phones should be allowed in the classroom. If a parent needs to notify that they cannot pick them up from school, or they have to ride the bus because of many reasons yes a cell phone is good. But to prevent distraction they can get the message after school or maybe even during lunch. So this is what I think should be, and I hope cell phones can stay in the classrooms, just in case.

Desiree says:

I think students should be allowed to have there cell phones in school, because you never know if there parents have an emergency, or something important to tell you. I mean yes, they can call the office but you never know if that person that is working at the office is going to tell you right away or even tell you at all. What if we had another terrorists attack, when September 11th happened children at school were calling there parents from there cell phones letting them know that they were okay. I have seen many teachers using there cell phones during class, and they would leave the room to talk. When they come back teenagers say “Your not suppose to be using your cell phone during school!” The teacher replies “It was an emergency!” Exactly, that is my point. Even though the teachers tell us, were not allowed to have cell phones in school, were going to do it anyway, and even knowing the consequences. There are many accidents that happen everyday because of people who are distracted and don’t pay attention to what is going on around them, because there talking on the phone. Does that mean that we should ban people from talking on the phone, no I don’t think so. There has been many shootings going on in schools, a cell phone would help many students because for one they could call 911 and they could call there parents.

Jeremy says:

Cellphones should not be banned in classrooms and no. Cellphones help you sometimes solve math problems because you have a calculator on your cellphones. If you are hurt during class when a teacher is not around and you might have to call your parents to pick you up. They help students know what is going in a class and can talk to a friend that you barely see. Cellphones help students memorize their school work as well. Cellphones add from the classrooms by helping them take notes on their cellphones. Cellphones deserve to be in school because we can't live with out them.

Jarrod says:

No cell phones should not be banned in classrooms. Cell phones add to the classrooms
1.I think that cell phones can help in many ways. Many cell phones have calculators and can help us in math. Cell phones can help us when there is danger. Like if there is a stranger in the building. Like if you have to serve detention and need a ride home a cell phone could be useful to call your parents.

Katelyn says:

I think that cell phones shouldn’t be banned from classes. Aside from texting, they benefit the students in many ways. But not only does it benefit the students it, benefits the teachers. In many of my classes teachers have paused class because they got phone calls from their wives, husbands, and even children. Yes, this may be a bad thing but if we cut out cell phones in class how we would know what was going on in out lives. We wouldn’t know if one of our family members got in a wreck and were severely injured, we wouldn’t know that on a snowy day our parents didn’t want us to drive. We also wouldn’t be able to call some one if we forgot something and needed it that day; yes it might be irresponsible, but come on where teenagers.
Although I think that cell phones shouldn’t get banned from class, I think that they detract from learning time. Because of all the texting and interruptions of calls we might not be learning the things that are necessary. We get off track and it may take more than a couple minutes to get back on track, by the time you know it its time to go.

Kelsey says:

I think cell phones should be allowed in school. Only because they are no threat, they don’t cause problems. I believe that as long as they are on silent. I think they are for the best. They can be used as calculators and storage devises. In realty they are just little useful stuff. So if teachers weren’t always riding kids about it but I don’t know. That’s just the way it is and if I could change in you could clearly be able to tell that I would allow cell phones.

Kyle says:

No cell phones should not be banned in classrooms. Cell phones add to the classrooms in multiple ways. They can come in handy in any emergency thus saving lives. The uses of cell phones to communicate to the outside world is a necessity because if something bad happens others can know immediately. If there were to be a ban on cell phones we would have very limited communication to anywhere outside the district but students would more then likely bring their cell phones anyways despite bans. The use of cell phones during classes barely deteriorate others learning experiences or from the person using the cell phone. Talking or using any means of vocally communication on the cellphone however should not be permitted for that can actually be a distraction to students chatter and yell at school anyways but at least there is a scapegoat to blame if they do talk on the cell phone for purposes other then 911 situations.

Kyl says:

No, cell phones should not be band from the class room. Cell phones may disrupt class some times but it is usually not the fault of the student but is actually the fault of the person who is calling. The call may even be really important. The student's parents may need to tell them that they need to go to a relatives house because there was an accident. Also if there is an emergency in the school then one of the many teens with cell phones can notify the proper authority. This act could very well save many lives, even the teacher who would readily take away such a useful device. The cell phone can also be used to access the internet if you need to look up information for a project and the network for the school is down, this student could then keep up with a dead-line for the assignment. These would be my reasons for not baning Cellular phones from the class if I had the choice.

Bethany says:

To an extent cell phones should be allowed. While a teacher is actually teaching a lesson the cell phones should be put away where ever you keep your phone, but when the teacher is done with the lesson, then it should be ok to have your phone out and text on it. The reason that you should put your cell phone away while the teacher teaching his/her lesson because it’s disrespectful and you won’t learn anything, and end up taking the class again. Then when the teacher is done with the lesson cell phone’s should be allowed because you have nothing else left to do but your homework and kids can do homework and text at the same time usually. Cell phones only detract from the classroom when a lesson is being taught because no one will exactly listen 100%. They don’t really add to the classroom at all, because cell phones are mainly just for socializing. Which is why they should also be allowed during lunch, before and after school, and also in between classes, because it is not disrupting anything or anyone.
Brandon says:
I think cell phones should be allowed in the classroom. I say this because if you have to get in contact with your parents because you got hurt doing something then they could take you out of school and take you to the doctor. But since right now we can’t do that we have to go down to the nurses’ office and get a ice pack witch doesn’t even help anyways. Then when you get home the injury is worse and then it could be really serious. But if we could use our cell phones that could be prevented and then hopefully it would just be a minor injury. Then there a possibility that your parents are trying to contact you to let you know to come home right after school. Or we could be telling our parents that we are staying after school to work on a project or something of that nature. But when we’re in class we should be able to use our cell phones unless the teacher is telling us what to do or instructing us. But during lunch we should be able to us are cell phones with out them getting taken away.

Colin says:

No I do not think cell phones should be banned in schools and classrooms because when there is an emergency, we can contact our parents or other family members and other emergency services. For example last year I was texting during class and I got a text from one of my friends saying there is a gun man in her school and that she is really scared. And a lot of other students got texts like that and that helps notify the police that there is a dangerous situation taking place that they might not already know about. I think cell phones add and detract to the classroom situation. They add to the situation because they have calculators on them and they help us get in contact with the authorities. They detract because they don’t help us stay on task with what we are doing and they help us cheat. But teachers shouldnt just assume that everybody is using there cell phone to cheat on tests or something because not everybody is using it for that purpose.

Courtney says:

I dont think that cell phones should be banned in classrooms. They connect us to our parents and also to the cops in emergencies. If our school has a lock down, or catches on fire how do you think the police or the fire department would get called. In most school shootings calls made to the police came from students using there cell phones. From something small like a girl getting her period she is not gonna want to walk all the way to the office to get asked why she needs to make the call. She is gonna want to go to the bathroom and text/call her mom privately and tell her. Cell phones add but also detract from the class. They add by giving us a way to get help in emergencies. They also add cuz they have the general uses such as a calculator. They detract though bcuz students are not always using them for those reasons. We text eachother while we are in class and distract ourselves from doin work bcuz we must then take the time to text them back. I believe we should be allowed to have them but they should be kept put away in class unless they are needed.

Danny says:

I think cell phones should be allowed in school because, and then more kids would actually like to come to school. I think cell phones add from the classroom by letting kids speak to other people outside the classroom. Kids get mad at teachers when they take their phones away from them. If teachers let kid’s text in class then they would probably have fun in school. Kids text in school because, they want the day to go by faster. If they stop doing that then day would go by slow and be boring.

Dustin says:

Cell phone shouldn’t be banned from class. Kids mostly use a cell phone for texting people in school and often do it during class. Teachers think that this distracts kids from their schoolwork and that may be true, but good can also come from this. If we allow kids to use cell phones in class this could help kids learn more in class. If a teacher were to get up and talk for 50 minuets about a subject the students wouldn’t retain a lot of the information. Now if the student was able to text their friends for 10 minuets or so they might be able to concentrate more. Now this shouldn’t come without rules, the use should not distract the class, so they phone would have to be set on silent.

Dylan says:

I think that cell phones should be allowed, because cell phones are important what happens if there is a terrorist in the school then the kids cant call the police or if it’s a snow day then they can not call there parents if the phones are down at school. Cell phones distract and keep kids paying attention they do mess around on them but they watch for were the teacher is so they will watch some of the lecture. They will listen better in class and maybe get some more work done.

Jeshua says:

This whole proposal of having call phones taken out of school is idiotic and some what reasonable at the same time. I personally think that we students need them to stay in touch with family and friends before and after school. In today’s world safety becomes more and more essential. Since there are rapist, pedophiles, and crime rampant across America our cell phones help us in times of emergency. In way I do understand were these people are coming from. There are a few children in this school were all they do is text on their cell phones and I think this is wrong. Yet the consequences should not be so severe. They should be given chances and if that person has overused their chances the phone should be taken away for the day.

Shamir says:

I believe that people should be able to bring their cell phones to school. They might need to call their parents or tell their friends something important while they’re at their locker or at lunch. What’s wrong with somebody having a phone out when they’re not in class? It can’t distract them from anything. If they lose it or if it’s stolen, that’s their fault. But cell phones shouldn’t be used in the classroom. While in class, people should be focusing on their work. If somebody does use their phone during class, it should be taken from them and held until the end of the period. I don’t think it’s necessary to keep it all day, give a detention or write someone up. It’s just a cell phone.

Matt says:

While many students think that cell phones should be allowed in school I think that they shouldn’t to an extent. They shouldn’t be allowed during lectures or when the teacher is giving an important lesson. But if during the class the students watch a movie, I believe that the students have the right to be on their cells phones. Honestly no body really pays attention to the movies because either they are really boring or just from the 1980’s. Teachers can’t show movies from the 80’s and expect student to relate, so many technological advances have been mad to make life better that they didn’t have back then. I also believe that cell phones should be allowed during lunch or study hall. If students can leave for lunch why can’t they have out their cell phones if they decide to eat on campus? I do not believe that cell phones should be allowed in the class room for reasons to “txt” or talk to your friend about what movie they want to see next weekend. But I think they should be allowed when the students work is complete. The main reason teachers do not want students on their cell phones is because they consider it a distraction, but if the student has good grades and completes his or her work then there is no reason they should not be allowed to use their cell phones.

Symone says:

Cell phones should be allowed in class. They don’t hurt anyone nor do they take way from us learning. Most students wait until the teacher is done talking to text. Texting allows us to communicate with other students without bothering the class. Since most teachers don’t allow us to talk us text to make sure our friends understand what we just learned or if everything is ok. If cell phones were band in schools then how would we know what was going on with other schools? For example, most of us have friends in other school, if something happens at that school like a shooting or fire or any other emergency we would not know what happened until it was too late. If there was a sudden accident with one students family and their cousins were in another school that did not allow cell phones, there would be no way to reach them. Cell phones help people stay in contact with each other.

Amanda says:

No! Cell phones should not be banned because lets say that your parents have an issue and they call the school and the school pretty much chooses if it is an emergency or not. If you had your cell phone they could just call you and tell you what’s up and you can decide if it’s important. Another reason that we should be able to have cell phones is lets say I forgot my calculator at home or in my car or locker and I need a calculator and can just pull out my phone and use the calculator on that. Cell phones should be added because one the thing that I said about the calculator. If we could use our phones we would always have a calculator and we wouldn’t need to remember to bring calculator. Another reason why cell phones should be added is lets say your sick and you missed homework your teachers, the school or even a friend could text you the homework. If we were able to have cell phones in school we might not have all these kids that are so behind in homework.

Kevin says:

No, cell phones should not be banned from the classroom. Cell phones don’t really add to the classroom, but they are good incase your mom or dad need to get a hold of you and then they can text you to let you know if you need to let the dog out when you get home, or to meet them somewhere after school. Cell phones also help in a way because they have some things on them that you can use in a class like a calculator for math incase you don’t have one to use, and some also have little dictionaries in them so students can look up words for a class. There also a good way to communicate with classmates incase they need to borrow a book of theirs for class. Cell phones contribute to class a little bit but not a lot, but just enough for them to be needed sometimes.

Melissa says:

No, cell phones should not be banned from the classroom. I understand if a student is using them in the classroom which could become a distraction, but if they are put away then there is no reason for them to be banned. In a backpack, purse, etc. they cause no problems. Cell phones are useful incase of an emergency. If something happed at school or a parent needed to get a hold of their child then a cell phone comes in handy. What if a student ends up without a way home after school? They pull out their cell phone and make a quick call. But without that cell phone being there then the student would be stranded. Parents should feel more comfortable giving there children a cell phone. If their kid needed anything at anytime then the cell phone could assist. So, as long as students aren’t interrupting class and being rude during class, then cell phones should be allowed at all times. To me they are definitely more of and advantage then a disadvantage.

Ronnie says:

Cell phones should not be banned from school because they will never be able
to ban them anyways. Its not like students wont find a way to get it through what
ever security the school has. Look we have already gotten through the firewalls by
using proxies to get to myspace and other sites and all they did was threaten us with
iss. So you really think that you could stop us from bringing are cellular devices to
because all thats gonna do is make students not listen even more. It cant be done
there are too many students to control like that and when you have all of them
working together to fight a stupid rule it will just be a rule that gets put behind in
the past of one that didn't work

Tylor says:

No, cell phones should not be banned in classrooms. They should not be banned for various reasons. What if there is a family emergency and they cant get ahold of the school? There should be like a grade average you have to meet in order to use your cell phone without it being taken away. If teachers have phones go off, then why dont they get taken away, because they're the teacher? I dont think so.

Justin says:

No, I do not think that cell phones should not be banned from the class room. I think that while you are talking we should be paying attention, but during our own time we should be able to use our cell phones. Yes, I do think that cell phones have a time they should be used, but if there is something important going on we should be able to text our family members and find out what’s going on… right? Well I think that we should be able to use our cell phones in class. I mean look at the time there was a fake shoot up at Central, we texted our friends to find out what was going on. I mean if one of your family members went to Central during that “shoot up” wouldn’t you like to know what was happening. Or if you had a child going to that school during the “shoot up” I would like to know what was going on. Well you could if you had a cell phone and were able to text.

Michael says:

No, cell phones should not be banned. For a couple reasons. One for if you have
an emergency. Then your parents would not have to call the school they could just call you because it would be easier. Then the school would not have to do anything Cell phones should be added to the classroom because there not really a distraction for everyone. It is only a distraction to the people who use them. If they want to screw around in that class then have to retake it then that’s there problem.

Tessa says:

Yes, cell phones should be banned in class. Class is not a place for cell phones. When students have cell phones in school they are tempted to text, which distracts them from the lesson they are learning. This will cause the students to be behind in school work and lower test grades. Cell phones detract from the class room by constantly interrupting teacher and taking away time we could spend learning. In almost every class one of my teachers must stop class to tell one of my piers to put their phone away. It is such a waste of time! I’m not saying cell phones are bad just school is not the place for cell phones.

Jayme says:

I don’t really care if they are or not. I think we should be able to have cell phones because if there is a shooting at a school you could contact students or teachers in the building. We should also have cell phones because we can tell parents if a practice is canceled you can call your parents and tell them.

Drew says:

As somebody that doesn’t have a cell phone, I have an unbiased opinion towards this debate but I still think cell phones are a good idea. As things are now it seems like it would be a good idea to ban cell phones but I think that’s because as it is the approach is wrong. In class I see cell phones out all the time, I never say anything about it because it really doesn’t bother me. It also obviously isn’t a distraction because anybody that has a phone has used it in school one way or another, and we’re not stupid. We can pay attention and text at the same time. But when a teacher sees the phone, that makes it a distraction because then they have to take it away and tell the student how to get it back and there is usually an argument involved from the student, usually very distracting, and so it’s all one big distraction. But I think that’s because the approach is wrong. If the teachers were a little more lenient about it then it would be fine. My solution to this is to set aside like the first minute of every class or something of the sort (whatever works) is set aside for phone time then a lot of students would be a lot less likely to text secretly in the middle of class.Another thing is parents. My mom doesn’t know how to text so even if I had a phone she couldn’t text me, she would have to call me. And if it’s something important like a death in the family or simple like you forgot your assignment at home I’m going to bring it to you. Yes she could just call the office and they could tell me, but then everyone knows what’s happening or I have to waste my time going to the office to find out what’s going on, she could just simply call and I could talk to her quietly or go to the hall really quick or something like that.Now about phones any where in school but not necessarily the classroom I think it should be encouraged for there use there because honestly how is that distracting. In the hall or at lunch or outside should all be fine.
Friends texting or calling is a different story though. If someone texts someone to say “hey, what are you doing?”. That’s stupid. And as far as cheating goes, it’s way to hard to do. For one, it’s obvious when someone is using a phone especially during a test and it would take three hours to finish the test because someone would have to text the whole question and then the whole answer. So that’s not a problem.

Justin says:

No, I do not think that cell phones should not be banned from the class room. I think that while you are talking we should be paying attention, but during our own time we should be able to use our cell phones. Yes, I do think that cell phones have a time they should be used, but if there is something important going on we should be able to text our family members and find out what’s going on… right? Well I think that we should be able to use our cell phones in class. I mean look at the time there was a fake shoot up at Central, we texted our friends to find out what was going on. I mean if one of your family members went to Central during that “shoot up” wouldn’t you like to know what was happening. Or if you had a child going to that school during the “shoot up” I would like to know what was going on. Well you could if you had a cell phone and were able to text.

Cassie says:

I think that cellphones should not be banned from the classroom because if something were to happen in the classroom, then there’s no way to get a hold of someone outside of the classroom right away. But, also I think that cellphones should be banned from the classroom because you don’t pay attention in class because you would much rather text or talk on the cellphone than listen to what the teacher is saying.I think that cellphones add more distractions to the room than necessary. I also think that they add more failures like if you don’t pay attention to the teacher then your more or less going to fail that class.

Tyler says:

What does it matter if cell phones are banned in class rooms? A crackdown on such ubiquitous electronic devices could never be carried out. Myspace is a popular social website that is used by many teenagers. When Myspace was blocked in school, students found different ways to access it in school. In many classrooms, teachers already have cell phones banned, however, most of the students who text in school are never caught. The benefits of texting outweigh the consequences of getting caught in most students’ minds. So even if there is a huge crackdown and the schools go to precautions such as metal detectors, bag searches, and even cavity searches, it doesn’t matter. Students will always find a way to rage against the machine, especially if it’s imposing on their idea of fun. Kids use cell phones as a new, quicker way of passing notes. It is also used to cheat on the test of that day. I, personally, can see no point of there being cell phones in class. We have to remember why the cell phone was originally invented. It was so that people who were always on the go, such as businessmen, could communicate with all their fellow businesspeople. The cell phone was never made so that years later, teenagers could be in class, texting, taking pictures/videos, or talking to each other. If the teacher wanted kids to talk secretively, take pictures or videos, or any of the above, wouldn’t they allow them to?On the other hand, cell phones are used so that students and parents can stay in touch, a useful tool. Also, a banning of this, as I said before, is nearly impossible. So I don’t think the question is ‘Should cell phones be banned in the class room’, but rather ‘Can cell phones be banned in the classroom?’

Kaylee says:

No, I don’t think that cell phones should be banned from classroom. If your parents need to get a hold of you or something happens they can tell you. They can either text you or call you. There has to be some way your parents can get a hold of you. And if its by a cell phone, that’s great.I think that cell phones add and detract from classrooms. They can detract from class rooms by the students using then during tests by texting the other person for the answer. Cell phones also add to classrooms because if something would ever happen in the classroom one of the students would have a cell phone to call or text some one to tell someone else what happen or what is going on.

Mike says:

I have a very odd opinion on this dilemma because I think that cellphones should and should not be allowed in the class room. Many schools all over the country, maybe the world have this problem. Now for me this is just another excuse for teacher to argue about something that affects students. If some these schools go in and look at there English scores for the SATs and other tests they’ll realize that cellphones cause bad English. But on the other hand if you look at some of their technology class type score they are probably much higher due to the fact that students are using there cellphones more and more everyday. Plus now the schools are complaining about cellphones being used during the students free periods or lunch periods when they know good and well that those certain periods are for the students and only the students.
Now with that being said students do respect their opinions, but at times there could be and emergency with the family where the parents don’t have time to contact the school themselves. So all they do is contact the son or daughter to let them know what is going on. Although people think cellphones are a big deal in class when other people think that they are important for the students to have in case of an emergency situation. Like if there were a lockdown and no one could get a hold of the police. But in other cases that’s why the teachers carry cellphones so that the students don’t have to. But all in all I think that cellphones should and should not be allowed in school.

Nathan says:

No I think that cell phones shouldn’t be banned from school. I don’t think that they should be banned from school because resource that should not be over looked. Cell phone could be used in emerges. Say that there was a fight going on and there was no teacher around, how would they call for help? And what would happen if somebody got hurt, how would they get help? I don’t think that cell phones should be banned from school because it is and important resource to keep the kids at our school safe.
Cell phones detract from the classroom by just being there. They are for some people a life line. And I think that it is just too big of a temptation for most people, but on the other hand cell phone could be important in the class room. Maybe they could be used in the class for the studies.

Samantha says:

Yes, for the most part, cellphones should be banned in classrooms. There are some instances when a cellphone should definitely not be used in a classroom. While a teacher is lecturing a person can not listen and learn while using a cell phone. The teacher is here to teach and if students are using their phones, they won’t be learning anything. During tests is another big time cell phones should not be in class. There is a very high chance of cheating if someone has their cellphone and is using it. There are some instances where it might be okay to have a cell phone. If a student does not feel good and they can use their cell to contact a parent or guardian, then they will need to do that. For students who have sudden changes schedules due to an activity being canceled, or a practice that was forgotten to be mentioned, it would be a good thing to be able to tell rides.Cellphones mostly detract from the classroom by distracting students when they should be learning. A person can not focus on two things, and a teacher trying to teach students is definitely not the most interesting thing to be spending ones time doing. Cellphones would be the thing that a student would be paying attention to if the opportunity was available. If a student would rather use their phone than listen to the teacher, they will not be learning anything.

Kelsey says:

No cell phones shouldn’t be banned from classrooms. I think this because cell phones don’t hurt anything. I think they should been allowed anytime except on test just because you could use them for cheating, but other then that I don’t see what the problem is with having your cell phone in class. As long as you aren’t bothering the people around you who are working you should be allowed to have it. Having cell phones allowed in class will also reduce the number of people in trouble for having them out in class. Also they come in handy for when someone in your family gets hurt and the person with them doesn’t know the number to your school they can text you and tell you what is going on. And it’s also a way for parents to keep in contact with their kids if they all of the sudden need a ride home or if plans have been changed.

Jeri says:

Cell phones should not be allowed in classrooms, but should be allowed in hallways, the cafeteria, or any other place in the school where students have free time from learning. Students can talk in cafeterias to one another. They are not doing work. Juniors and seniors can go off campus and use their cell phones during lunch. What would be the difference between their lunch and freshman and sophomore lunches? Students always yell across hallways and talk to their friends on their way to their next class. Why can’t they call someone? Calling someone is not interrupting or being in the way of anyone.
Cell phones detract from the classroom by distracting them from their learning. Only in the classrooms should students not be allowed to have their cell phones. The main part of being in the classroom is learning. When the teacher is or is not talking we should be doing something to learn. Teachers never give students to talk to all of their friends during class.

Dani says:

Yes, Cell phones should be banned in schools, but only in certain places. I can understand that students should be paying attention to the teacher and the lesson during class, I also understand that students need to be able to contact people. Personally, my cell phone has helped me out many a time. On the snowy, icy day we had a yesterday I used it to contact my parents and found out that I shouldn’t drive home. I’ve used it to get a project I forgot at home brought to me at school so it wouldn’t be late. Cell Phones do have a purpose, and I think that it would not hurt teachers to ease up a little with their cell phone policies. There are certain students who will just text and talk to their friends all the time, but other students, like myself, use their cell phone mainly for communication with family members. Cell phones should be allowed in the hallways and lunchroom. Teachers don’t take away your iPod in the hallway or lunchroom, why should they take away your cell phone? Lunch is one of our only times to socialize and be teenagers, we should be able to call our family and find out what is going on. Cell phones do detract from the classroom and learning, but they are a valuable tool for communication. In conclusion, teachers should ease up and quit being cell phone Nazis. I know some kids may take advantage of this, but certain kids are sick of getting their cell phone taken away just for pulling it out of our pockets.

Chelsea says:

No, I do not believe that cell phones should be banned from classrooms. I believe this, because cell phones really do not take away from a student’s learning experience. Also, students can use their cell phones to help themselves during a class. For example, I, such as many other students, fail to bring a calculator to their math class. If cell phones were aloud in class, students could simply use them as calculating devices. Also, what if a child is having a family emergency, and their parents or other relatives are trying to get a hold of them quickly, a child would not know about they crisis since he/she is not aloud to answer their phones during class. I suppose cell phones could possibly be a nuisance in a classroom, but as long as teachers and students keep everything under control and they are being used properly and efficiently, cell phones should be tolerated. If the student is completely abusing their cell phone rights in the classroom, then I think that their rights should be terminated immediately. Just give us students a chance to at least prove to the school faculty that we can be somewhat responsible.
Well, this is pretty much my view on the whole cell phone/no cell phone debate. Thank you for you time. ?

Tasha says:

No, cell phones shouldn’t be band from the class room. I believe that cell phones are neutral for the most part. They don’t really help, but they don’t disturb class. But my reasoning for keeping them around is because incase of emergencies or for some personal reasons. For example one of my teachers allows us to call our parents during free time of class if we need to. So sometimes during that class I can call my mom and tell her I’m staying after school. Which I find is nice because my mother likes to know before hand on what I’m doing. Or for another example, I didn’t know where my sister was. So I called her, turns out she had her cell phone taking during a dance. I flipped, because I was worried about her. I find that disrespectful of the school, especially to my mother when she wanted to call my sister.Text messaging, it can be disrespectful, but it’s just like talking during class. Students talk during class all the time! So then text messaging should be treated as if you would treat a student who would talk. Not saying that you as a teacher should let text messaging slip, but it should be a made into a big deal. I also disagree with taking cell phones during lunch, even if I’m in school. I’ve had that happen to me, which upset me. It was my free time. So shouldn’t I have the right to text? I wasn’t in class so it wasn’t disrespectful or a distracting. Most of all school makes it into a bigger deal than it should be. Just let us have our cell phones.

Tiffany says:

No, cell phones shouldn’t be banned from school because if you accidently forget like a calculator or one of your other materials, that is on a cell phone, could help you have the material.Cell phones should be added to the classroom because if someone’s got an emergency and the student needs to be contacted and they don’t feel like calling the office and answering a million question they can just contact their child

Ashley says:

No, cell phones should not be banned from the classroom. Cell phones don’t hurt or help the classroom but if there is an emergency at home or something and your parent(s) can’t get a hold of you then you have no way of knowing what is going on. If you get caught in an emergency at school, like if you had an after school activity and you got locked in a room, you would have no way of contacting help if you didn’t have a cell phone. Also many teachers have cell phones on them and it makes the teachers look hypocritical if they have their cell phone when the students aren’t allowed to have theirs on them. I think that if cell phones are banned at a school then the students will be less likely to enjoy going to school and we would have more dropouts and failing students. This could in time cause less and less of this generation to be properly educated. I admit cell phones can be a bother to teachers with kids texting instead of paying attention, but cell phones are a basic necessity in most peoples lives. Besides if cell phones were banned students would still bring them to school anyway and this would result with more and more students getting ISS or Detention which is kept on your permanent record and that could hurt their chances of getting into a good college. So that is why I feel cell phones should not be banned at school.

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