Peril in the Pinelands

Sandeep Kaur
SPE-102-304

March 26th, 2013
Cell Phone Usage During School Time
A survey done in 2010 revealed that 84% high school students and 60% of middle school students owned a cell phone (Engel). This is truly a large body of students that are constantly messaging each other about everything there is to talk about. Most of this communication is harmless. However, sometimes this constant attachment to the cell phone can cause significant problems, especially in learning environments such as classrooms. Further, the same study also discovered that high school students spent on average 11/2 hours doing text messaging per day (Engel). This obsessive cell phone behavior has caused learning and behavior problems in schools. It is because of these issues students should not be allowed to use cell phones during school time.
When asked individually students generally agreed that "it's hard to listen to somebody and talk to somebody" (Charles). Students also overwhelmingly agree that it is rude to use cell phone at certain times, especially when you are talking to someone. However when it comes to classroom conduct they do not see it that way. As one student blatantly said, "I feel as though it's okay to text in class, but only when it's not disrespecting someone" (Charles). Apparently a teacher providing instruction in the classroom is not being considered as a person that is engaged in conversation. It seems that some students who do not see live teaching as a conversation do not find it rude to use cell phone along.
Having a cell phone serves as a constant distraction, as students are continuously monitoring to see if they have any text messages to check. This few seconds of lapse every other minute ends up taking away minutes from learning time. Over time this could result in significant lack in learning that otherwise would be been achievable. Students that use cell phone are less likely to be active participants in class discussions. Not only it is bad for the students who are using it but it can also lead to other incidents. According to a school administrator, teachers are also "being distracted because they're asking students to stop using their phones, and that takes time out of their instructional periods" (Cash Calls). Students also use cell phones to cheat on assessments by sharing pictures and text messages with other students.
Cell phone usage during school times also keeps gossip spinning and leads to many confrontations among students. It becomes very difficult to control rumors as they spread around the school and become disruptive to learning. Not all safety alerts in schools are life threatening. Sometimes incidents that are not life threatening or may occur in the town around the school cause school officials to announce lock downs. Students with cell phones end up causing panic among family and friends who rely on partial and most of the time false information and rush to school to save their kids. This could lead to accidents on the road and would also make school staff's job very difficult. School staff is usually busy in trying to figure out the situation themselves and parents constantly breathing on their necks does not make their any easy.
Parents and students feel it is necessary for emergency situations. Those are far and few. There are more negative affects of having cell phone than not. Students can always use the cell phones after school to communicate with their family and friends. They can also call from the main office and nurse would alert the parents anyway in any emergency. Even if there was a medical emergency it is not as if parents can do something about it from miles away. The school nurse is always going to be first responder for any medical situation. In any case, every effort would be made by the district to keep parents informed.

Works-Cited Page
"Cash Calls." Current Events 109.4 (2009): 7. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.
Charles, Anita S. "Cell Phones: Rule-Setting, Rule-Breaking, And Relationships In Classrooms." American Secondary Education 40.3 (2012): 4-16. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.
Diamantes, Thomas. "Recent Court Rulings Regarding Student Use Of Cell Phones In Today's Schools." Education 131.2 (2010): 404-406. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.
Engel, George, and Tim Green. "Cell Phones In The Classroom: Are We Dialing Up Disaster?." Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning 55.2 (2011): 39-45. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.