Should Cell Phones Be Used in School

It is true that using cell phones can lead to bullying and make some people use it inappropriately, but with strict teacher monitoring the technology will be used correctly. John Cloud depicted in Gadgets to Class: “... kids can use devices only with a teacher’s permission... and make sure they use the technology safely.” (John Cloud) John Cloud has done extensive research in schools that allow technology. John Cloud not only found any repeat offenders of using the devices inappropriately, but found that teachers could identify the students that need more help. Teachers could pay more attention to the students that need more attention in the subject. The average score of tests rose and the lowest score of the entire class increased by over twenty percent. However, some children may not have phones or smart phones. The school could lend smartphones to students, like free lunches at schools’. BYOT, a company trying to allow cell phones in schools believe: “... districts can lend devices to students that have less money, and become a version of who is on free-lunch list in the cafeteria.” (John Cloud) This is idea it will help make impoverished children feel more normal and equal. Children in the school district can have equal privileges as those who have cell phones. The students that cannot afford these smart phones will never have to worry. Admittedly the school would have to spend thousands on new smart phones for children that do not possess smart phones, but more students own new smart phones than new laptops that the school spends every year for every student, so in short the change from laptops to cell phones would save money for the school. A new laptop for a student can cost thousands of dollars, and in a large school they spend millions on new technology. If teenagers are allowed to bring their smart phones the school can save millions every year and be able to spend it on other important school activities. The Wikipedia fact checker says: “...80% of all teenagers own cell phones...” (Wikipedia) With as much as 80 percent of all students who have smartphones, the school should use this to allow the phones to help students. Currently around the country schools’ spend billions on technology every year. Lowell Milken, president and co-founder of the Education of the United States commented: “There is over $5 billion annual public expenditure on K-12 education technology...” (http://nces.ed.gov) The spending of technology every year could dramatically decrease if school districts allowed smart phones in class. The use of the students own technology helps schools save money and spend it on extracurricular activities. It is true that not all people know how to use technology as well as others, however the world has become more advanced therefore students must learn how to use technology to succeed in life. Many parents believe that children should be allowed to use technology in school because technology is used on a daily basis in the workforce. With a variety of apps that help with studying and in class learning, it is insane why school districts have not allowed the use of cell phones. If the technology is used correctly when studying, test scores on standardized tests were higher than those who studied without smart phones. A study done by www.usnews.com concluded that students that used smart phones to study scored thirty percent more than those whose did not study technology. Over the years The United States has fallen in the education department-Once top of the world for over forty years-the country is now barely in the top twenty five in the world. Allowing cell phones in schools nationwide the average test scores will propel the country back to the top country where America should always be. Cell phones provide an exponential amount of education in the classroom. The use of cell phones allows the development of young minds to flourish in schools. As the United States is currently falling rapidly in the world education rankings, Americans must allow cell phones in the classroom to revive the American tradition of being first. As the world contests America and becomes more advanced with more aggressive in education, America has the choice whether to adapt or die. It is imperative to use smart phones to educate young minds as soon as possible.