Comments on: Cell Phone “Emergency” By: Denise Young, Tara Salvador, and Junmei Zhang (Mei)

By: shannon1031

shannon1031 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:56:15 +0000

Cell phones should be permitted in the school absolutely, however they should be prohibited while inside the classroom. I think that if they weer kept maybe in their desk, bag, or somewher where they are out of the way then it’s alright.
It is an important tool for the kids of todays society to be able to be reached while in the confines of a school, and they should also just learn to use it with respect to the teacher of the class.
In some situations, I’ve witnessed school districts totally ban cell phones from even getting into the school. This is unfair, as many parents work and in some cases the student just needs to have a cell phone for other reasons as well.
The school should also raelize that in using this as a tool, the students can also use it as means to cheat- thus being turned off in the classroom or given to the teacher is a good idae. That way, if an emergency happens to occur, the student is reachable but the phone is far enough away that they wont be distracted.

By: andytaozhixi

andytaozhixi — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:50:18 +0000

I agree that students should have cell phones in case of emergency they can get help. But I saw most of students who have cell pones are sending short messages, listening to the pop music or watching movies. I think emergency is just an excuse for those students who want to get a cell phone. I think cell phone are banned completely may be not appropriate, but they must be power off during the class.

By: lfarrell

lfarrell — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:50:05 +0000

I can understand the need for a parent to be able to reach their child in the middle of the day. I also think that this need can be respected by having children keep their cellphones in their lockers during class time. This way classtime is not disrupted, and students can check their phones during class breaks. I absolutely think that cellphone are interfering with learning, and I can only imagine how distracting it is to the teacher who is trying to give a lesson.

By: kokogi

kokogi — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:37:40 +0000

I always think the use of cellphone in the classroom should be strickly banned. As the article mentioned, the use of cellphone during class would distract students’ attention and even give them the chance to cheat on the test. The influence of use of cellphone is not only on students, many adults also lack sense to use cellphone appropriately. Last time I went to a high school for observation and the teachers told me that I can’t use cellphone even I’m out of the classroom. I am not sure if this also happened in the rest of the schools in America, this can be strict, but it is necessary for everyone.

By: russmitchin

russmitchin — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:12:17 +0000

I found this a very interesting article. Cell phones are a major part of everyone’s life today. I will flat out admit that I cannot live without my phone. It is my lifeline, my phone book, my watch, my alarm clock and it serves many other purposes. I do not however believe that they should be permitted in a classroom setting. They are far to distracting to aloud in a classroom and is this article points out they have even been linked to cheating.
I agree that in this post- Columbine world it is vital for parents to have quick and easy contact with their children, and that it really is a parents dream come true. The fact is that except for an emergency situation is their really a need for a parent to talk to their child during the day? The last thing that we as teachers need is our students constantly checking their phones, texting friends or playing games. They came to school to learn after all, not play on their phones.

By: pjswim

pjswim — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:14:58 +0000

Personally I have very mixed emotions about the usage of cell phones in school. I managed to go through high school and up until my sophomore year of college before I ever bothered to get a cell phone. On the off chance there was an emergency someone was always able to find me [granted my parents would have to call my friends on their cell phones to track me down but it was possible]. But I can also understand parents concerns about wanting to be able to keep in touch with there children in case an emergency should arise and if there was an emergency a cell phone stored in a locker really would not help all that much. Teachers need to set forth ground rules at the beginning of the year in a high school setting why not let the students leave there phones on vibrate on the corner of their desk. This way it will be harder for them to text as your more likely to notice and if the phone is to go off the student will be embarrassed as it will be in view of the entire class. Eventually the students will stop receiving calls and texts during class unless it is an emergency situation. Also why not have teachers treat text messages the same way that they used to treat passing notes make the student stand up and read it to everyone after awhile the novelty of it all will ware off and it can become less of a distraction.

By: kfabian3599

kfabian3599 — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:06:43 +0000

It is definitely convenient for kids to have cell phones in today’s world but I feel they should be left in the locker and used during free time. As someone else stated, if a parent needs to contact their child they can call the main office in an emergency. Cell phones in the classroom are a distraction to the student and teacher. It is weird to think that when I was in High School not many people had cell phones and everyone got in touch with people when they needed to. I don’t think many people feel as safe in school as they used to after Columbine and there should be safety precautions in every school but I don’t think cell phones are needed in the classroom.

By: kmaldon

kmaldon — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:08:08 +0000

I believe that children should have cell phones so that in case of an emergency they can reach someone or be reached but as soon as they step onto school premesis the phone should be either turned off or loeft in a locker. There is no doubt in my mind that when a child is bored he or she will go and text there friends or even talk on AIM. If there was an emergency while the child was in school and a parent had to reach him or her, they can simply call the school and speak to someone there.

By: footballcoach84

footballcoach84 — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:06:50 +0000

Last week I caught a student talking to his mom from a stall in a bathroom!! I confronted him and asked him why he was using his phone and he told me that he needed to call his mom. I said that is what the phones in the office are for. This is ridiculous, I can understand when parents say they need to contact their child and make sure that they are ok but you dont need to call your child during class and when they are in school it should be in their locker. And we all know having a cell phone in your pocket is very tempting in class. Cell phones do not belong in the classroom because every teacher has one and there are many ways to reach your child THEY DONT NEED A PHONE ON THEM DURING SCHOOL. But in the same respect teachers should not answer their phones during class and the phones should be on vibrate. I think its very hypocritical when they answer their phones during class. It sends the wrong message to students.

By: royconde1

royconde1 — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:26:06 +0000

I agree that cell phones are part of our society, but in a classroom they have no business being seen or used. Students have said they were looking at the time, when there is a perfectly good clock on the wall. All they do present in the classroom is a complete distraction since they are more of an accessory than a necessity. I understand with emergencies and all, but that does not give the right of students to have them out or on them at all times.