The topic of cell phone usage in schools is a hot one, and there seem to be many different opinions on what should and shouldn’t be allowed. In this article, we will discuss some of the disadvantages of allowing students to have and use their cell phones while in school.
Distractions
The most obvious reason is that cell phones will be a distraction for students. Whether they’re taking selfies or texting in class, cell phones can be very detrimental to a student’s ability to pay attention in class. It can be very tempting to check your Instagram in class instead of listening to a lecture, and allowing students to have cell phones in class is inviting this behavior.
Interruptions
Not only can cell phones cause distractions for individual students in class, but they can also interrupt the entire class. A ringing, beeping, or buzzing cell phone can disrupt a test, lecture, or study period. You can’t count on every student to make sure the cell phone is on silent at all times, and there will definitely be interruptions throughout the day.
Bullying
Giving students access to cell phones during school opens the door to cyber bullying. While it can happen after school hours as well, cyber bullying will be even more accessible if cell phones are allowed in school. With cameras built into most cell phones, photos can be snapped during the day without other students knowing, and those photos can end up on the Internet. Cyber bullying may be much harder to control if cell phones are allowed in schools.
Cheating
Putting cell phones and test times together can result in student dishonesty. Cell phones make it very easy for students to share answers, take photos of quizzes or tests, or look up answers online during testing. Some students may take photos of their notes or textbooks in order to reference them during testing. Cheating can become a big problem in schools where cell phone usages is allowed, even with strict rule enforcement.
Inappropriate Use
Many parents have rules about cell phone usage, but it’s harder to enforce those rules when your child is away from home. It’s easier to view inappropriate sites, and send lewd texts or sexual photos while students are in school than it is to do at home because of the lack of individual supervision students receive while at school.
