Why Phones Should Be Allowed in School
Why Phones Should Be Allowed in School
Academic level: Master’s
Essay type: Memoir
Size: 2 pages ~ (968 words)
A few states have already banned phones in school, and others are actively discussing it. In fact, 77% of schools across the United States claim they do not allow students to use their phones for anything other than studies. The proponents of the ban claim that phones are distracting and make it difficult for students to focus on their studies. In turn, the opponents believe that prohibiting phones in schools means wasting their academic potential. So, should cell phones be allowed in schools? In my view, they should. Phones are not a threat in themselves, as long as they are used correctly—so the goal should be to manage how they are used as opposed to banning them altogether. So, here are my pros to the question - Why Are Phones Useful in School?
Phones are educational tools, and this is one of the reasons why cell phones should be allowed in school. Phones have so much to offer as an educational tool that banning them in schools means limiting the arsenal of learning resources available to students. Some subjects—for example, math—can be dull, and most students dislike them. However, technology makes gamification easier. Instead of trying to come up with another game to keep students entertained, teachers can use apps like Prodigy and Euclidia, which are already gamified and proven to work. Instead of developing quizzes and then printing them out to spread among students, they can rely on apps akin to Quizzes—and reduce paper waste on top of easing their workload. Seeing how hard teachers already work, everything that can make their lives easier while also keeping students engaged is a solution, not a problem—including phones.
Another reason why I believe that cell phones in schools are necessary is that they are the number one communication tool today. Imagine this: a lock malfunctions and a student gets stuck in an empty classroom. What are they going to do without a phone to have someone let them out? Or, there is an emergency, and a student needs to contact their parents immediately to have them pick them up. Sure, they can ask their teacher to do this for them, but it is much less efficient this way. Besides, this would add to the teachers’ already heavy workload, so I do not think it is the best solution. Phones are the best method of contacting anyone these days; banning them in schools means leaving students somewhat helpless and potentially creating additional risks, especially in emergency situations.
Essay Block? Let’s Break Through
Our writers craft high-quality papers with speed and accuracy.
The third and perhaps most important reason why I am against banning phones in class is that they can help teach young people digital literacy and responsible technology use. How can a teacher show students that it is necessary to fact-check most things they see online without demonstrating hands-on examples of misinformation? Creating guides can only do so much; it is more effective to let students follow using their own phones. Also, how are students going to learn self-discipline in technology use if not in school? Relying on parents to teach them is risky—unfortunately, not every student has an involved and caring family that supports the school in their child’s well-rounded development. For many students, school is the only place where they can learn anything, including digital literacy and responsible technology use.
At the same time, I can see where the proponents of phone bans are coming from, especially when they cite phones being distracting as the main reason. Despite all the benefits of phones in school, it is really challenging to ensure that all students are using their phones responsibly and for the good. The temptation to scroll on social media in class or even use the phone to cheat during an exam is too high. Still, I believe that instead of banning phones for being distracting, schools should implement rules to encourage responsible use. For example, instead of prohibiting phones altogether, teachers can mandate that students keep them in their bags unless explicitly instructed to take them out (for instance, to access an app currently used in class). With proper discipline measures and strict penalties for breaking the rules, it is possible to minimize the irresponsible use of phones in school without banning them.
Another argument that the opponents of phones in school are citing is that phones—and, more specifically, social media—are the number one cyberbullying tool for young people today. With the prevalence of cyberbullying increasing by the year, I can understand why this is a big concern. However, I do not understand how banning phones in schools can solve it. On average, classes end at about 3 PM in the United States. Even with phones prohibited in schools completely, what prevents students from bullying outside school hours? I do not believe that removing young people from their phones for a few hours a day is a solution. On the contrary, I think that teachers could reduce cyberbullying by teaching students the harm it does in class. Almost everyone is capable of empathy; showing students what cyberbullying can do to a person might be a more effective strategy than simply removing the device used for it. After all, before cyberbullying, there was traditional bullying—which is the best evidence that it is not about phones.
Overall, it does not make sense to ban phones in school when their benefits clearly outweigh the risks. Why are phones good in schools? They are a great learning tool in class (for example, for gamification and keeping students engaged), make communication efficient, and can help teach responsible technology use. While there are challenges, such as phones being a distraction in class and a potential cyberbullying tool, I firmly believe that they can be managed with appropriate school policies and practices. With all the evidence that phones should be allowed in school, complete bans are unnecessary.
Related Sample: The Valley of Ashes as a Symbol of Decay in The Great Gatsby