Cell phones at school - Essay Example

Cell Phones and Schools: Safety First YOUR FULL THE OF YOUR SCHOOL OR Cell Phones and Schools: Safety First There is some controversy over whether cell phones should be allowed in schools, often with administrators being against the idea and students being for it. For the purposes of this paper, which will briefly examine some pros and cons of the question, the discussion will be limited to the propriety of allowing cell phones in secondary schools. There is an argument to be made that cell phones should be banned because of their ability to disrupt classrooms and distract students.

This consideration is outweighed, however, by the safety that is afforded students in potentially dangerous situations. Cell phones should be allowed in schools. The simple fact is that cell phones make the campus a safer place to be. During these perilous times, that consideration should be of the highest priority. In an emergency like a fire or terrorist incident, students with cell phones are able to immediately communicate with police and other authorities. This provides for a rapid response to any emergency; one that could shave precious minutes off of the time it would take to notify an administrator, have the staff member verify the emergency, and then phone officials.

The classic example of this position is the tragedy that happened at Columbine High School. When two students started using guns on their instructors and classmates, "students and teachers began phoning to alert police of a shooting going on.[and] a teacher on a cell phone desperately pleaded for rescue with the police as she simultaneously shouted at her students" to stay down (Breggin, 2000, pp. 4-5). The fact that there were several groups of students located in isolated areas of the large campus makes the case for cell phones at school; they were able to be safely rescued by police as a direct result of their ability to call and advise them of their location and status.

While such extreme situations occur rarely, when they do take place, cell phones in the hands of the students can save lives. The primary criticism of secondary school students carrying cell phones to school is that the phones are rarely turned off and disrupt classroom instruction or other curricular activities. Even when students remember to turn the ringers off, they tend to use them during class breaks or lunch time when, opponents maintain, they should be focused on studying or other school-related activities.

While these may appear to be serious concerns, they can also be obviated through regulation by school officials. Many secondary schools have policies regarding cell phone use that prevent these types of intrusive situations and those students who choose to violate the rules are duly punished. Sensible policies can prevent the disruptive concerns of administrators while still affording students the safety associated with carrying a cell phone. Understanding that appropriate regulation of cell phone use is available, and that student and faculty safety is paramount, the draconian measure of banning cell phones at secondary schools is unnecessary.

For the sake of a safer academic environment, cell phones should be permitted. ReferencesBreggin, P. R. (2000). Reclaiming Our Children: A Healing Solution for a Nation in Crisis. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.