Many students and teachers have opinions on the cell phone policy placed in schools. Is it really necessary to have? How are students affected? How are teachers affected? Is there an inappropriate time for phones to be out? These are questions that teachers, students and parents need answers for in order to remove, keep or limit the cell phone policy.

In my opinion, cell phones can be used for more than social media. In fact, there are a lot of things you can learn from being on your phone. There are many resources out there, and textbooks are not always the best alternative. I think we should be respectful to the teachers while they are teaching and avoid being on it during lessons/instructional time, however, I believe that during free time it is okay to go on it or check it. If students have good behavior records and excellent grades, why does it matter if they are on their phone?

Sometimes phones are good to have while learning. Some kids need music to focus in order to get their work completed. Students also might need it near them in case of emergencies. It may create anxiety in teens if not checked regularly as well. Occasional phone checks during class can be good because it makes that person feel better knowing nothing is happening at home. For example, if their mother ended up in the hospital during school, they would be notified faster than if it was reported to the school.

I think breaks are definitely needed to get through a seven hour school day. Having that little time on it in the middle of class might be beneficial to not only the students but for the staff as well. It gives both time to refresh their minds. If needed, classes could take walks through the hall or outside just to get fresh air. Obviously the policy could be worse but interrupting the entire class for one person isn’t necessary. These are things we should take into consideration and potentially change how we look at phones.