Cell phones and High Schools

it's funny because in universities they encourage some form of technology (like people taking pictures of datas or slide or professor-official answer keys to old exams), but in high school you have to write everything goddamn painstakingly with pencil

 

My English and history teachers allow me to take notes on my phone for the sake of easy access with Google docs. They know I work on it, and a lot of other students do it too (and of course most students work on laptops in classes such as history or economics, so not altogether many teachers would dislike students doing it on a phone) We ask permission and can use it when there are notes to be taken. Teachers aren't allowed to confiscate them, although obviously they'll tell students to put them away when it's clearly not work, and teachers don't have control over students during breaks. We're allowed to take family calls if we step outside of the classroom, which is permitted at any time, if thought rude without warning or while the teacher is speaking.

It's more understandable when the school as a whole or individual students have poor work ethic, though. But to take a phone for the whole year is tantamount to theft; students still need phones outside of school. As for taking it for the day, it's still not really fair, but the motivation isn't that bad if the student continually refuses to do work in class.

 

My high school allows you to use cell phones in the halls between classes, and in the cafeteria during lunch. Some teachers let you use them in class, and most let you use it if you ask.

 

College is different and isn't compulsory... but I agree that high school students should be able to use their phones outside of class. I never understood why in high school it wasn't allowed. I can understand in class, though as Ticklish Fish said, in college many professors let you take photos of their slides or record their lectures. Also, in biology we had to memorize a bunch of bones and body parts and taking photos of the items in lab was helpful. Still, some teachers in college get mad when they see you using your phone in class; it's simply disrespectful (most probably don't say anything, though). But I guess in college you're assumed more responsible, and they aren't there to force an education on you. If you wanna fail, it's your own fault, no longer the teachers'.

One thing that bugs me is that many people in my class have laptops and ipads. My laptop is too bulky to bring and I don't use it enough; however, I always have my phone, but if I want to do something related to class on my phone (which is exactly the same as an ipad), if the teacher saw me they will assume I'm not paying attention. I guess each item has a different connotation...

 

Our school has a pretty strict cell phone policy. The only places we can use them is either in the cafeteria and outside of the school building after school. It's annoying because if an emergency ever occurred and someone needed to get a hold of me, I'd be completely in the dark.

 

Cell phones weren't banned when I was in high school. But then, no one had one, either... Mobile technology was quite a bit different. Link shows one "mobile phone" of the era...

Mobiles through the ages gallery - 1988 - Ericsson Hotline

Old fart memories aside... I'm not sure I feel comfortable with a total cell phone ban. If nothing else, I think there is a basic safety issue. In many places, I think it's a good idea for students to have a cell phone in case of emergency. Just in case something happens on the trip to or from school. Plus--as the most recent shooting incident in my state shows--school itself can be a deadly place these days.

Past this, there are legitimate uses during school time for a cell phone. It could be used for taking notes, for example.

I think schools might ban for one of three reasons:

• Phones can be a distraction. But that can be handled by having specific rules, such as saying that cell phones should be kept on silent.
• Phones could be used to cheat on tests. But can't that be handled simply by saying: "It's test time! Clear your desks of everything!"?
• One worry might be the cost of the phone, and parents getting mad at the school if something happens to it. But can't that be handled simply by some "we assume no liability" lawyer type talk?

Oh, yes...one other issue hits my mind. A lot of people who make these rules are probably older, and may not be as in tune with the tech realities of today. I remember this issue vividly when I was in high school. Then, it was teachers who did everything they could to resist computers. My German teacher, in fact, hated computers so much that one summer she took a computer home reluctantly. The new text included computer software. The next fall she reported that she hadn't turned the computer on even one time.

Today, I can imagine a 60 year old principal who has a cheap flip phone for emergencies. He never uses it otherwise, but has had it at the urging of his kids long enough that he doesn't fully realize that there are no phone booths to be found in 60 mile radius of his school.

 

i find that rule primitive and stupid

 

People use their phones all the time in class. I'm guilty of it occasionally but there are people who are on their phones the entire school day. I understand why they have the rule, a year is definitely way too much though

 

i find nothing wrong being on them durring breaks

 

One of the issues I have with using cell phones in school is that sometimes my teachers will say "you can use your phones to do the assignment." This, of course, translates to "if you're cool, you'll use your phone for this assignment" in all our weird high-school brains. So about 90% of the class pulls out their cell phones, and this is the norm. But the norm of using a phone in class also makes those who are not allowed to own or can't afford a phone feel left out, uncool, etc. This was me until a few months ago, and looking around at the rest of the class red-faced because I wasn't allowed to have a smartphone is not a memory I will easily forget.

 

Well at my school it is encouraged that you have a phone, considering we use them for everything. Although most schools here allow students to have phones and use their electronic devices but I don't know about many other places out of state. I don't know what I would do without my phone…wait I just rembered I don't have a phone anymore :tears::tears::tears:

 

I had a special set of medical circumstances in high school that required me to have access to my cell phone (and by extention, my parents) for emergencies. It was a flip phone, nothing I could have used to cheat or whatever.

 

aww there there -hugs- dont cry now atleast you arent being kept awake by sirens at night because people are doing dumb things in my neighborhood rightnow

 

This. Unlike high school, they treat you like adults in college. In my university, they allow food/drinks to be brought into class, along with electronic devices in order to take notes. Like Ticklish Fish has noted, it's encouraged. If you don't have an Ipad, Iphone, or laptop, then it'll be a bumpy ride through that semester course.

 

I actually had a professor ban all electronics in her writing class. I got an exception because of dysgraphia that allowed me to take notes and do exams with my laptop.

exception, not the rule.

 

For my high school the rules varied depending on the class and teacher. The official policy was keep it in your locker/pocket/dont let it be seen but some teachers would have you set it on the desk or outright not allow it in class at all. If you're caught with it once I think you're supposed to lose it for the period and if you're caught again you lose it for the day. Some teachers weren't as strict and let you off the hook though. Others were so chill they let you use it on homework or in study hall pretty much without any problem. I think my school in general has gotten more progressive about it since I left. Hell they give everyone their own Ipad to do work on now.