Should students be allowed to have their cell phones in middle school and high school? A 2010 Pew Research Center study found that 65 percent of cell-owning teens bring their phones to school despite any bans that may be in place. Most high schools now allow students to have cell phones but require them to be turned off during class because they can be disruptive and distracting.
Both high schools and families seem to have an ongoing struggle with youth cell phone use. The ramifications leave lasting effects and challenges. In a 2020 Pew Research Center article, it was shared that “a majority of parents in the United States (66%) – who include those who have at least one child under the age of 18, but who may also have an adult child or children – say that parenting is harder today than it was 20 years ago, with many in this group citing technology as a reason why.”Read on for the pros and cons of allowing cell phones in school to help make the right decision for your child.
You can be in touch with your children and know their whereabouts
The 2010 Pew study noted that 48 percent of parents use the phone to monitor their child's location. The monitoring of children’s locations during school hours should also be noted as a con for many families who don’t like the idea of tracking their high school children with technology.
Cell phones can be used in emergencies
Your kids can reach you in the event of an emergency and vice versa. Families are living through unprecedented times, regardless of whether they attend private or public schools. This generation of children has grown up with mass shootings, and specifically school shootings, being part of the news headlines that they see every year of their lives. We are now also living through a pandemic where school districts and families have heightened anxiety and true health and safety concerns on a regular basis. Knowing that you can reach loved ones in a heartbeat thanks to mobile phones during school hours can feel more important than ever in the current climate.
Cell phones can be used when help is needed
If in danger, your children can reach the authorities or a medical provider. Parents worry about everything from bullying to random violence to car accidents when their children are not only at school, but also attending activities directly after school. School students are driving from high school to work, traveling for sports meets and competitions, and visiting friends. Although parents may not love the idea of teens having their phones at school, they may want them to have access to phones for all that happens immediately following time at school.
