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- I gave my daughter a cellphone when she was 8. I still don’t think they belong in schools. (businessinsider.com)
My Teen’s School Banned Phones, and I’m Surprisingly Thrilled
When my daughter started walking to school alone at age 8, I gave her a cell phone for safety. Now 15, she, like most teens, treats her phone like an extra limb. While I don’t regret giving her a phone early on – it fostered independence and open communication – I’m wholeheartedly in favor of her school district’s recent phone ban.
Phones in school have been a long-standing issue. Teachers have been advocating for bans for years, citing disruptions and lost learning time.
Research, while mixed, suggests potential benefits like improved focus, social interaction, and safety. This aligns with what my daughter has observed firsthand.
She’s told me stories of classmates using phones during class, disrupting lessons and distracting others. Even during breaks, some kids were glued to their screens instead of interacting with their peers. Phones also facilitated the sharing of embarrassing incidents, a problem I’m glad didn’t exist when I was in school.
My daughter initially wasn’t thrilled with the ban, arguing that she sometimes used her phone for schoolwork due to restrictions on school computers. She also pointed out the superior quality of her phone’s camera for video assignments. While these are valid points, I believe the overall benefits of a phone-free environment outweigh these challenges.
The ban has also impacted me. I miss being able to text her throughout the day, and the recent school shooting in Minnesota highlighted the fear of not being able to contact her in an emergency.
Despite these concerns, I firmly believe that banning phones in schools is the right decision. Only time will tell if the policy remains, but I’m hopeful it will create a more focused and positive learning environment for all students.