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The Pros and Cons of having Cell Phones in High Schools

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A recent survey indicated that 68% of students in grades 6-12 bring cell phones with them to school on a regular basis. Most high schools set some sort of policies regarding the use of cell phones on their premises. Some ban phones altogether.

While there are problems with the use of a cell phone in school, many advantages to having one available exist. Schools need to weigh all factors involved in use of cell phones in order to make wise and appropriate decisions. Parents and students should decide together on the wisdom of taking the cell phone to school. This is a partial listing of advantages and disadvantages of cell phone use in high schools.

The first one is students may need to make arrangements for after-school activities. They may want to go to the library or stay after school to consult with a teacher about an assignment they don't understand. They can use a cell phone to text or leave a voice mail explaining what they are doing so parents can better coordinate with them.

It must be seen that the main reason by parents to let their children continue to use cell phones is because of safety purposes. If they have the phones, it is easier to reach them and even know where they are. It is also beneficial during emergency situations when the child can either call for help or be located in case he or she is gone missing.

It is good that most of the phones in the market today have what is known as GPS capability for locating somebody through the cell in case of he or she is lost or missing. These are some of the quite logical reasons why a child should be let be with a phone.

A camera equipped phone can be used to take pictures and video related to school projects or develop photo essays. Camera phones can be used to record school events and field trips. They can prove quite useful for assignments involving photographs, particularly anything going to the web. Just snap a shot with your picture phone and use it for your web classes, which are becoming more and more important these days. This is especially useful given that cell phone cameras are getting better and better with time.

Cell phones can be a distraction in the classroom. Students whose minds wander during a lecture or discussion may find the temptation of texting instead of listening hard to resist. They are also potentially a distraction to the class if the student forgets to set their phone to vibrate rather than ring during calls. Even the vibration can be distracting, and it does not take much for a teacher to lose their momentum.

.Besides, picture phones and other applications such as calculator  in particular can be used to cheat on tests and quizzes. Take a picture of the test, send it to your buddy, and get a text back with the answer. Or send it to someone who wants to know what's on the test. The calculator function can be used to cheat on math tests. The risk of potential cheating on academics is one of the main reasons why students are not allowed to bring handphone in school.

Cell phones allow students to communicate not just with students in other classes, but also other schools and even adults that are not in the school environment.  There is the potential for social disagreements, and even communication with an adult who is not approved by parents. It can lead to students having episodes of being upset while a teacher is trying to conduct lessons. Banning cell phones won't eliminate social break ups or disagreements, but it can reduce opportunities for these kinds of issues.

Some students like to create bomb threats by calling emergency numbers on their phones.  They may try it in restrooms when no one is nearby.  They might do so between classes.  Which means, that will put a delay for all the classes at school, before an emergency team arrives.  Once the students are accused for the threat, they could get arrested and suspended.

With the prevalence of cell phones in high schools, it is important for students, parents, teachers, and administrators to carefully consider how and when they should be used. Policies need to take into account the advantages and disadvantages of cell phones in various situations.

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