What's The Harm In Electronics During School? | Teen Ink

What's The Harm In Electronics During School?

May 28, 2009
By BubbiG GOLD, Columbia, Maryland
BubbiG GOLD, Columbia, Maryland
14 articles 4 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
"NEVER LOOK BACKWARDS ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD!"

Lisa Left-eye Lopes


Why is it a rule that students are not allowed to listen to their I pods and use their cell phones in school? What if these electronic devices are for a good cause? Here’s a better question, why can’t we use electronics at certain times during school? It’s slightly unfair and I want to address this issue. I believe that the “No electronic devices including cell phones and I pods will be stored out of sight at the start of period one,” policy in Howard County public school system is inappropriate and on the behave of other students we believe it’s an unfair rule. In my opinion cell phones and I pods shall be used in case of an emergency, calculator and for organizing. I pods shall be used during free time and music helps with concentration. Electronics should be allowed because of emergencies, organization, concentration and for educational purposes.



First Electronics could help in an emergency! Now I understand that emergency cards are provided for the authority to call in case of a real emergency, but that is depending on the situation! Emergency cards are used if a student passed out, having an asthma attack or even a seizure. Now an emergency card does not always work. what if the authorities cannot reach anybody on the emergency card? What happens to that student? Now if the child is really sick, having an allergy attack or even injuries; if this student is capable to do so than that student should be allowed to use his or her cell phone. Now I did an interview and I asked an adult “Do you think that electronics should be allowed during school?” The Adult responded “Yes at certain times though, not during class.” I also did an observation this was during 4th period! I observed a young lady, who was not feeling well, texting her dad because the teacher wouldn’t send her to the nurse. In this situation I believe this was an appropriate move because the teacher would not send the young lady to the nurse to call her dad.



Next electronics can also help with concentration. I pods can be used for many different activities if necessary. I believe I pods should be used for concentration purposes like for example a computer assignment. Sites like Cognitive Tutor, HSA Practice Online Testing, and educational game sites require I pods. As long as the I pods are not distracting anybody than it shouldn’t be a problem. Authorities attempt to overreact and not see things from a child’s point of view. I interviewed a student who agreed with the adults “It’s dumb for a kid in school to listen to I pods and talk on Cell phones, it’s also a distraction.” I totally disagree with her response. I also observed during second period listening to his I pod while working on Cognitive Tutor. This student, before he listened to his I pod, was not getting his work done and he stayed on the same unit. When I pods were allowed in only that class this same student was able to complete his unit on Cognitive Tutor.



Finally electronics can be used for educational purposes. Cell phones should be allowed when the student is using his or her calculator to solve an equation. Cell phones should also be allowed when a student needs to copy down an assignment. Like an agenda book for example. Students does not always look through their agenda books, but a student is always looking through their cell phones. The student should be allowed to use their cell phones to stay organized. I pods can keep a student on track in class, but only for certain activities. Electronic devices are not just used for entertainment; they’re also used for educational purposes.



To conclude I do agree with not using electronic devices while the teacher is teaching because it does become a distraction. So why not just let students use it in the morning, during free time and in the after noon? What’s the harm in that? We’re in high school and we should be treated like mature young adults. Students can handle using electronics when they’re suppose to. Electronics should ONLY be used for educational purposes, concentration purposes, and emergency purposes. Electronics again is not only for entertainment pleasures but also for something constructive. As I said before electronics should be allowed during lunch time. Electronics are not hurting anybody, so why ban them right?






Sincerely,





Ashley S.

The author's comments:
I will like for teens and adults to read this and give feedback. this is from a teen's point of view!

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This article has 93 comments.


on Dec. 18 2013 at 12:23 pm
LadyKraken BRONZE, Montpelier, Ohio
4 articles 0 photos 8 comments
My school has a zone policy that doesn't really apply to me in particular, but I know about it. You can use your phone at your locker between classes and in the morning before the bell and after the final bell. You can use your phone freely at lunch, even call people. Classrooms are considered red zones, which means no electronics, but some teachers let you have them so long as they are out and visible on your desk. Some require them to be off and some let you charge them. Electronics on the bus are okay, since it isn't during school hours. In the online program, which is what I'm in, we're allowed to use our phones/iPods for music to break up the monotony of sitting here all day staring at a computer screen. My iPod fairly recently broke and my teacher gave me permission to actually use my own laptop so that I could listen to music, but she was probably persuaded by the fact that the boys in my class are really loud and I tend to keep quiet and do my work. If you have a kindle or e-reader, you can use them wherever you like as far as I know, but if someone catches you playing a game instead of reading you'd probably be in trouble. I think if you're feeling crappy and you can't go to the nurse, texting a parent isn't a bad idea. Sometimes you need to use your phone to contact people who aren't on your emergency list if you don't have their number memorized. But taking selfies in the bathroom or cyber-bullying (I really hate that term) someone is a crap use for technology.

angelhearted said...
on Dec. 9 2013 at 1:06 pm
 i agree, electronics should be allowed on breaks but in my school the students are imature and so leave it up to them to decide whether or not to use it is a bad choice. my father is a teacher there and he`s the only one who allows you to listen to music and use internet he can control them but not the other students. most of the students have respect for him so they dont push it.plus our principal is soft so the students kinda run the school for the worst.

on Nov. 12 2013 at 2:11 pm
listen electronics should be aloud. But in some conditions. u shouldnt be able to like sit in the way back and just get on instagrahm and text your mom. but lets say u brake your arm. u want to text your parents. yes of course the office is going to call your paren ts. so what u want to tell them your self really. so at the end of the day no one gets hurt.    

on Nov. 12 2013 at 2:05 pm
ipods and other electronics should be aloud because kids shoud be able to look up and txt on ipods and phones  

on Sep. 5 2013 at 3:01 pm
TheIdealist SILVER, New York City, New York
7 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We all die. The goal is not to last forever. It's to create something that does."

My high school is located in a huge educational campus that used to be its own school, but it got shut down because it was dangerous and had low academic performance. All 5 schools in it are co-located so we have get scanned and go through metal detectors every morning. For that reason, cell phones aren't allowed in my school. However, at my middle school, cell phones were allowed. We just weren't allowed to use them during class. But, that didn't stop a lot of kids from pulling out their phones anyway. They would hold up a book in front of the phone so that it looks like they're reading, but they were really either texting or on the internet. And most of the time, they got away with it. The problem with cell phones in school is that not everyone uses them responsibly. And those who do aren't allowed to use them because the majority of the students can't wait until lunch or recess. Majority always rules, even if it's unfair. I call it "collective suffering."

1234567890 said...
on Aug. 13 2013 at 3:58 pm
Maybe if there was less cyber bulling, we would be allowed more freedom. If someone goes home and cyber bullies that is one thing, but when they do it at school, it becomes the responsibility and liability of the school - they are not allowed to let that kind of behaviour happen at school and they are trying to prevent it.  Trust is like a bank account and although there are benefits to having the use of a cell phone at school, we have not always used it for good. Stop cyber bulling and maybe they will trust us to be responsible and allow us the freedom to use our devices. 

on May. 18 2013 at 6:06 pm
YozoraK PLATINUM, Maumelle, Arkansas
21 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life for you has been less than kind/So take a number/Stand in line/We've all been sorry/We've all been hurt/But how we survive/Is what makes us who we are." -'Survive' by Rise Against

Yeah, the cheating thing?  Yeah, it already happens at my school.  Phones are not required to do so.

on May. 18 2013 at 6:05 pm
YozoraK PLATINUM, Maumelle, Arkansas
21 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life for you has been less than kind/So take a number/Stand in line/We've all been sorry/We've all been hurt/But how we survive/Is what makes us who we are." -'Survive' by Rise Against

At my old school, I once got ISS for showing my phone to another student on the school bus.  My phone wasn't even out for a full minute!  It was riduclous to say the least. At my new school however, phones and iPods are allowed as long as the teacher isn't teaching or they say otherwise.  So when one is working on classroom assignments, they'll have their iPods/iPhones out, listening to music.  Even in my Chemistry class I will be listening to my music, even during the lesson because the class is so loud, nothing gets done anyway.  And the teacher knows this too!  She allows me to anyway because she knows that I know the subject. It's getting riduclous nowadays that schools are sticking to this policy.  As long as it is controlled to a certain extent, there is no harm.

on May. 3 2013 at 12:11 pm
Positivity_At_Its_Finest DIAMOND, Morrow, Georgia
56 articles 2 photos 148 comments

Favorite Quote:
Life is a stage, get on it and perform your best act.

i agree with you. during the morning and at the end of the day, students should be allowed to use their electronics if they want. and when it's during school hours, electronics should only be used for educational purposes ONLY!!!!!!! in my school, we use electronics in school, but only in the library. (iPods)

on Apr. 5 2013 at 2:20 pm
i can see no reason why im not allowed to listen to music in my free time at school what is the difrence from listening the and after school it is my phone in my own time no one could hear it it was not herting anybody my phone was not visable yet my parents are being called to school because i refused to give it to them. i was not even listening to what some peaple would call evil music like rap,songs with swearwords in it diddent even have lyrics in my school talks about sterotypeing i find this ironic since they asume we are all lazy ignorent idiots who do not value education yet when the teacher does not teach (witch does happen at my school) he resives no punishment.

on Mar. 6 2013 at 3:52 pm
i think teens should have electronics to listen music during class

PandaPunk said...
on Feb. 14 2013 at 2:27 pm
I disagree, the teachers have phones and will keep you safe in case of emergency. Don't forget about the adults in the building. We are also not texting so no weird "i agree wit u". And no one caresif you like cheese or not.

coolguy2212 said...
on Feb. 14 2013 at 9:21 am
WE DONT NEED CELL PHONES IN SCHOOL!!!!! YOU DONT KNOW WE R IN SCHOOL NOT YOU1

jason123 said...
on Jan. 9 2013 at 3:40 pm
well i disagree some people cant consentrate with out music. and also students could use there electronics to look up im portent things to keep up there grades and to study.

on May. 29 2012 at 10:01 am
DreamingOutQuiet SILVER, Round Rock, Texas
7 articles 0 photos 78 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Time and the bell have buried the day,
The black cloud carries the sun away" - Elliot

Oh if life where made of moments, even now and then a bad one. Oh, if life where made of moments then we wouldn't know we had one. - Into the Woods

during free periods, or ipods during independant work should be allowed. If you worry about cheating then, honestly, it's going to happen anyways asnd phones arent that beneficial. If someone texts during class to outside of school for answers then why ban it during free periods?? and music is shown to be beneficial to concentration

Wordgasm GOLD said...
on May. 28 2012 at 10:19 am
Wordgasm GOLD, Kingfield, Maine
12 articles 0 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
If it was a unicorn it would have gored you.

*more

gotta love irony -.-


Wordgasm GOLD said...
on May. 28 2012 at 10:18 am
Wordgasm GOLD, Kingfield, Maine
12 articles 0 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
If it was a unicorn it would have gored you.

While I agree with most of your main points, I really couldn't read this article. It needs a *very* thorough proof reading. Each point should have a sentence or two, maybe even a whole paragraph, instead of making each point multiple times in every paragraph.

Effective use of punctuation was also an issue from what I saw. There were many run-ons and fragments. I also spotted a few places where the meaning of your words was changed by punctuation (or lack thereof).

Overall, you make good points, but try and proof-read mor thoroughly before you post online. :)


on May. 6 2012 at 4:43 pm
gap, you may not like it that you can't have a phone with you, but I notice that your spelling, grammar and punctuation are excellent, whereas the other posters have a LOT of errors. Maybe one reason you are a better writer is because you've been in a school system that understands that paying attention is class is important, and its very hard to resist the call of facebook or games when its on your phone at your fingertips.  :)

CLJCO said...
on May. 3 2012 at 12:49 pm
You spelt pretty wrong.

lTwist1607 said...
on Apr. 23 2012 at 11:06 am
i think that this is a great example for why electronics should be allowed:]