Should Phones be in Schools? 

YES

How many times at school have you wanted to pick up your phone to ask someone a question, call someone, or even tell someone about plans for later? I know people have! The article 10 Reasons Why Cell Phones Should be Allowed in Schools suggests phones are a great way to increase participation and raise kids' attention. When someone thinks about phones in schools they might think it's a bad idea, but in circumstances when you have an after school sport, want to say hi to a friend, or just simply play a game, you should be able to! There should be at least 5 minutes to be on your phone for a break, because students have to sit still in class leading up to nearly almost an hour!

58.3% of kids in the United States have after school sports. After school sports play a big role in kids' schedules. Imagine you're at practice and suddenly someone tells you you're leaving early, you're getting picked up late, or you're going home with a friend. This can be avoided if you looked at your phone to see a text with plans for the day. You can also talk to your parents to ask them if you have a game or if you have a sports practice later. Something else to notice is kids with different households also check or confirm things with either parents for sports. Some teens say they use their phones during the school day too, which means kids use their phone at school, meaning others also support having your phone at school.

A lot of kids at school feel the need to have a break. After a class at school between things you might have a split second to pull out your phone and play a short game or talk to someone. Since kids have to sit in class for even hours at times, it might be a good idea for a brain break to reset before your brain has to take in more learning. One-minute phone breaks at school can help kids do better school work and reduce overall use. Brain breaks have shown that they reduce anxiety, stress, and anger which leads to success in future tests. Science has proven shorter brain breaks such as 1, 2,or 4 minute brain breaks are great because if the phone is used less, kids will eventually use it less overall.

Kids frequently use their phones for resources for classes that they have. According to 13 Surprising Pros of Cell Phones, digital note taking is a great way for students to quickly write down a note they might need in the future. You can also use pictures from your phone to study for tests. As a student if you want to see your notes later in the day, if you use your phone you can use your notes later. If students use their phone educationally there should be no problem of getting too distracted. This can also prepare students for future things that they need to do digitally. 

Thinking of having phones at school, some may think it is a bad idea. Phones are a great way to enhance the experience at school. What people don't realize is that there are many pros to having your phone at school.

NO

Do you know an adult who can resist the temptation to get distracted by their phones? Well, I sure don't! Then why do some people expect kids to handle their phones at school and not get distracted? Every time you hear a ding, ping or vibration coming from your phone, your brain switches its focus to the interruption. There are many reasons why students may have trouble getting their work done, and a phone is just another unnecessary distraction. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, students do worse on tests if they are in the same room as their phones, showing that even the presence of a phone is distracting.  97% of kids from the ages of 11-17 use their phones in class, with an average of  47 minutes each day!

In addition to phones being distracting, they also promote cheating. If a student is doing a challenging test and they don't know the answer, it is very tempting to search up the answer on their phone. Studies claim that 35% of teenagers confess to using their phones at school at least once to cheat on a test. Not only do some students search for the answers, but some also take photos of the test and send it to their friends. It is important for kids to be using their own knowledge for tests and not rely on cheating. 

Phones at school aren't just a problem in the classroom, but also at lunch and recess.   Articles state that cell phones decrease the amount of interactions that students have during free time. It is important for kids to build social skills and having a phone could take advantage of the opportunity to socialize with other people. If people depend on devices to communicate, then they have a big chance of losing their social skills. Students should interact with each other and be social, rather than staring at a screen,  while others are playing outside. According to A Ban on Smartphone Usage during Recess Increased Children’s Physical Activity, banning phones during recess time increased children's health and physical activities. 

There are many reasons why students should not be allowed to bring their phones to school. They are distracting, can lead to cheating, and they interfere with social skills. Would most students like to have their phones at school? Absolutely! However, at the end of the day, school is meant for learning with good education, and learning to socialize. Phones take advantage of students and do much more harm than good.