Do Smartwatches belong at school?
Smartwatches are becoming a common accessory on the wrists of students even in the earliest grades. Macy M. makes a case that these mini computers do not belong in schools because of the learning and social issues they cause.
By Macy M.
Fifth graders shouldn't have Smartwatches because they can cause distraction. Additionally, having a Smartwatch might seem to put people on a higher status than others. The last issue is that students can cheat on a test by using the calculator feature of the Smartwatch.
One reason Smartwatches shouldn't be allowed in schools is because the watches are expensive, and some students don't have enough money to afford one. The kids who have one might achieve higher status or more popularity because they own these expensive accessories. Kids shouldn't be thinking about this at school. Everyone should be equal to focus on learning.
Another reason that Smartwatches don't belong in schools is because children can get very distracted in class, playing games and texting with friends. Not to mention, it can be very hard to teach the students. “Watches that vibrate or ring during class are a major source of distraction that no serious teacher can tolerate. Even when they are not beeping, they are a distraction for children," according to Matthew Lynch of the Tech Edvocate.
Another important reason is that most Smartwatches have a calculator, which makes cheating in a math class really easy. You go to school to learn, not to cheat your way through. Knowing math helps you think more decisively, creatively, and precisely, according to Dr. Arthur Benjamin, a person known for performing live mathematics and has high mental math capabilities. This means that kids shouldn't use the calculators built into Smartwatches while in school.
In conclusion, smartwatches should not be allowed at school because there are more downsides than benefits.
Across the United States, parents are increasingly buying Apple Watches and strapping them onto the wrists of children as young as 5. The goal: to use the devices as a stopgap cellphone for the kids. With the watch’s cellular abilities, parents can use it to reach and track their children, while the miniature screens mitigate issues like internet addiction.
Children and teenagers appear to have become a disproportionately large market for smart watches as a whole. In a 2020 survey of American teenagers by the investment bank Piper Sandler, 31 percent said they owned a smart watch. That same year, 21 percent of adults in the United States said they owned one, according to the Pew Research Center.
Excerpt from the New York Times
