Cell phone use in schools now a dramatic issue

Dave Wick / For the Hungry Horse News

The advent of new technologies has infiltrated every area of life, and schools are no exception. While the technologies of the Internet, e-mail and interactive learning have certainly enhanced our ability to be current and to deliver curriculum in a variety of ways, many other issues have arisen.

The widespread use of the cell phone has certainly been an issue for schools in general. Students of all ages (with the youngest being 6 or 7) carry cell phones. These devices are undoubtedly a safety issue for many parents, as the ability to contact a child at any time is provided. Cell phones have simply become a necessary tool for communication for all of us.

At CFJH and other schools in our district, we have implemented practical cell phone policies to control the negative uses within the school. Our policy states that students should turn off the cell phone and leave it in the locker during the school day. When students get outside after the school day, they are allowed to turn on the phone to contact a parent, sibling or friend as needed. If students are caught with a cell phone in their possession during the school day — regardless of whether it is on or off — the cell phone is confiscated, turned into the office, and a parent may come to pick it up for the student.

To emphasize the reasoning of this policy, it is important to note the problems which have occurred over the past several years, not just at our school, but throughout the nation. First of all, student phones have been utilized to cheat on exams. If a student has an earlier section of a class, they would have the ability to communicate (by text, picture or message), what was on the test to other students. Granted, students could share this information through word of mouth, but the cell phone provides a level of privacy that would be hard to detect.

Secondly, phone use is undoubtedly a distraction from the educational process. Sending or receiving phone calls or text messages during class undoubtedly draws the student into concentrating on something other than the teacher's activities and their learning activities.

Cell phones also allow for a variety of negative communication among students. Inappropriate pictures sent through this medium have generated a great deal of publicity in the past few months. Students have faced legal action due to taking inappropriate pictures of themselves or others and sending them on a cell phone. Various kinds of bullying and harassment, as well as profanity, are evident in the text messaging world. This harassment is difficult enough for schools to handle without providing a more secretive method for students to deliver these messages to other students. This has led to disruption in school environments in a variety of ways, sometimes resulting in fights between students.

One argument that has been made is that cell phone communication may be of assistance in a crisis situation. Most national organizations have disagreed that this would be the reason to allow cell phones within the school. Administrators and many school personnel have cell phones which would allow them to contact law enforcement and other emergency personnel as needed.

Parents in our district have been very supportive of our cell phone policies within the schools of District 6. For further information about the hazards of cell phone use in schools, parents may access www.schoolsecurity.org. It is evident that cell phones are an essential part of life, but schools must remain strong in avoiding their use during the school day.

Dave Wick is the District 6 elementary education director and Columbia Falls Junior High principal.