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Can Public Schools Ban Cell Phones in Class?

acco40 said:
How does a cell phone protect one from a school shooter?
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Is this a serious question? Calling 911. In addtion to being able to call their parents when they're frightened out of their minds.
 
Groogrux said:
Is this a serious question? Calling 911. In addtion to being able to call their parents when they're frightened out of their minds.
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How does that protect one from a school shooter?

Let's look at the facts. What were the number of school shootings prior to cell phones in the US per year per school? What are the number of school shootings with student owned cell phones in the US per year per school?

Cell phones are a distraction in the classroom. Teachers should have the right to ban access to such devices while teaching. That should be agreed to by everyone.

The Impact of Cell Phone Use on Students in the Classroom: Negative Effects, Resources, and Management Solutions
Cell phones have become integral to our daily lives, providing convenience and connectivity. However, when it comes to the classroom environment, they can also pose significant distractions and challenges for students.

• Distraction: Cell phones can be a source of distraction for students, leading to decreased focus and attention in the classroom.

• Cyberbullying: Cell phones can contribute to cyberbullying, as students may use them to send hurtful messages or share inappropriate content.

• Academic dishonesty: Cell phones can facilitate cheating during exams or assignments, as students can access answers or information.

• Social isolation: Excessive cell phone use can lead to social isolation, as students may spend less time interacting face-to-face with their peers.

• Physical health issues: Prolonged cellphone use can contribute to poor posture, eye strain, and other physical health problems.

• Sleep disruption: Cell phones before bedtime can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to fatigue and decreased academic performance.

• Privacy concerns: Cell phones can raise concerns, as students may inadvertently share personal information or photographs.

• Inequality: Not all students may have access to cell phones, creating a digital divide and inequality within the classroom.

• Reduced physical activity: Cellphone use may discourage physical activity during recess or breaks, leading to a sedentary lifestyle.

• Addiction: Cellphone use can become addictive, leading to dependency and potential negative impacts on academic performance and well-being.
 
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From AI

The prevalence of mobile phones has impacted school shootings in both positive and negative ways:

Positive impacts
Alert authorities or parents
Contact loved ones

Negative impacts
Distract students from safety directions
Hamper rumor control
Make it harder for authorities to arrive at the scene
Increase the risk of students being put in more danger

So I'd say wrt school shootings, at best they are a wash. As for the primary purpose of educating students, they are extremely disruptive in the classroom.
 
Cellphone Bans Can Ease Students’ Stress and Anxiety, Educators Say

Before Regina Slage’s Algebra I class begins, her Edgewater High School students have to drop their backpacks and phones off at the front of the room, only taking their school-issued laptops and other class materials to their desks.

It’s Slage’s way of enforcing a statewide policy in Florida, signed into law in May, that prohibits students’ use of cellphones during instructional time.

“I don’t know ... what went into making up that rule, but I can tell you that the result of it on a very wide scale has been extraordinarily positive for [students’] mental health from an anecdotal perspective,” said Heather Kreider, the principal of Edgewater High School in Florida’s Orange County school district.

“Our kids are way more engaged. The apathy that we had seen from them in the last year to two years has seemed to wane. They seem more like they’re waking back up to a social experience.”

Beyond Florida, more schools across the country are restricting students’ use of smartphones in classrooms as concerns about their academic, social-emotional, and mental well-being increase. While a common motivation for schools to prohibit phone use has been to eliminate a source of distractions, another has been to help students’ mental health by reducing a source of stress and anxiety.
 
Teachers can effectively apply the intercom system that most schools have to be paged to the office to receive important private telephone calls. School messaging regarding various information can certainly be filtered over an intercom system. This is what they did 40 years ago and before.
 
Off topic interesting story. While a junior in High School we were assigned to read "Fail Safe." Quick synopsis, a USAF SAC alert goes bad and we can't recall a nuclear equipped B-52. We warn the USSR and it is agreed that to make up for that blunder, the USSR gets a free pass to obliterate a US city of their choice.

Anyway, someone in all their wisdom decided on the following. There just happened to be some China/Vietnam/USSR friction going on (1973) and over the intercom to the English classroom (the students thought it was being broadcast to the whole school) the students were told (the teacher was in on the scam) that nuclear war had broke out due to the current events and that ICBMs should be hitting the USA in about 10 minutes.

With surprise to no one with half a brain, panic ensued in the classroom. Some cried, some shut down, some just shrugged. The plan was to repeat this for the next few English classes later in the day. Given the bad reaction of the first class (what did they expect and why in the heck did someone think this was a good idea?) they cancelled the action for ensuing classes.
 
Well, when I was in the 1st grade, the school I attended decided to tell the students that blond haired, blue eyed, students were not to play with dark haired brown eyed students as the light hair students were far more intelligent. I told my teacher that I intended to play with whomever I wished because JESUS would want me to, and later we found out that it was all a social experiment. My father was not amused...
 
Did you go to school im Iowa? Actually that’s a very famous “experiment” and very, very educational in teaching children about racism.

A CLASS DIVIDED
 
Not sure why this is even an issue with some.

Of course a school, public or otherwise, can ban cell phones in class.
As someone pointed out, if needed, contact to a student can still be done through the office.
 
Loulit01 said:
I think they can. Why would a student need a cell phone while class is in session?

I think schools can and should ban them. Yondr pouches work well for this.
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Yes, they can. A cell phone used properly is a dynamic academic tool.

I concur, but I guarantee that 98% of the public schools in existence have financial needs of greater import than yonder pouches.
 
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