“Should We Ban Phones in Schools?”
www.readtangle.com /should-we-ban-phones-in-schools/
Isaac Saul, 9.17.25
The article discusses the growing trend of U.S. states and schools banning or restricting cell phone use, presenting arguments for and against the policies.
- Growing Movement: A growing number of U.S. states and school districts have enacted laws banning or restricting cell phone use in schools, a trend supported by research linking excessive phone use to lower academic achievement and psychological well-being.
- Arguments for Phone Bans:
- Phones are a major distraction in classrooms, and banning them is a simple but effective solution.
- They are linked to increased anxiety, and their use in place of face-to-face interaction hinders the social development of students.
- Personal anecdotes from teachers who have implemented bans show spectacular results, including students talking to each other, faster lesson delivery, and a decrease in cyberbullying.
- Arguments against Phone Bans:
- Phones are vital communication tools for families, especially in emergencies.
- Bans are an extreme measure that ignore the reality of modern life and the fact that phones are used for schoolwork and social navigation.
- Banning something can increase a child’s desire to use it.
- Phones can be essential tools for students in underfunded schools, serving as calculators, translators, and a reliable internet connection.
- Author’s Take:
- The author supports school phone bans, largely based on common sense and personal anecdotes from a former teacher who noted how phones turned students into “zombies” and made teaching an “impossible” task.
- The author believes the bans should be decided at the local level by individual school districts, not by federal or state governments.
- The author argues that the fear of not being able to contact children in an emergency is often an overblown concern of parents, who are struggling to navigate a changing world and need to learn to give their children more autonomy.
- Including students in the policy-making process could lead to better outcomes by giving them a sense of ownership and reducing rebellious behavior.
What do you think?
