Should phones be allowed in school

As my opponent did not make points to support her viewpoint, I have nothing to refute so will only put forth my own concluding points. It is true that many schools, New York in particular, has reversed its cell phone ban and now allow them in classrooms. Mayor Bill de Blasio states this is because parents need to be able to contact their children (and so students did not have to pay outside vendors to store them). Many are predicting real consequences for the New York City school district, as grades will fall and classroom discipline plunges even further. Teachers in school districts where cell phones are allowed, state they often get tired of telling students to put their phones away and have caught students cheating via use of their cell phone. Recently Center for Education Policy and Law at the University of San Diego have attempted to address and offer solutions to the issue of cell phones in schools. To quote a portion of these recommendations: "schools regulate off-campus use of cell phones when there is proof that this use will result in a material disruption of the school environment or a substantial interference with the rights of others." In other words, they state the school needs to have and does have the right to search students phones and how they are used away from school. While this seems too far reaching to most people, it should be noted that the researchers are based in San Diego, California where state law is that school authority is not limited to the geographical boundaries of the school grounds. Thus these guidelines also encourage educators to search phones "within the context of the alleged misuse." To me, this seems an extreme infringement on the first amendment rights of the students but if the reality is that phones are not allowed at school, then no teacher or school administrator would be checking them. I concede this, in my opinion, should be outright rejected as a violation of the students rights however if the school does not allow phones, the school has the ability to punish the student for bringing one onto school property without prior approval. Children have attended school for centuries without the use of cell phones. To state that a student needs to suddenly be able to contact anyone whenever he chooses, seems a bit absurd. Children have also tried to cheat for centuries and cell phones appear to make the task of cheating easier, therefore proving the child is not learning the material he is being taught and difficulties the student may be facing are not discovered or addressed. Finally, cell phones are equipped with cameras. Every student can take pictures of anyone, with or without the subject knowing. We have all heard stories of pictures being taken of students in locker rooms, naked or partially clothed. The picture then being sent to many other students at once, often replete with hateful, hurtful comments about the subject. This level of cyber bulling is intense and while illegal in most states, does not stop students from doing it. The subject of a modern day cyber bulling attack is dealing with issues far more complex than the simple gossip or threat "I will get you after school", of bygone eras. This alone should be the catalyst for schools to ban them. Surely, researchers are watching the New York Public School District and recording the data. Many suspect there will be a decrease in student achievement scores and classroom discipline and a sharp increase in cyber bullying. Only time will tell but for now, the data indicates both will happen. Based on this, it seems hard to argue for student cell phones being allowed on school property. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this debate.