should we be allowed to use ipods durind school for music

We are debating whether or not to allow iPods in school to listen to music. I do not think that we should because they create distractions, they can create problems by being stolen, and finally I believe that the attitude that everyone should learn with their own methods is extremely inefficient and impractical as a schooling program. My opponent made an argument that infers since Olympic swimmers use music prior to performing that students in school should be allowed to use iPods. There are two issues with this argument: 1. They are Olympic swimmers. Dedication and drive are inherent to their successes. They"ve already demonstrated their self discipline in their rigorous training and eating habits as well as long term commitment. One would not get such sureties from the average student.[1] 2. The Olympic swimmers listened to music prior to performing, not during practice or performance. iPods are distracting by their very design. They dont just have music capabilities. They have games, video, and cameras, along with a near unlimited number of apps for download.[2][3] One cannot candidly expect students not to indulge in such distractions to the detriment of their schooling. Along with this is the fact that these features open students up to more serious forms of distraction. Young people have been known to take and pass along lewd pictures and video. This is often discovered in school as they share these images back and forth and the children end up charged with charges for having or spreading child pornography.[4] Electronics can be stolen. There are rates of nearly ten students per every thousand that experiencing theft in a single school year. It's to be noted that those reports are based on thefts of items over $10.[5] The natural reaction to theft is anger, frustration, helplessness and sometimes vengeance. These are all distracting and often troublesome emotions for groups to experience. It would be detrimental to a school environment for children to experience this. As electronics become more commonplace, so would the theft of those devices, and the suspicions attached to them. It would be better if electronics were completely banned from school grounds. Finally, schools are institutions. Most often, they are public institutions, run by tax payer funding and government bureaucracy. Institutions require funding and staff. The reason schools are directed as they are is because they must educate large numbers of children and so variation must be restricted because there is no proper way to assess children with a sundry and varied approach to training without a huge, inefficient staff that would require a budget that is not even possible much less practical. Also, what is the intent of schooling? Is it to push every child through? Or is it to teach those that can be taught for future careers and to assess the others" weaknesses to send them to other trades where they are more suited? Not everyone is going to be a rocket scientist. I don"t believe that sacrificing the core group for those that can"t fit the mold makes any sense. It would be more helpful to identify those and put them into trade schools or otherwise. I had also mentioned that to teach every child to their specific pleasure will lead to an attitude that requires personal preferences to be met before any effort can be gotten out of individuals. Schooling doesn't just teach facts and figures. It gives an impression of society and our position in it. If students are allowed to pick and choose every day how they want to meet the day, what use are they as employees. What if they decide they can't work until after eight, while everyone else shows up at six? What if they decide they need their music when safety requires earplugs? How will they function if the world is bent around them? It will certainly not bend so well once they get out of school and head into the "real world". iPods are not conducive to a strong learning environment. They cause distractions. The argument that school should be fit to each and every student is not practical nor is it to be desired. Schooling serves more purposes than just learning. It conditions people to accept the rules and regulations and inconveniences of life. As such, I do not believe that iPods should be allowed in schools. [1] http://www.theguardian.com... [2] http://www.apple.com... [3] http://www.apple.com... [4] http://www.wgal.com... [5] http://www.census.gov...