Students Should Be Allowed to Have Their Cell Phones at School

Thank you for your response. CON opens his introduction with an argument, phrased as a question, of whether or not cell phone ease is valid in the eyes of others, not just students. This of course, isn’t much of a difficult question to answer. My opponent tries to dismiss my notion that cell phones are useful mostly by saying something like, “My opponent is a student himself, so of course he would think that way. Allow me to enlighten you.” However, this does not dismiss the arguments I make. Rather CON tries to dismiss me, and therefore my arguments. Cell phones, regardless of who the cell phone is used by, are a tool used for the overall ease of the one using it. The ability to contact others is vitally important, and allowing students, who especially rely on contact for various things, to have cell phones is logically sound. Adult guardians or authorities would also agree, since the ability to for a student to contact them or for them to contact a student is very beneficial. My opponent tries to dismiss my argument that cell phones give students choice and responsibility by arguing that that is a private matter that should be decided by parents and not by the school. However, this does not dismiss the fact that the school alone has the ability to decide whether students can take their cell phones to school or not, therefore my opponent’s argument that cell phone usage is a parent’s decision is irrelevant. Administrators can allow cell phones at the school and the parents can still decide whether or not their child is ready to be able to take their cell phones to school. My opponent then argues that there is no need for cell phones since the office at the school can allow students to use their phones. Office cell phones however, simply do not suffice even in simple situations. Kids who need to contact their parents after schools could of course use office cell phones, although offices generally will not have enough phones to compensate for the amount of kids who need to contact their parents after school. Office phones also don’t solve the problem of when a student needs to contact an authority in an emergency. These emergencies could consist of anything from an extreme injury on campus, to a school shooting. My opponent argues that cell phones should not be allowed in schools because cell phone usage requires a certain degree of manners and ethics among students. Schools will of course, place rules and may even go as far as to place very strict rules on cell phone usage if students cannot use them properly. If cell phones are seen being used casually authorities may have the right to take the cell phone away and have the student pay a fine to get the phone back. Rules like this promote proper cell phone usage. My opponent’s argument that all of the benefits of cell phone usage may exist without consequences fails. He essentially argues the same point he did when arguing about student ethics and manner when using cell phones. He argues that a school’s primary purpose is only for education and that cell phones are too much of a distraction. Schools, although primarily for education, should also promote an atmosphere of ease and the well being of students. Cell phones accomplish this. As argued before, stricter rules on cell phones use promote appropriate cell phone use, so it is therefore not a problem that students may use their cell phones inappropriately since they will be incentivized not to. Of course, the occasional problem will arise with cell phone usage, but the safety and ease it beings upon students is invaluable and certainly out-weighs the problems cell phones may cause. My opponent then points out that schools already have safety and security handled so there is no need for cell phones. This, of course, is simply false. If it was true, bullying wouldn’t occur, school shooting wouldn’t happen, vandalism and sexual harassment wouldn’t exist, ect. My opponent cannot ignore the fact that cell phones increase safety and ease among students. Over to you.