Schools all over the country are circulating the controversial topic of banning phones in the classroom. At Marymount, we have our phones with us during the times we aren’t in class, such as lunch and free periods, but we must put them away in a slot in class. Next year might be different for Marymount students. Let’s take a glance at some different perspectives on this hot topic.
Parent: Heike Sussman asks why we should change the way we have it now at Marymount. Students can have their phones when not in class allowing them to be focused when in session. This allows students a sense of self-control and teaches them about responsibility. They need these qualities to succeed in life and manage themselves. It would be a step back for students to not have phones and eliminate their personal lives from school thus and most likely creating a bad relationship with their electronics causing them to abuse their phones when they get home.
Teacher: Professora Bui thinks that it is enough for students to just put their phones in the slots and have them for the rest of the day. She understands why the administrators are concerned about what happens with phones outside of class. She had seen when parents want to be in contact all day with their students constantly asking about tests and grades. This can be super stressful for students’ mental health so not having the phones every day could help relax students.
Student: Aylin Arson states that it wouldn’t be smart to get rid of phones in case you need to contact parents for activities or any changes in plans. Taking away phones would not make that much of a difference as students have access to their laptops all day which is equally as distracting as phones. In a student’s free time, they should have the ability to choose what they do with their time and learn how to manage their classes. She claimed that if the student is distracted and doesn’t pay attention in class they will reap the consequences of their actions and get a bad grade.
It seems that students, parents, and teachers agree on this subject. They think that taking away phones would do more harm than good. It would not be beneficial for Marymount to do a complete phone ban as the current system works well with students and teachers. Overall both sides of the topic have strong arguments and it is still up for debate, what do you think?