As you all know, the administration has implemented a new school wide rule banning the use of cellphones in school. This includes having one out, having it on, and actively using it. It has come to my attention that this ruling has aroused mixed feelings amongst the students and staff alike. I am taking a stand in support of the ruling. I find that cell phone use in school is disruptive to learning, it distracts from the task at hand, and I find that almost everyone is attached to their cell phones so completely that they do not fully engage in school activities. When combined, these create a very counter-productive environment in our school.

Primarily, cell phone use is disruptive to learning. The classroom can go from calm and serene to having the silence shattered in an instant thanks to the noise that using a cell phone creates. In the middle of class, nothing is worse than having to stop teaching because someone’s phone has gone off. Whether it is a simple ringtone or the buzzing sound of vibrate mode, both cause distractions. The noise can cause other students to stop actively working on their own work and become curious as to what is happening on Johnny’s cell phone. Susie may ask Carol what it was and Carol may ask Bobby and this curiosity will ripple across the room creating a situation where nobody is working on their work anymore. As the saying goes, “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.” The curiosity of wanting to know what is going on kills the cat of my classroom. However, the satisfaction of having the knowledge may not bring it back. Furthermore, if a student has their phone during an exam and goes to ask Siri or Cortana a question, the act may cause the atmosphere to be less conducive to test taking.

Cheating on a test is disruptive just as the act of “looking something up” is distracting. “Looking something up” is usually just a fancy excuse to have a phone out and do anything but find pertinent material. During a typical lesson, doing research can consist of looking up facts, finding a better source of information, or even making sure the current topic of discussion is accurate and valid. Research is not looking for cat videos on YouTube, finding the “rarest pepe (the frog)” meme on Google Images, or texting the person sitting next to you. As far as texting is concerned, I believe that having no cell phones in school will greatly reduce the number of times that I have to stop, ask people to clear their desks and/or put down their belongings, and wait before continuing on with the lesson. Students, take it from me, your teachers always know when you are on your phone. Your bags and jackets are not entertaining enough to stare at them and periodically laugh. Furthermore, I do not know of any book bags or jackets currently on the market that need to be charged. When you get up to take your bag or jacket across the room and set it next to an outlet, it is distracts your fellow students. As a teacher, I find it very annoying when a student gets up and has 20 pairs of eyes follow them. I stand by the administration’s ruling so that I can teach in peace and so that all students can be engaged in the lesson.

I support the policy as constantly having cell phones in school leads to attachment. Students are reluctant to give up their cell phones during school. Some will give the evil eye if asked to give up their phones during an exam. Some students suffer from a form of separation anxiety during the short time they that are requested to leave their phones somewhere. They glance over at it and try to rush through the work in an attempt to rejoin their phones. This attachment stems from the “need” to constantly Tweet about something on Twitter, post a Selfie on Instagram, or see what their friends are up to on Snapchat. This dependency on Social Media is another reason why I stand with the new policy. I cannot stand how much some students have their phones out for the sole purpose of digitally interacting with a person who is in the same room as them.

Therefore, students and fellow faculty, I will support the administration on this bold endeavor to eliminate cell phones from our school.  Curiosity, noise, and cheating are all very disruptive and ruin the learning environment. Looking for “information,” hiding texting, and constantly shuffling around to charge your jackets and book bags distracts everyone in the room from accomplishing the task. Your reluctance to give up your cell phones, your separation anxiety when you do, and the constant updating on social media disengages you from the lesson to the point where it is hard to teach you important information. I take my stand and I pledge to support the school administration.