Having phones on us in school is a good thing for many reasons. What if there is an emergency? With all the threats and tragedies that have occurred in schools, just this year alone, I for one would feel safer with my phone on me. I could call for help, reach out to my parents, let them know I was okay, what was going on and when it was finally safe to come get me. Also, in worse case scenarios, what if, God forbid, danger is unavoidable and we are not going to make it out alive; I for one would love to be able to tell my family that I love them and that I will be okay. That no matter what happens I will always be with them. If my phone is in my locker, I will have lost the ability to bid a final goodbye to those that will forever be without me.
While I understand the issue with the phones in the classrooms, the distraction can be reduced by making sure the phones are turned off, put on silent or even collected by the teacher at the beginning of class and passed back out at the end. The school work would still get done but the students would feel better knowing that they still had access to their phones if need be. It would also help the students by cutting the time down from having to run to our lockers to grab them before we board the bus. A lot of the kids have issues with this because our 8th period is in a completely different building than our lockers and trying to make it to our locker and to the bus is almost impossible with the traffic that floods the hallways in our school.
As someone with anxiety I know that having my phone is like a security blanket for me. It lets me know that in case something does happen I can reach out for help. It keeps me calm by being my connection to the outside world. I agree that phones should not be used in school because they are a distraction. But, taking them off the students and making them keep them in their lockers just heightens the anxiety, the unknown.
We are a generation that has been raised on the idea that phones are a part of us. Most of the students today have never been without a phone. Although I agree they are a distraction while we are trying to learn, we should have access to them at all times. It will calm most students down and keep their attention in class knowing that as soon as class is over they can have their phone and see what is going on.
Just imagine if there is an issue while you are teaching your class. The alert for the parents to know that something is going on takes anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours after the incident to reach the parents. The shooter, per say, is now standing in front of your door. Your class may not make it out of this alive. You may not make it out of this alive. Wouldn’t you like a chance to tell your family goodbye. Having your phone on you, even if it is only in your desk away from you, would relax you knowing that you have a way to reach those who can help, or those who you wish to say your final goodbye to. Wouldn’t you think that a student would also feel so much safer just knowing that the phone was in arms reach. I know I would.
