Just because some people break a rule, that doesn’t mean everyone should be punished. Photo by RDNE Stock project: Pexels.com

Cell phones in school shouldn’t be this big of a problem, and banning them doesn’t help. By all means, using a phone in class during teaching is definitely wrong, but solving this problem does not need to be so extreme. It should simply be that if you are caught using your phone at inappropriate times and are not doing anything related to schoolwork, an emergency, or some kind of necessary communication, the phone is confiscated, a discipline referral is issued, and the phone is returned at a later time. Banning all phones and removing everyone’s freedom to have a phone is unfair and unjust. Just because some people break a rule, that doesn’t mean everyone should be punished. 

Compare the rule “no phones during class” to everyday crime. Imagine this scenario: the government has passed a new law. In order to stop all crime, everyone will be imprisoned and punished for all crimes. How would this make you feel? Unfair, isn’t it? You are innocent, you haven’t committed a crime, and yet you still have to go to jail as if you did. A few people in school used their phones when they shouldn’t, so now everyone, including the innocent, are punished. Same idea, different situations. Neither are correct.

Let’s create another extreme–yet very real–scenario. There is a school shooter. We all hide like we are supposed to. I want to talk to my dad during this time of hiding and waiting. I not only want him to know the situation I’m in, but I would also like to have the comfort of talking to someone I love during this terrifying and dangerous time. You could agree that this is something most people would do in this situation. Oh, but I can’t. My dad doesn’t know I’m in danger. I don’t have his comfort in what could possibly be my last moments. Why? Someone got in trouble with their phone, and now mine, as well as everyone else’s phone, is out of reach and off-limits. Doesn’t seem fair, does it?

I researched a May 9 Washington Post article titled “Students Can’t Get Off Their Phones. Schools Have Had Enough.” One thing that surprised me was the statement: “But educators and experts say students need to focus on their surroundings during a crisis, not their cellphones.” This is completely ludicrous. Students have every right to call for help in a dangerous situation. Once again, let’s compare this to another real scenario. Your house is being robbed. Do you: A) hide and call the police as fast as you can so they can save you and arrest the criminal, or do you B) wait until the robber steals all of your valuables and possibly kills you if he finds you, leaves, and goes to someone else’s house to rob and possibly kill before you call the police because you didn’t want to be distracted by your phone? Unless you’re playing “Angry Birds” while you should be hiding and staying quiet, I don’t see how much of a distraction a direct connection to help could be.

One last point I want to make is the use of schoolwide banning instead of basic punishment systems. The way it should and has worked here at East is simple. If you are using a phone when you’re not supposed to and aren’t doing anything related to schoolwork or some kind of necessary communication, the phone is confiscated and returned to you at the end of class. The second time you do this, the phone is confiscated and returned to you at the end of the day, as well as a discipline referral. The third time, the phone is given to the parent and you receive some sort of larger punishment, such as detention, suspension, or even expulsion. This policy is appropriate. However, many schools are dissatisfied because punishment doesn’t solve the problem of students getting on their phones. And to that I say, “Suck it up.” No crime or rule breaking is never going to be completely stopped. People continue to commit crimes and we continue to punish them accordingly. No solution has ever completely stopped crime, because there will always be someone who will try to get away with it. School administration can’t expect to completely stop students from using their phones, and banning them is definitely not the way to go about it.