Some educators rethinking strict cell phone bans
By Earl Horlyk | Posted: Monday, October 27, 2008
West High junior Jacob Luesebrink finishes checking his voice mail as he and junior Molly Baker head to their car after school. (Staff photo by Jerry Mennenga)
SIOUX CITY -- Ashley Beaumier's mom sends frequent text messages to her daughter while the West High School 12th-grader is in class.
"It gets really annoying," Beaumier said as she checked her missed messages after school on a recent day. "Mom will text, 'What are you doing?' What does she think I'm doing? I'm studying at school!"
The Sioux City Community School District continues to ban cell phone use during school hours as school administrators in Marshalltown, Waukee, Ackley and other Iowa cities have begun to ease up, allowing students to use their phones during free periods such as lunch.
Sioux City's policy has been in place since the 2006-07 school year. However, East High School Principal Richard Todd said he met with students Wednesday to discuss easing the ban at his school.
"I'm looking into the possibility of allowing our kids to use cell phones as long as it occurs in the commons and during the lunch hour," he said shortly after the meeting. "As a school, we should be embracing new technology and not pretending it doesn't exist."
For now, though, students in the district must keep their cell phones in their lockers, purses, book bags or pockets. If a student is discovered using his cell phone during school hours, it can be confiscated by a faculty member.
"At West, we enforce a strict 'tag it or bag it' policy," said instructional assistant, Beth Ortmann. "The first time it happens, we'll keep the phone in the office and the student can pick it up at the end of the school day."
The second time it happens, she continued, the student's parent will be contacted. The third time, the parent will be asked to pick up the cell phone in person.
"We confiscate three or four phones a day," Ortmann said. "Considering we have a student population of more than 1,200, that's not a bad average."
Devant Clark, a West High junior, said he's seen kids use their phones during school hours in spite of the ban, and he thinks his school should ease up on it's zero-tolerance policy.
"I see nothing wrong with using my phone in study hall, lunch or when I'm sitting alone in the (student) lounge," Clark said. "If I'm not bothering anybody, I think it should be OK."
Initially, school officials tightened cell phone bans when educators expressed concerns that students would send text messages, even test answers, to their friends during class time.
"I've never seen anybody do that," Elizabeth Howard, a West 12th-grader, said. "I've never seen anyone cheat like that."
"Do you think that would be the case without our current cell phone ban?" Ortmann asked.
"Oh, probably not," Howard said, rethinking her position.
Researchers predict students may some day be able to use wireless technology as an educational tool and cell phones will work their way into the classroom just as calculators have.
As a professor of materials science and technology at Iowa State University, Larry Genelo teaches future teachers to embrace wireless as a way to teach complex mathematical applications to increasingly tech-savvy students.
"Most new cell phones have a GPS system built into it," he explained. "Learning the coordinates of a map is a perfect way to incorporate geometry and trigonometry in a way that kids will enjoy."
Although Ortmann doesn't know whether cell phones will be incorporated into her school's curriculum, nor does she have a count of how many kids carry cell phones, she acknowledges the ubiquitousness of wireless devices.
"It's how kids communicate with one another," she said. "In fact, it's how teachers communicate, too."
Ortmann said her school shows lenience when it comes to family emergencies.
"If a student sees a parent has made repeated efforts to contact him, the student can always come to the principal's office and use our phones," she said.
"As much as we want our schools to be a place for education," Ortmann said, "we also want to give kids a chance to stay in touch with their families."
Beaumier said her school should allow kids to use their cell phone in their free time while cracking down on cell phone usage in the classroom.
"That's when it should really matter," she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Teens and cell phones by the numbers
17 million: U.S. teens who carry a cell phone.
80 percent: Report an added sense of security.
57 percent: Consider it key to their social life.
52 percent: Consider it a new form of entertainment.
42 percent: Say they can text blindfolded.
33 percent: Use their phones to play games.
10-11: Average age at which kids get a cell phone.
92 percent: Parents who say they restrict cell phone use by "tweens."
Sources: ctia.org and nielsenmobile.com
"It gets really annoying," Beaumier said as she checked her missed messages after school on a recent day. "Mom will text, 'What are you doing?' What does she think I'm doing? I'm studying at school!"
The Sioux City Community School District continues to ban cell phone use during school hours as school administrators in Marshalltown, Waukee, Ackley and other Iowa cities have begun to ease up, allowing students to use their phones during free periods such as lunch.
Sioux City's policy has been in place since the 2006-07 school year. However, East High School Principal Richard Todd said he met with students Wednesday to discuss easing the ban at his school.
"I'm looking into the possibility of allowing our kids to use cell phones as long as it occurs in the commons and during the lunch hour," he said shortly after the meeting. "As a school, we should be embracing new technology and not pretending it doesn't exist."
For now, though, students in the district must keep their cell phones in their lockers, purses, book bags or pockets. If a student is discovered using his cell phone during school hours, it can be confiscated by a faculty member.
"At West, we enforce a strict 'tag it or bag it' policy," said instructional assistant, Beth Ortmann. "The first time it happens, we'll keep the phone in the office and the student can pick it up at the end of the school day."
The second time it happens, she continued, the student's parent will be contacted. The third time, the parent will be asked to pick up the cell phone in person.
"We confiscate three or four phones a day," Ortmann said. "Considering we have a student population of more than 1,200, that's not a bad average."
Devant Clark, a West High junior, said he's seen kids use their phones during school hours in spite of the ban, and he thinks his school should ease up on it's zero-tolerance policy.
"I see nothing wrong with using my phone in study hall, lunch or when I'm sitting alone in the (student) lounge," Clark said. "If I'm not bothering anybody, I think it should be OK."
Initially, school officials tightened cell phone bans when educators expressed concerns that students would send text messages, even test answers, to their friends during class time.
"I've never seen anybody do that," Elizabeth Howard, a West 12th-grader, said. "I've never seen anyone cheat like that."
"Do you think that would be the case without our current cell phone ban?" Ortmann asked.
"Oh, probably not," Howard said, rethinking her position.
Researchers predict students may some day be able to use wireless technology as an educational tool and cell phones will work their way into the classroom just as calculators have.
As a professor of materials science and technology at Iowa State University, Larry Genelo teaches future teachers to embrace wireless as a way to teach complex mathematical applications to increasingly tech-savvy students.
"Most new cell phones have a GPS system built into it," he explained. "Learning the coordinates of a map is a perfect way to incorporate geometry and trigonometry in a way that kids will enjoy."
Although Ortmann doesn't know whether cell phones will be incorporated into her school's curriculum, nor does she have a count of how many kids carry cell phones, she acknowledges the ubiquitousness of wireless devices.
"It's how kids communicate with one another," she said. "In fact, it's how teachers communicate, too."
Ortmann said her school shows lenience when it comes to family emergencies.
"If a student sees a parent has made repeated efforts to contact him, the student can always come to the principal's office and use our phones," she said.
"As much as we want our schools to be a place for education," Ortmann said, "we also want to give kids a chance to stay in touch with their families."
Beaumier said her school should allow kids to use their cell phone in their free time while cracking down on cell phone usage in the classroom.
"That's when it should really matter," she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Teens and cell phones by the numbers
17 million: U.S. teens who carry a cell phone.
80 percent: Report an added sense of security.
57 percent: Consider it key to their social life.
52 percent: Consider it a new form of entertainment.
42 percent: Say they can text blindfolded.
33 percent: Use their phones to play games.
10-11: Average age at which kids get a cell phone.
92 percent: Parents who say they restrict cell phone use by "tweens."
Sources: ctia.org and nielsenmobile.com
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Adam wrote on Oct 27, 2008 10:33 PM:
AS wrote on Oct 27, 2008 10:29 PM:
jeb wrote on Oct 27, 2008 3:11 PM:
I got my daughter a cell phone BECAUSE of school. She and her boyfriend we left standing alone after a school dance by even the policeman on duty. They had no access to a phone to find out why his mother was not picking them up as she was supposed to. I finally went looking for them and found them walking down the street at midnight. I reported the incident to the principal and got her a cell phone so that would never happen to her again! That did not mean that she was allowed to use her cell phone during class time. Children (of all ages) need to learn the proper time to use their phones. If they can't, they shouldn't have them. The parents to teach their children when it is appropriate to use their phones (along with other things they should be teaching them). They can also be helpful in the class room in case of an emergency. "
dig wrote on Oct 27, 2008 1:30 PM:
But now I see kiddos walking to elementary school with cellys. At least wait til the kid hits middle school to get 'em phones.
Other than that, they'll all good (just turn them off or leave them in backpacks/ out in the car during school hours). "
Re. Idea wrote on Oct 27, 2008 12:45 PM:
It is a distraction either way you look at it. They are wasting time and money when they are not learning and the little Japanese kids will be able to make your kid look dumb in the future because he was busy texting instead of learning. "