Cell Phone usage has been made an offense worthy of expulsion at Milwaukee Public Schools. What is this teaching our children?
Milwaukee Public Schools have taken, what seems to be, a bold step in our society today: They’ve banned cell phones within their schools. The big question: What will students do now?
A myriad of complaints rolled in just after the decision was announced. Students complained they wouldn’t be able to communicate with work, friends and parents during the school day without the phones.
Parents complained about individual freedoms and lack of communication with their children.
Here is my unsolicited opinion:
- Years ago, we went to school without phones. Our parents, friends, employers and the President waited to talk with us after the school day ended.
- If you needed a ride from school, you used the office phone or made arrangements in advance.
- Talking to friends was not allowed inside the classroom. It disrupted the lesson and was disrespectful.
- As far as individual freedoms, adults need to remember, so they can model for their children that our rights stop where another’s rights begin. Translated during the school day that means that if you use your cell phone during school, you will be acting out of disrespect. Your fellow classmates will not be able to hear the lesson and the teacher will not be able to effectively teach.
- The parents who are campaigning for their children to have the ‘right’ to use their cell phones during the school day are modeling disrespect and not teaching the true meaning of an individual’s rights and freedom of speech.
Let’s not forget the important catalyst, which prompted this action: During the school day, a fight broke out. Students with cell phones used them to call not only friends, but also parents, who rushed to the scene of the fight and actually participated!
Cell Phones can be a wonderful thing. For individuals traveling alone, they can be an important life line. For teens who are not going to be home when expected, they make notifying worried parents much easier. Cell phones have a million wonderful uses. Not one of the wonderful uses takes place during the school day.
All of that said, I'm not sure the school board made the correct decision. Because cells have given many parents peace of mind in regards to their children's where-abouts and safety, I have trouble seeing why these young adults couldn't have them, but turn them off while on school grounds.
Tell me what you think!
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