Now that we are in a new generation of advanced technology, allowing cellphone use in schools will be a never-ending debate. Cell phones are accessible almost all of the time. While this is mostly advantageous, negative aspects definitely exist.

The ability to use cell phones anywhere can be distracting yet beneficial. It can be helpful in doing work, researching topics, and allowing creativity. New educational apps could be used as a new learning tool for educational games, discovering information, and sharing documents. Classmates with group projects can share information with new apps created for that purpose.

“We should allow cellphone use in school, but only under some circumstances, such as when there is some free time and not when the teacher is talking,” said freshman Christina Hydo.

Students with heavy backpacks can use electronic textbooks to save paper. Although this could be a distraction, teachers still have the ability and the right to take them away.

Despite these positives, phones can also be distracting and interfere with students’ learning. Kids become so buried in their phones that it could destroy communication with others, and it could also affect their professional lives as they get older. Phones could increase cheating on exams and shorten attention spans.  

Sophomore Rebecca Diers said, “People are too into their phones and get distracted easily. They look like zombies swarming the hallways with no interaction with anyone.”

Even the students of the school realize the positive and negative aspects to allowing phones in school. While it is a great resource, it can also be a great distraction. In the end, it all boils down to whether or not the school wants to take the next step and allow phones in the school. When will that happen?  

Only time will tell.