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It has always felt absolutely bonkers to me that smartphone bans weren't put into place instantly across US schools as soon as they started becoming common. I
by kelnos 2y ago
It has always felt absolutely bonkers to me that smartphone bans weren't put into place instantly across US schools as soon as they started becoming common.
I grew up in the 80s and 90s. If I'd brought a handheld game console like a Gameboy or something into class, it would have been confiscated immediately. Sure, I get it, that's not the same thing; obviously phones have other uses.
But there is absolutely zero reason a kid needs their smartphone during class. All educational materials should be provided by the school. Kids do not need to be and should not be communicating with anyone outside class. If parents/guardians need to get in touch with kids during an emergency, they can do it the way they've done it as long as we've had the telephone: call the main office and have someone walk to the class to bring the kid to the phone.
I do expect that smartphones could actually bring something useful to the classroom -- after all, they grant access to more or less all the world's knowledge -- but the downsides of allowing them far far far outweigh any possible upsides.
- Spooky23 2y agoThere’s a lot of reasons where possessing a phone in school is legit. In cities, transit passes are commonly phone bases. Some apartments require smartphones for gate entry. In class, different story of course.
- lurking_swe 2y agowhy can’t a student leave their phone in the locker? or the teacher has a large bin where all students must put their phone into (powered off) before class starts.
- EasyMark 2y agoIt’s not hard to have a little checkin locker by the teacher’s desk as kids come in. Just make sure they turn the sound off before sliding it into it’s temporary home
- Spooky23 2y agoNah, that’s disruptive. You are going to waste 5 minutes at the start and end of every 40 minute class futzing with phones. I think it has to be in the locker. Kids who don’t have lockers yet, no phone.
- Sammi 2y agoIn the article they explain that they don't have the authority to take away a phone from a student, but they do have the authority to tell the student to put it away or leave it at home, and that this is enough to enforce the phone ban. No need to take any students phone away from them.
- mixmastamyk 2y agoAgreed, and they shouldn't need to be instituted, because they were already policy, weren't they? I had a CD Walkman during high school. Was smart enough to never to bring it out unless everything else in class was done and neighbors had nothing to say.
- charlieyu1 2y agoI brought a Nokia 3210 to class in 2000s. It was fine. Technically it was prohibited by school rules but nobody cared. As long as you didn’t do anything stupid. Banning smartphones is such a boomer thing
- thiel_is_hitler 2y ago[dead]