There’s a new law in Florida which allows schools to ban the usage of phones during instructional time. In schools around the country, including NPHS, there are debates about whether to allow the usage of cellphones in school and to what extent.

Students and teachers tend to have different perspectives on this topic. Students generally want to be able to use their phones while teachers have mixed feelings on this subject. 

Freshman student Sydney Whitehead said:  “If my mom texts me, I need to respond right away, even if it’s not important. Also, if I’m done with all of my work, that’s not a distraction to me if I don’t have any other work.”

Teachers on the other hand can find phone usage distracting if not being used in a productive manner. Some see phones causing students to lose focus on the lesson being taught.

NPHS Media design teacher Ms. Macchia said: “I find it really distracting and I think that students are really not paying attention to the lesson and it keeps them off topic. I hate it.  That’s why I tell them to put their phones away, and if they need to do anything they should use their iPad.”  

However, some maintain that phones can be useful in the classroom. For example, students might use the phones as a tool to help them with their school work or as a backup device if their school device was not working properly. Students also have to be able to adjust to using their phones responsibly in the real world.

Spanish teacher Senora DiGirolamo said: “I don’t feel comfortable telling the student to get rid of their own phone. I think they need to learn to be capable of controlling themselves, and how to use the phone to gain independence and control is elemental in school settings. I think we need to allow them to have their phones and maybe guide them to understand [how to use them effectively].”

Senora DiGirolamo also said: “They can definitely use the cell phones for a second backup if their i-pads aren’t working. They can take it out and do the work that we were doing. So in situations like that, I think it’s a good idea for them to use their cell phones in the classroom.”  

There are many different perspectives on whether phones should be allowed in class. Some see it as a distraction or something that hinders learning.  Others believe that is just a reality that we have to live with. This debate will likely continue across many schools throughout the United States.