Masuk Free Press

For the past few years,  student cellphone use has been a topic of controversy at Masuk. But that has not always been the case. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most kids were on their phones at home listening to class Zoom chats. 

According to Masuk’s phone policy, teachers will put students’ phones on their desks for the first warning and students will receive serious consequences for the second and third warning. Another problem is airpods. Airpods are wireless earbuds that kids are distracted by in class. Teachers are asking kids to remove airpods and if they don’t listen they will get in trouble. 

Some students and staff think a ban on cellphones is not really necessary. Students text or call their parents or friends, notify someone at home if they aren’t feeling well, or use their phone for academic purposes. 

Teacher Lauren Iverson is opposed to banning cellphones from locations like the cafeteria and library, but supports banning them in the classroom. “I think that students should be allowed to use phones in public settings like the cafeteria and library, but I would support banning them from the classroom because students don’t engage when they have a phone in the classroom and they engage less.” Iverson added. 

Sophomore Ellianna Essenter thinks it is not a good idea to ban cellphones. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to ban cellphones. I use it so much everyday, not just for personal reasons, but for academic reasons.”  Essenter said. 

 “Either way, people will find ways around to use their phones.” sophomore Mikaila Salustri added.

 
“I don’t think we need to ban cellphones, only because they help with communication and looking up research that you do.” freshman Olivia Condron said. 

But some people say we should ban cell phones, due to the fact Masuk students are really distracted by their phones in class. Many students don’t really engage in their classwork, and are ‘constantly’ checking social media, watching YouTube or TikTok videos, texting friends, listening to music with airpods, or watching silly online dares. 

Band director Michael Ances is in favor of a ban of cellphones. “I don’t think there is any reason to use a cellphone in school. Any emergency situation can be referred to the office or the nurse and I constantly find students distracted by cellphones in class.” Ances said.

“If there isn’t a change in the usage of cellphones, particularly in the student body, it’s possible we’re going to face a ban.”  teacher Jayson Castillo said.  

Many people don’t realize that in the olden days there were no cell phones, like when most students’ parents and teachers were growing up. Cellphones did not come out until the late 1990s to early 2000s, and before the invention of cellphones any emergency situation was referred to the office or the nurse. Texting did not exist, either. Many students and staff think that cellphones get too carried away in schools and otherwise. Others think that a ban would be a good thing. 

The cellphone menace is driving teachers and administrators crazy. But when will students learn to stop listening to music on airpods during class or watch weird TikTok videos of people cracking eggs on kids’ heads? Should teachers take cell phones as the students walk through the door and force them to remove airpods to avoid office concequences? 

What do you think? Debate it! 

YES:

• Kids use them for academic reasons
• Students use them in the cafeteria and library: check social media, news, and listen to music
• Kids should use them appropriately, but the student body is respectful about what they do
• If a student’s computer does not work, the cellphone is used for the manner of academic reasons, not fooling around or surfing the internet. 

NO:

• Kids are constantly distracted
• Teachers can’t see students’ screens
• Kids abuse the cellphone privilege in class
• Causes a problem: kids may look up inappropriate content
• Watching TikTok is causing trouble in class
• Students use online voice assistants (i.e Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant) during tests or look up answers which causes ‘constant’ cheating
• Teachers get annoyed when students use cellphones too much
• Very addictive
• Replaces a school computer or laptop
• Any emergency situation could be referred to office or nurse without using a cellphone