Donna McPartland

SLM 521

Web Dropin #4

School Students and Cell Phones

Across the country schools are dealing with the issue of whether or not to allow students to have cell phones at school. There are advocates who say for safety reasons cell phones should be allowed, while opponents argue that for safety reasons (and others) cell phones should not be allowed.

Take a stand on this issue. Do you think students should or should not be allowed to have cell phones in school?

1. Jot down your thoughts on this issue, and state your reasons.

2. Look through these documents, most of which are articles that have appeared very recently in newspapers across the country as school boards try to deal with this issue.

OJR Administrators to Examine District’s Policy on Cell Phone Use

School Safety: Cell Phones, Camera Phones, & Pagers

Bloomberg Remains Determined to Ban Cell Phones From Schools

The Board Of Education Is Considering New Rules Regarding Cell Phone In Schools

Plan Gives Schools Authority over Cell Phone Use

Teachers Must Worry about Hi-tech Cheats

HISD Lets Schools Set Cell Phone Rules

School Board Approves DIY Cell Phone Policy

Schools Consider Cell Phone Bans. Wait, Cell Phones are Allowed in Schools?

Schools Consider New Rules Banning Cell Phones

Keep the Cell Phones, Jam the Lines, Duane Says

3. On a new sheet, list some pros and cons of cell phones in schools.

Have you changed your stand?

4. Write a letter to the school board stating why or why not you think students should be allowed to have cell phones in school.

We will have a class debate over this issue. After the debate, you may send your letter if you like, or you may want to change your letter in some way. You do not have to send a letter, but you will need to hand it in to me.

Be sure to keep your notes and your list of pros and cons to use in the debate. You will want to quote some sources during the debate.