Text of the Matter: Cell Phones in School

Cell phones have become omnipresent but do you really need them all the time, especially in schools? Are cells essential or is it just cool for you to have one? Let’s find out…

Mobile phones. They are everywhere. A few years ago, your very rich uncle would sport one. He was the star attraction in any family get together. Then your mum or dad got one and you went misty-eyed begging to stroke it. Now mobile phones are everywhere! Your little sibling now wants one for school because everyone else has it.

However, use of mobile phones has engendered a raging debate in the school circuits all over the world. Misuse of mobile phones in schools  has led to serious ramifications and thus, regulations, in some countries. From texting in class to recording objectionable footage of self or others, teenagers often cross the line.

But what do you do when you live in a big city like Delhi? And your parents are worried about you all the time.

Parents give their child a phone and forget. Lack of supervision leads to unforeseeable problems. Hence, everyone agrees that monitoring is required.

But as a student it is also important that you think the matter through and take responsibility  for your actions. A little sense of responsibility on your part is better than an all out ban on cell phones in schools. Take note of the following points to get it right the next time you flaunt a phone in school:

• Don’t give in to peer pressure – You might not need a phone at 16 and hanker for one just because all your peers have it. It is not a good idea to possess a thing that you don’t really need. Think if a phone really improves your life and also contemplate the accompanying responsibilities and dangers.
  
  Avoid texting in class – It is distracting both for  students and teachers.   Don’t create nuisance in class by clicking pictures or playing music.Avoid taking your camera phone to the washroom – You cannot release footage with sexual or violent content of whatever nature. This is a violation of personal space and may attract legal consequences.
• Avoid keeping your phoneon all the time– At your age there is little need for being connected all the time. Accessibility is important but you can have your messages delivered at convenient time. Don’t be preoccupied with photos and videos – Catch up on your friends’ weekend parties after school. School is not the place for getting updates in every possible way on each and every friend of yours. You can do this after school hours. Remember that such monitoring and information is also addictive. Get a life of your own. Live it up yourself instead of living life through recorded images of peers.

The point of behaving responsibly is that your actions will also affect hundreds of other students.Cell phones are a great way of keeping in touch and are very crucial during emergencies.  But if your actions are objectionable then regulations will come  in place which will hinder other people’s use of phones in school. These students might not even be aware of the cause of such stringent measures but will be forced to suffer the consequences. You don’t want something of that sort happen to you, right? So put that phone on silent mode and continue enjoying the freedom of connectivity.