To the editor: Let’s face it: While it’s a good idea to ban student cellphone use in school, teachers, administrators, and staff need to be held accountable, too. Many teachers in classrooms look at their phones, so students naturally assume they can do so, too. (“Yes, More Schools Should Ban Student Cellphones,” editorial, Aug. 19)
Enforcement of the ban must be taken seriously, because if there is no enforcement, there is no rule.
Back in my day, if a student needed to use the phone while at school, all they had to do was walk up to any office in the administration building and ask an employee if they could make a call, which was usually to their parents. It worked just fine, so if it ain't broke, why fix it?
And if parents need to contact their child, they can call the school and notify the child without any classroom disruption caused by a cell phone.
Liz Brown, West Hills
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To the editor: As the grandparent of a high school student, I am well aware of the positive role cell phones play in modern education.
The teacher usually assigns homework by displaying the problems on a screen, which my grandson photographs with his phone. If I'm interested in the topic, he sometimes sends me a copy.
During breaks during the day, students can do their homework, photograph the results and hand them in to the teacher by uploading them to the school website from their phone. The tasks sometimes involve interacting with educational tools on the web, which are done using their phone.
If I'm curious about your class physics project, you can send me a video of the catapult launching the water balloon.
Skillful use of a smartphone is an increasingly important skill in today's workforce. Do we really want to discourage the development of that skill in school?
I'm sure phones in school can be a nuisance. I trust that school administrators can find a solution without throwing the baby out with the bathwater. That's why they're paid so much money.
Brian Masson, Port City
