To the editor: I am a senior in the Los Angeles Unified School District, which just decided to ban cell phones. As a high school student, I am constantly surrounded by phones. We use our phones so much that we have almost come to feel like it is a constitutional right.
At the same time, a multitude of research indicates that social media is terrible for students. Addiction, depression, and body image issues all result from or are made worse by apps like Instagram. While it will be a huge inconvenience, I am receptive to a ban because I can see firsthand how phones are detrimental to students’ physical, mental, and social health. However, there are some issues that need to be addressed.
For one, cases of sexual harassment, bullying, gun violence, and other issues can be more easily addressed if students can film them and then report them. Another issue is students who need phones for translation purposes or special needs. The district must be careful to give those students enough access to the tools they rely on to learn.
LAUSD's decision is encouraging, but the district must ensure it is ready to handle the full revolution they are about to bring for students.
Neel J. Thakkar, Los Angeles
..
To the editor: It is unfortunate that the LAUSD board has found it necessary to ban cell phones in schools.
The Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury’s annual report states: “Cell phone use is a persistent problem in many high schools. However, one high school the team visited has addressed this problem very effectively. They have installed cell phone lockers in all of their classrooms.
“Before class time begins, students can place their phone in a locker and take the key. At the end of class time, they use the keys to retrieve their phones. Locker use is optional, but students understand that their phones must be on silent and out of the teacher’s sight during class time.”
Thus, the Civil Grand Jury found that this approach had been effective in eliminating the use of cell phones during classes.
Norman H. Green, Los Angeles
