Schools in Bath, Maine Banning Student Cell Phone Use is a Good Thing

Ever since cell phones became a thing, schools across the country and here in Maine have struggled with policies on phone usage in school.

I think back to my days in school in the 70s and 80s when cell phones weren't around. Phones were only landlines and at the high school, there were two pay phones available to students. It cost 25 cents to make a phone call that lasted about 3 minutes. That's how we communicated outside of school, but even then, we weren't allowed to use the payphones until after school.

Today, nearly every kid going to school old enough to be responsible for a smartphone, has one. That created a problem for teachers and staff who were trying to conduct classes. Unlike the payphones that could only make phone calls, smartphones are like a Swiss Army knife that has everything tucked away in it.

That's a distraction waiting to happen, so many school districts in Maine have or are considering a smartphone use ban for students during school hours, including Bath Public Schools.

According to Maine Public, sixth through twelfth-grade students are now required to lock their phone or smartwatch into a magnetic pouch for the entire school day. The pouch ensures the phone cannot be used.

Some parents aren't in favor of this ban, but I can't agree with their stance. Disagreement over the ban comes from parents who want to be able to reach their children at any time. The thing is, they can. At any time if you need to contact your child at school, you can call the office and they will be able to get them on the phone for you.

That's not something that should be abused, however. Call if it's something urgent, but otherwise, let kids learn! Taking cell phones during the school day has way more positives than negatives. Kids will increase learning and attention span when they don't have their phones. I'd love to see a statewide ban on phones in schools so that we give our kids the best education possible without being distracted by Candy Crush or Instagram.