BHS Principal Says Cell Phone Ban in Schools Would Limit Education

Here is an interesting take on the issue of cell phones in schools. It would seem that teachers and school administrators would probably come down on the side of banning the devices — they can be noisy and distracting, not to mention the fact that sending a text message is easier to get away with than passing a note in class.

However, on his Principal's blog yesterday, Principal Patrick Larkin made a strong case for why cell phone and other technology should not be banned from schools, but rather embraced.

The post was in response to an effort, supported by some Massachusetts lawmakers and officials, reported in multiple news outlets including the Boston Herald, to ban cell phones in schools as a way of curbing bullying through taunting text messages.

"My stomach turned yesterday morning as I heard a radio newscaster mentioning discussions in Boston by some of our lawmakers regarding a ban of cellphones in schools," Larkin said. "It is my opinion that we would not be able to teach our students to be fully responsible citizens if there is not a huge technological component integrated into our teaching."

Larkin continued by saying that in he believes that teaching students to use technological devices, cellphones included, is part of the school's responsibility to prepare students to be responsible students in an age when such devices are common place and a knowledge of how to effectively use them is necessary for success.

"I would add (without any intended offense to parents) that if the school is not teaching responsible use of technological devices then the students will be missing this crucial portion of their education totally because things have changed so dramatically for parents since they were in school," he said. "Not to mention the fact that there are countless constructive uses for cellphones in school."

Larkin is not insensitive to the need to address bullying in schools, in fact he is quite the opposite, but said he did not believe a ban on cellphones would be an effective measure and the downside of such a move would outweigh the positives.

"If we are going to stop bullies, we need a better plan," he said. "Bullies were present in schools and in society well before the presence of cellphones.  While I understand that cellphones and technological gadgets allow a potential bully easier access to their victims, I do not believe that a mandate to turn off these devices in schools will change the behavior of students who intend to harass or bully. They will simply wait until after school hours."

Instead, Larkin said school officials and parents must work together to address the issue of bullying.

"We need to continue to create caring environments in our schools that make clear that tolerance of all students is at the top of our priority list," he said. "We need to have this discussion with parents and talk about the expectations we have for the students in our schools and what we want them to be capable of when they exit our doors. Taking away something from the majority for the actions of a minority is never the answer."

To drive his point home, Larkin posted a picture of a modified version of the school's mission that he said would be the result of a ban that limited the school's ability to teach students how to use new technology (see it on the right).

For links to previous posts by Larkin on the positive ways cell phone and technology can be used in the classroom, click on the links below.

January 2009- Mobile Technology - A Wealth of Possibilities (and some logistical problems)

October 2009 - Cellphone Learning - Not an Oxymoron

November 2009 - Cellphones in the Classroom Are Adding Value