Cons
1. They are a distraction. Kids like to text and do not always turn their phones off in class.
2. Children can use them to cheat during tests by sharing information and/or storing it on their phones.
3. Camera phones are widely popular and have been known to be used inappropriately in school, for example in the bathrooms.
4. Bullies use texting as a form of harassment.
5. With most phones worth over a $100, phones are very easy to steal.
Pros
1. Being able to reach your child at any time and giving the parent/caregiver a feeling of security.
2. Communication made easy. With working parents and children with busy schedules, cell phones make it easy to hear the joy in their voices after blocking that goal or finishing the last chapter of their "new" favorite book.
3. After school activities, practices and meetings always seem to be scheduled at odd times. A cell phone enables your child to call for transportation when they are ready; this means no sitting in the parking lot waiting.
Yes, bullying and cheating have been around before cell phones and yes, as children and parents we can learn to live without them. The point is that cell phones make all the above just a bit easier. If you are going to allow your child to take a cell phone to school, it's up to you to teach your child how to use their phone responsibly!
