Hey Beth! I was surprised that your story didn't go into the use of cell phones as a tool in the classroom. I have been teaching in Brooklyn for 7 years and cell phones have been a hassle since the beginning. Last year, however, I started using polleverywhere.com, a site that allows students to text answers to questions and the whole class can see the results in real time. I only used it a few times but my students totally loved it. I allowed them to use the phones a few times and they didn't fight me about putting them away other times. I just think its important that we start adapting to the technology that our students are absorbing at an incredible rate. I'm not yet to the point where I think students should just be able to have their phones out all of the time, but I will say that my iphone has a graphing calculator app that is 1/10 the cost of a real graphing calc and it has all of the capabilities. I think going forward we will slowly but surely have to embrace the tech.

As an aside...it would really help if we didn't have to use facebook to post on this site since facebook is blocked on all DOE networks in school.

The ban is unfair and inequitable; only enforced in
schools with scanners which are primarily those w/
large nos. of poor students & those of color -- and
yet these are the students forced to pay up to $150
per year for storing their phones. I was visiting
such a school this AM w/ my son; clearly his impression
of the school was negatively affected by the fact that
has to store his phone in a truck outside the school &
pay for this. Cell phones are a necessity in this
day & age, and Bloomberg' ban is highly irrational &
would never be allowed in a system w/ checks and
balances. In fact, the City Council passed a law
requiring that kids be allowed to bring cellphones
to schools but it has never been enforced. Another
sad byproduct of Mayoral control.

why not just get a school wide cell phone jammer?

Definitely lift the cell phone ban. But definitely enforce consequences for cell phones that are seen or heard during the school day.

Sorry, children cannot be trusted to use fun gadgets with discretion. Ban them. If I wasn't allowed to play with my Gameboy in class in 1990, why should today's kids get to have even more distracting toys at hand? The potential for cheating alone should be enough to justify the ban. Parents: if there's an emergency at home, call the school!

After September 11th I can't understand how we can even consider cutting the cell phone connection between parent and child. But those phones should be turned off for the entire school day with permanent confiscation as a consequence if this rule is broken.

Schools are supposed to prepare kids for real life situations. If you as teachers think cell phones are annoying, you are in the wrong profession! Go work at McDonalds! In my eyes you are not qualified as educators. You are not supposed to police, you are supposed to educate! I think cell phone usage should actually be part of the curriculum!Communication is the most essential sociological function! The analysis of information received by our media, and the manipulative effect of such information needs to be addressed in school. Critical thinking needs to be encouraged! A democracy depends on the ability to question authority properly! Schools nowadays seem more like propaganda instruments than educational facilities!

I am a teacher and I do not think cellphones in school should be banned! I encourage the use of cellphones as educational tools. Most students have smartphones which allow them access to the Internet. They can research topics, use calculator and e-mail homework assignments on their phones. Of course, it is not appropriate for them to have personal conversations on the phone during class. Students are asked to put phones on vibrate and to inform their significant others to send emergency text only.If the a student gets an emergency call, the rule is to leave classroom immediately and handle the matter in a reasonable amount of time. Student is responsible to find out the information that was missed during absence from class. Every use of cellphones is monitored and documented. Allowing students this privilege has created a better learning environment. Students do not abuse the policy and it is rare for student to have to miss class due to an urgent situation. They feel comfort knowing their parents can contact them in case of emergency and the parents have acknowledgement of their class attendance. I feel good that they respect each other and do not get distracted by using their phones to make calls that are not important or to text for social purposes while attending class.

I do think the time has come to embrace the tools of our time and teach our students how to use them appropriately.

Definetly not--focus on work.Emergency calls go to main office!!!

Listeners who heard us talk about the issue on WNYC's Brian Lehrer show this morning made some interesting comments about the cell phone ban. What do you think?

Here's what The Truth from Becky wrote to the Brian Lehrer show:

"What the heck is going on?? Technology is making everyone crazy! No cell phone in school period! Parents, please PARENT and stop enabling your children by calling them during school hours except for in an emergency at which time someone from the school office will walk down to the classroom and with the teacher's permission get your child to come to the office to retrieve your call like in 19*darn*70!!"

Meanwhile, pd wrote:

"My high school daughter loads onto her cell phone all of her vocabulary words so she can study them while on her commute. If she is reading, she can also look up words she doesn't know."

And we got this comment from William B. from Park Slope:

"I have been a college professor for over 20 years and just in the last 2 years I've seen a big difference in student focus capabilities. Why? Because they have a serious addiction to their cell phones. It's a real addiction and needs to be addressed as such. I have a no cell phone USE policy in the classroom but they hide their phones under the desk and constantly check it. They can't go one quiet hour without it. I had a guest speaker one time that was talking about how he caught a child murderer through computer forensics. It couldn't have been more exciting if it had been a TV show. I was sitting in the back watching the students and several were tuned out and on their phones. So from my perspective, cell phones should be banned as long as possible in the hopes of making sure students are more socially developed away from technology before they have technology on them all the time. I think it my help with avoiding problems with addiction. And for the record, I teach courses in technology - I am not anti-technology. I'm pro-student health."

Add your own responses here on Schoolbook.

Cell phones are now part of all of our lives (teachers: why don't you leave your phones at home? Surely your loved ones can call you on the school switchboard if there's anything truly important, and whatever else you might want to do before or after work, surely that can wait until you go pick up your phone, right?)
It's *not* up to parents to enforce the City's fantasy that we still live in an analog world. There are almost no remaining pay phones left for our kids to use if they have an emergency on their way home, and a lot of our kids have long commutes across the city.
If schools want to ban phones, then provide a way for students to store the phones (in their lockers?)—and not for $10/day.

First, to those who want to jam phones, you should be aware that it violates federal law. I would argue that the cell phone ban, too, violates 47 U.S. Code 333, I believe.

The ban is particularly absurd when the mayor has created an environment where many children are commuting for close to 2 hours each way.

I would also note that the ban applies to all electronics in a school building, but it doesn't seem to enforced against anyone but the children. Also, it is clearly unlawful since it is enforced disparately against poor, and minority children.

Let's take away the mayor and chancellor's phones.

In the real world even adults have to abide by rules, edicate and protocal; there are some places where cell phones and other elecronics us is not allow. Children and young adults are in school to learn and one of the things they must learn is to follow instruction, to stay within bounderies, and to bide by authority. Maybe at home children have the rights not to do as they are told, or choose what rules they will follow or wont follow, but in school the BOED sets the standard and the children need to adhere...

I run a small retail business and I banned cell phones. It is too distracting. Students need to learn to be present with the people around them.

It is impossible for students to focus 100% when they are constantly being distracted by cell phones' interuptions during teaching-learning sessions. If there is less focus there will be less success. Imagine the teacher is infront of the class expounding on a Math concept and throughout the lesson some students busy trying to use their cell phones to communicate with their parents. How much can such student grasp? The teach maybe blamed for the unsuccessful outcome!
Many parents of today are failing to perform their function as a good leader; as a role model and as a disciplinarian! You need to lead your children in a positive direction. Teach them to be responsible. Let them learn to abide by principles of Christ.They will not fear that they will be kidnapped...have faith in God,do his will.The training a child gets from the parent impacts greatly on his life. Train them to do what is good, positive, appropriate, relevant and worthy. In doing so, you are making the society a better place for all of us!

The cell phones should not be banned from the school, but rather limited in its use appropriate for school setting. Many parents, including myself got the phones for their children to keep in touch, to ensure child got to school from home and left the school to go home. It gives us, parents piece of mind, especially that the working pay phone became scarce commodity.

The cell phones should not be banned from the school, but rather limited in its use appropriate for school setting. Many parents, including myself got the phones for their children to keep in touch, to ensure child got to school from home and left the school to go home. It gives us, parents piece of mind, especially that the working pay phone became scarce commodity.

As indicated in the article the cell-phone ban highlights educational inequality. Students in schools with metal detectors are unfairly held to a higher level of compliance than students at non-detector schools. In non-detector schools, the vast majority of NYC schools, it sounds like many teachers recognize that students are bringing in phones and that it’s a pointless battle to fight. Rather than ban cell-phones in schools, why not let individual teachers decide whether or not they’ll use them as an instructional tool or simply have students put them away while in class? What if we included education around responsible technology use to address these issues? In addition to the reality that this ban ends up disproportionately targeting and impacting students in underserved communities, it also sounds like it’s not really effective. If we want students to respect school rules, let’s make them important and enforceable.
-Tali Horowitz, Common Sense Media, www.commonsense.org/educators

No one thinks cell phones should be in use during class. But at lunch time, and especially on the way to and from school (some of those commutes are long!) then kids should be able to access music, reading, games, and conversation, which they can't if they can't bring their phones into the school building. And if you can text a reminder to your child (buy milk is always a good one!) then everyone's life is so much easier... (and no, they don't have to read that text until they leave the school building, but if I am running late, I'd like my child to know about it and not worry, similarly, if they are running late, I want to know the same... )

I taught in the NYC public schools for 33 years. During the last few years cell phones were becoming popular. They were banned from the schools and yet students were constantly making and receiving calls. There had been times when a parent actually called her child in the middle of my class to remind him to do something. If students used phones when they are banned, then they are certainly going to use them when they are allowed. Here are some of the things that we will hear: Yes it was out but I wasn't using it.. I was just showing it to my friend.. What cell phone (after hiding it or passing off). How's this for a compromise... If a child is caught using a cell phone in class, it is taken away and only the parent can retrieve it. The hours of retrieval are, Wednesdays between 1:00Pm and 2:00PM. Now why would any parent object to that policy if their little angel would never use the phone during class? Let me repeat.. I know from experience that many students WILL USE THEIR PHONE IN CLASS. Do you understand that? They are disruptive.

Of course the phones should be banned while in school. And the rule should be that if caught using it, the phone is taken away. Phones can be returned at the end of the Semester, and the reason for this arbitrary date is because the school administration makes the rules, not the parents, not the children. Everyone knows cel phone usage is a distraction. No child should be contacted on the cel phone by their parents during school hours. If they wish to talk to their child, they can call the school, and someone can get the child out of his/her class. NO CEL CONVERSATION. All communication should originate from the school switchboard. Anything else is too chaotic. The same goes for emails and texts.

As a teacher, I feel there need to be bans. Instruction time should not be interrupted by "Where is lunch?" &" She's such a skank!" Students text each other during tests to cheat ! Teaching our young people to be responsible and plan their day in advance would help them much more in the world. Parents, seriously, this is on you!

As a teacher, I feel there need to be bans. Instruction time should not be interrupted by "Where is lunch?" &" She's such a skank!" Students text each other during tests to cheat ! Teaching our young people to be responsible and plan their day in advance would help them much more in the world. Parents, seriously, this is on you!

The current policy seems a little beyond what's necessary to get the desired behavior. Why can't a student bring a cell phone to school and park it in his/her locker, to be taken out again for the walk home?

However, I completely support a ban on cell phones in the classroom. They have many uses, roughly 2/3rds of which are disruptive to learning.

Remind your child to buy milk!!? Please. As long as you can contact your child through the office, that should really be sufficient. Any messages that you may be late picking up a child can be sent AFTER school hours. Stop the ridiculous addiction to constant, usually useless communication.

These are great comments, everyone. Here are a few more thoughts from listeners of WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show, who heard our segment today on cell phones in schools.

Debbie Yorizzo from Lexington Ave. at 68th street:

"Cell phones are a distraction even in the elementary schools. They are a total distraction to the simple sophistication of a classroom environment: students, knowledge, and teachers. Rules in a classroom provide us with the paradoxical lessons about the philosophy of education: that a few rules of discipline in schools allow us to expand our minds, think freely, and learn practically. Let's give our attention to the inner strength of human learning, not the superficial seduction of technology. (Also, the requirement for any student in the 5 boroughs with a cell phone should be a possession of an active public library card!)"

Willyn Webb, who co-authored a book about using cell phones in class for education, writes:

"My students and I use our cell phones to keep track of assignment deadlines, set reminders to study for tests, take notes, review notes anywhere/anytime, calculator, translator, texting experts, sharing information in polls, answering test questions, having a voice in brainstorming and discussion, documenting projects with pictures and video, making podcasts, collaborating on writing projects, communicating with teachers/parents about class studies, timing speeches, practicing oral reports, reviewing, getting feedback on our writing, sharing ideas, making presentations with voice, avatars, and pictures, supporting in other in difficult times, offering encouragement, and creating online presentations with input from others in real time communication with Wiffiti."

But Popejon from Ridge, NY was more skeptical:

"In adult life, cell phones are nothing but a constant distraction in work, play and in public. So now its a tool for learning? Oh yes and kids will use it for learning and not cheating and as a major distraction.... Why not let kids bring their own TV to class to [sic]?"

No! School is for learning! Education is increasingly becoming a mockery in this country! Install cell phone jammers in the school!

Cell phones have no place in the classrooms. They're disruptive in more ways than one. It's not just about the conversations, texting,etc which we all know affect every student in the class. But also about the showing off of what you have and the competition that arises between students to have the latest cell phone. As a parent of school children I am amazed at the silly excuses that some parents, in particular mothers, can come up with to defend their support of such devices in the classrooms.

My son attends a high school where there is a metal detector and therefore the ban is enforced. I have no problem with cell phones not being allowed in ALL schools but the enforcement ONLY in poor/minority schools is a problem. As has been mentioned, why not have the phone jammers in ALL schools and let ALL students bring in their phones. I don't like the atmosphere caused by the metal detectors and wonder how effective their use is.

i say let them bring thier cell phones in but install devices to block signals that way they cannot use them to make calls or text as farr as the girl who uses it to look up words she doesnt know when she is reading they do still make dictionaries learn to use it and for the girl putting her vocabulary on it to study they make these real cool things called notebooks and pencils learn how to use and you can use that to study on your commute

Ban Ban Ban....Society is cellphone crazy. Children will not and have not abided to the rules concerning cell phones. Many of us have lived before the cellphone. This is just another way that children taunt other children for not having the up to date electronic phone. Just replacing the way they dress to what cellphone they have. It falls under dress code...don't need to be dressed with a cellphone to learn in school.

Ban the kids toys, they have trouble enough keeping concentrating without the cell...

YES ! Ban all cell phones. A lot of students can use it to cheat on exams via cell.
I went to school before they invented Cell phones... Didn't need it then and don't need it now.

The students should be doing work in class and not texting their friends or surfing the web. I've seen an incident where the student texts the answer to their friends for a test.There should be a blanket rule, leave the cell phones at home.There is NO reason why a student needs a cell phone at school. The student's parents can reach their kid through the principal's office in case of an emergency. When the student gets home then they can talk to their friends, they don't need to constantly text their classmates. It has nothing to do with race or social status. Make it Equal! Don't allow cell phones. It is real simple!

Stupid idea, PLEASE, so if something was to happen at school how could the call for HELP, and don't say the office because it could be a split second decision makes a big difference. Give them there phones back.

YES IT SHOULD BE BAN
ITS A DISTRACTION

there shough not be a sell phone in any school

Enforce the rules. If teachers and schools are not going to consistently enforce the rules, then its useless having them.

I think they should not be banned. I bring my phone
to my school and it helps me to contact my parents in
case of emergencies.

I think they should not be banned. I bring my phone
to my school and it helps me to contact my parents in
case of emergencies.

I think they should not be banned. I bring my phone
to my school and it helps me to contact my parents in
case of emergencies.

I think they should not be banned. I bring my phone
to my school and it helps me to contact my parents in
case of emergencies.

kids go to school to learn how are they going to do that when they're too busy loging to facebook

The ban is ridiculous. It needs to be handled like gum chewing (unless one wants to call the cops for that as well). Obviously, inappropriate use of a cell/smart phone merits disciplinary action, ultimately leading to confiscation of the device. Parents who call or text their kid during school for anything other than a universally accepted emergency need to follow their child's program along with their child, at school silently, for a school day. That or pay a $100 dollar fine per occurrence. End of problem

I can understand the fight against only have the ban in school with detectors, but I cant understand the arguement of the "storage" fees. I mean really? Leave the phone at home, and better yet dont even give them a cell phone. I went until I was 18 and off to college out of state before I got a cell phone because it was cheaper to call home then a long distance land line. I understand we are in a "technological" advanced time compared to when we were kids, but we should still teach our children life without it and to think and problem solve on their own instead of Googleing everything.

If you walk into the finest restaurants they have a coat and hat check. Why not have the same thing at the entrance to school? Drop off your phone, get a receipt, pick up your phone as you exit. If you don't trust the school, than you may hold onto your phone, but it must be turned off. Than only discipline students who use them in class.

They shouldn't be allowed during class. Using a cellphone during class, while a teacher is talking, is rude and disrespectful, and this is true for any situation like that in the "real world". Students should be taught to treat the teacher with respect and should learn that they need to pay attention even when they're bored. It's good training in how to treat people and deal with things you don't like that much. However, they can be used in perfectly good ways. When I was in high school, my mom drove me home, and if I needed to change our plans about when that would be (a club meeting was created or canceled), it would have been a really big deal to go to the office and call her and might have had to happen during class, but it was easy to use my own phone between periods or at lunch when it wouldn't disrupt anything.
It's also entirely unfair if it's only sometimes being enforced. That should never be allowed to happen.

Ban the phones in all schools. Jamming the signals will just prevent calling / texting. They still have access to games on their phones, which they play during a lesson. If the student needs to be contacted by their parent / guardian, they can call the school and reach them that way. When I was in high school, which wasn't that long ago, hand held gaming devices were banned. As for the person who said “School should be preparing students for real life—and in real life, people use cell phones." In a lot of offices cell phone use is prohibited during the work day.

Cellphone ban in school is not agreeable in my part as a parent, since technology is fast rising I considered cellphone as one of the thing that could be use by my child during emergency situations. The idea of my children being harmed or lost is not something anyone wants to consider. I found an article by anationofmoms about a service that can protect your family via your cell phone. And, at the bottom there is an opportunity to enter a drawing for 6 months of that service just by liking them on Facebook. You might find it interesting: http://anationof...

the rule "no cellphones in public schools" just simply doesnt work, doesnt make (common) sense any longer, and as we have seen, is enforced in a myriad of different ways throughout the city. everyone is carrying a cell phone; we have students as young as 3rd graders with them now, and frankly I dont even see that as particularly unusual... since September 2001 in NYC (and even though cell service wasnt working during the main crisis that day), most parents and teachers i know went and bought a cell phone for their kids - if they didnt already have one!

cell phones, like E readers, tablets, laptops... are an integrated part of our lives; it's how most adults seek information/ contact persons, and /or just generally read/connect etc... why should it be any different for our younger ones?

in a highly 'urban' school I worked in, every so often, the NYPD would come and do a total 'sweep', confiscating phones and all other devices... havent seen that at some of the demographically less challenged schools! unfair, truly, and it smacks of sheer prejudice..

cell phones are not the same as contraband, and the schools need to think realistically about how we all carry them; admin use them for DOE purposes, teachers to connect with one another in the buildings, and the school offices cant possibly field all the calls efficiently... let's have some sensible review of the cell phone in our student's lives and come up with a reasonable plan ..

I cannot comprehend why one would ban such a helpful device. I teach students who own iPhones (and androids) and I urge them to download free apps of the texts that are out of copywrite. They can write their notes, discover critiques all in the palm of their hand.
There are surely ways of teaching how to use phones effectively so that the classroom is not removed from society but embraces the technology and how to employ it.
Look around the classroom and count how many students wear a watch. I'm guessing that the number would be low. Besides who would wear a watch when you can have a phone with all your music, watch clips, get on the internet to discover, take notes, remind yourself what is occurring that day, play educational games and have the time!
Embrace it and create a generation who integrates with understanding.

I agree with the statement that the ban is ineffective, but I feel that saying this a safety issue is more than a little disingenuous.

From Scott McLeod: "Folks like William B need to understand that what's interesting to them isn't necessarily interesting to others. The idea that an idea or lecture or book or whatever has universal 'interestingness' isn't true, of course, so we should stop talking as if it is." Mr. McLeod, did you attend a university? Did you find everything that was taught to be of interest to you personally? And if not, did you "tune out" by ignoring the professor or guest speaker? If you did that, how did you pass your courses? Student interest is not the point here. Yes, it is true that one interests one person doesn't necessarily interest another, but that's life. You recognize that you're taking this course and you need to pay attention to all of the material to get the most out of the class. That's called maturity. You don't just blow someone off because you don't find what they are saying is interesting, especially in a classroom. That's called lack of courtesy--maybe your parents didn't teach you that?

I agree with all these comments. As a parent has Mayor Bloomberg ever tried placing a call to any one of the city's schools. I have & believe me it is not as easy as the Mayor make it seems, most times I say to myself "I thank God I am not calling for an emergency", because I simply cannot get an answer. It's either the line is forever busy, no one answer my call, I leave a message & never get a response, or get a response too late for my situation. It's time the Mayor understand a few bad apples do not spoil the lot.

Funny how my generation and every generation before it managed to get along just fine with out cell phones.

I have mixed feelings about this topic. I don't think most kids need cell phones in school, but I also understand that cell phones have become such a big part of kids lives it's difficult for them not to have it around, especially right after school. So I think schools should allow students to at least carry the phone around (but off) or store it in a locker

I did want to point out the ridiculousness of one part of the first essay on the subject, which put forth the opinion that "Once upon a time, children could leave home for hours, without so much as a call home, and be back safely for dinner. Those days are behind us now. With such a high crime rate, it’s absolutely necessary for every student to carry a cellphone." The reality is that NYC has the lowest crime rate it has had in 50 years. It is much safer now for kids to leave home for hours than at anytime in the recent past in the city Counter factual claims like these do not help the argument for letting cellphones into school at all. It may be true that cell phones may enhance student safety, but today's kids are already safer on the city's streets than they've been in half a century.

A ban on cell phones limits the tools available to the teachers and students. Cell phones can be used to learn anywhere, anytime. The city should definitely lift the ban.

There is so much talk about children being denied the opportunity to utilize phones as academic/data tools, that we have lost sight of why they were originally banned.

There are so many criminal instances of misuse among students in the last decade that it must be considered in this conversation. Unfortunately, there are a subset of children who have chosen to film violent and/or indecent acts with their cell phones, both in and out of school; it is not a small minority, but a growing trend among adolescents and teens. Kids have always had fights in the local playground, and unfortunately, sometimes Mother Nature has influenced young people to misbehave in negative ways, but never before with a filmed posting on a social networking site--until now.

What school administrator wants to be responsible when two students text each other during school, excuse themselves from different classes, and meet up somewhere like the bathroom to film themselves under less than desirable circumstances? Does this sound like a rare occurrence? Its happening in NYC Middle and high Schools all the time, to the great chagrin of teachers, parents, and principals.

The fighting and violence being filmed and posted is even worse; search Utube and hundreds of videos of children fighting--not play fighting--appear.

So lets be clear about what we are framing as we put forward our arguments: phones don't hurt kids, it's kids with phones who hurt kids. When someone offers a viable response to the problem other than "that handful should be punished and not spoil it for the rest of us," then I am all ears. For now, I am putting the "phones in school" argument in the same category as cars, guns, and the right to vote--they are things that can affect people in very negative ways when not used responsibly, so let's not give children the opportunity to hurt themselves.

As usual, it's a matter of balance and age-appropriateness. High schoolers using the pollanywhere app as a "side dish" is one thing, younger children adapting to constant mediation of their thoughts, insights and conversations is another. Media Literacy people like Renee Hobbs have pointed out that young people (including High School students) see these devices primarily as social tools. Sherry Turkel's book Alone Together points out that, in the pursuit of "the kids love it" we are shortchanging them on the subtleties and skills of conversation. Let them develop their voices fully first, then use the tools to express themselves. www.healthymediachoices.org

HOW DID THE SUBJECT OF "SEX ABUSE" IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CHANGE TO BANNING CELL PHONES IN SCHOOLS. THAT IN MY OPINION IS NOT THE ISSUE OR A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM @ HAND. WE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM W/THE EDUCATION SYSTEM AS IT IS. THESE PEOPLE HAVE "NO" FEAR WHEN IT COMES TO THE ABUSE OF A CHILD & THIS IS WHERE WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED. THE CELL PHONE POLL IS OK BUT LETS START WORKING ON THE PROBLEM @ HAND, WE HAVE ADJUSTED TO THE FACT THAT WOMEN WILL "NOT" STOP HAVING CHILDREN SO LETS GROW SOME "BIG" ONES & CONTINUE TO FIGHT ALBANY UNTIL SOMETHING IS DONE, LETS NOT WAIT UNTIL SOMETHING VERY BAD HAPPENS B/4 WE ALL WAKE UP ! THESE ARE YOUR KIDS @ STAKE !

The cell phone ban is unenforceable. It is also extremely shortsighted. Students must be able to access media, internet, and their teachers. For us to short change students the ability to communicate effectively in a media driven society is nothing short of educational malpractice. Teachers use Twitter, polleverywhere, edmodo, and wikis to keep students up to date, check for understanding, and to participate in real world collaborative efforts. Embrace technology in the classroom. If we want to truly prepare students for college and career readiness, then cell phones need to become the most powerful teaching and learning tool in the 21st century.

There is too much technological disequity in and among school districts. Some schools have laptop carts, full on functioning labs, and in class Promethean smart boards, while others have antiquated and broken technology with no financial means to replace it. What schools do have are students with powerful miniature computers in their pockets. Let's capitalize on this as soon as possible and train our teachers to utilize this resource.

If you ask an adolescent if a specific action or behavior is right or wrong, the textbook response is that teenagers look first at what their peers are doing and construct their answer as a rationalization of their observations. A strict and uniform prohibition on cell phones removes unnecessary distractions from the classroom. Like earphones, they only further isolate students, giving them easy access to their comfort zone and thus enabling them to eschew the really important work of the day, which is to learn and socialize in the "now." One cannot encounter the "otherness" of the other if your head down and your focus is on somewhere, anywhere else. Kids need educational, challenging toys. The Cell Phone is not, and will probably never be a part of a mature, developmental approach to education. Let the students write, paint, compose music, and especially let the yearn for what they want to say or express. Don't deny them the opportunity for developing their real skills as creative thinking people by letting them retreat behind the skirts of the cell phone. Please, let's assume some adult leadership here.

Many of the comments here seem to miss the point that the phones are needed to and from school, not in school. There are no school buses in NYC after 6th grade; students must take public transportation. My 11 year old son walks a mile through the streets. He'll have his phone regardless of what the mayor says. We need to do more to protect the children where the mayor has decided to unfairly enforce the ban.

the reporter writes that the mayor vetoed the legislation authorizing the carrying of cell phones to and from schools, which is true; but in 2007, the council overrode his veto 46-2. See - http://goo.gl/RqzWi If the Council is serious about this, they should sue to try to enforce the law that is on the books. No way will the mayor -- or Walcott -- back down voluntarily.

A teacher once called the smart phone the great equalizer in education. With it, children not near libraries can research the world's library. Students can log in to tutoring websites even if their parents don't have internet access at home. A child without a printer or computer can write an entire paper and email it to me or himself to print it at school. Students can share homework and take photos of notes or homework on the classroom chalkboard. Once we stop seeing phones as a distraction (as we once saw the computer in the classroom) and start seeing it for what it is (an invaluable educational tool) we can focus on cell phone behavior rather than on the phones themselves and utilize this new technology to its fullest potential.

Again, this is a largely untold tale of 2 cities: the schools with wealthier populations, less police 'action' and generally with less 'diverse' populations are far LESS likely to enforce the nonsensical ban.

We all have phones; and so do most of our kids 4th graders and up...it's a fact of living in the big city that pretty much EVERYONE acknowledges. NYC/DOE needs to reckon with that reality first.. that nearly all our kids have phones paid for by their families. Then the administration needs to start by cancelling the ban altogether and start looking INTELLIGENTLY at how enforcing the LIMITATION of cellphone usage in schools would be the only way to handle the issue.

Tale of 2 cities, folks : anyone listening at the Times needs to heed this dirty truth. Like with all the queries, it is about a system of 'public schools' here in the city where populations are increasingly segregated, and where issues like how cell phones are treated differently according to what sort of population is in the school needs to be reviewed.

At a middle school in Cobble Hill that is highly 'diverse', with many transfer students and students at risk of failing, police REGULARLY set up cell phone 'stings' where the students get phones taken away. Yet at a nearby, top 'favorite' middle school just a few blocks away, only an occasional student has a phone confiscated till a parent comes in to reclaim it...

In order to cover these stories, the Times would actually need to WANT to discover the overwhelmingly prejudicial way the schools here deal with this nonsensical ban.

If NYC payphones worked, perhaps I would be OK with banning cellphones in schools. For those children who commute by public transportation (middle and high school students), a cell phone is a safety measure. Chancellor Walcott and Mayor Bloomberg: please get with the times.