Should Kids Have Their Phones in School?

Phones are helpful. They allow kids to communicate with family and friends. But they’re also distracting. In school, they create difficulties for students and teachers. According to a Common Sense Media report from 2021, about 43% of kids ages 8 to 12 own a smartphone. Should they be allowed to use their phones in school? We asked our readers. They made strong points on both sides of the issue. Here are four responses. Where do you stand?

Olivia Reyes, 9

Chicago, Illinois

Children should have phones in school because they’re a great tool. Phones can be used as calendars, so kids can be reminded of important dates and homework assignments. Phones can also be used as calculators. With a phone, children can easily contact 911, in case of an emergency. And parents can communicate with their children in an emergency. Most important, parents can easily locate their child by tracking the location of their phone.

Max Samaniego, 9

Yuma, Arizona

Kids shouldn’t be allowed to use phones in school. Phones can be a distraction from their work. Schools can communicate with parents if there’s an emergency. Kids can go to the office if they need to call their parents. I don’t have a phone, and my mom messages my teachers or calls the office if there’s anything she wants me to know. My teachers and the office can also call my mom, if necessary. Maybe when I’m older I’ll have a phone. But for now, I think it’s okay not to have one.

Sicheng Wang, 10

Vancouver, Canada

Although bringing a phone to school might distract you, it has advantages, too. Phones provide easy communication with your parents when you’re walking to school alone. Phones are also like mini computers. They can help you find answers to your questions at school. There are certainly times you should not use a phone, such as during a test or silent reading. But considering all of the above, I think having a phone at school has more benefits than not having one.

Nishika Patankar, 11

Foster City, California

I don’t think phones should be used at school. We are at the point where people want to text instead of talking to one another. People say that we could use phones for emergencies. But if that’s the case, we could just use flip phones. If phones weren’t this popular, we humans would be a lot more social. I’ve seen kids take phone use too far. Kids will sometimes just go on their phone to look up answers. Phones are getting in the way of school, which isn’t good for us.

The Next Debate: Should school start later in the day? Email your opinion to tfkeditors@time.com by April 1. Your response might be featured in an upcoming issue.

*Submissions have been edited only for length and clarity. They are not intended to reflect the views of TIME for Kids. Ages are accurate as of the time of submission.