Cellphones in schools has dependably created a ton of controversies, on how to manage it in a safe way in both outside and inside school. In the TCS Middle School, directives have seen how mobile phone use has incited more negative effects than positive effects in the understudies’ condition. Because of social and instructive problems that mobile phone utilization has conveyed to this school, the mandates had gone to the extreme choice of restricting them totally in school.

The restricting of cellphones in Middle School has acquired numerous positive effects the school’s environment. It has conveyed students to endeavor to go against this new rule.

The why

Throughout the years directives have seen how cellphones have influenced contrarily the way students interact with each other and their educators. In class you can see them messaging each other and going in other social medias like Instagram or Twitter.

“Something that we have noticed was that a lot of times during window, students were on their phones instead of interacting with one another,” said Bianca Vega, Middle School Vice Principal at TCS.

Looking at each other’s pictures and reading their thoughts is a frequent compulsion for students, yet the issue is this doesn’t occur just in class yet likewise in their free time (window and lunch). Middle School is a period where teenagers are highly socially dynamic, and perceiving how instead of interacting face to face they choose to interact screen to screen shows how addictive and unsafe a cell phone can be.

“We saw that smartphones that have social media apps have a lot of negative effects on teenagers that they don’t even know about,” added Vega.

Forbidding cell phone usage in school, is a method for preventing cyberbullying and urging students to be safe when utilizing social medias.

Students’ Revolts

Establishing this rule in almost the middle of the school year was a harsh move for Middle Schooler’s at TCS. After all, this rule is restricting something they use every minute of every day, and forces them to interact face to face with one another, so them revolving against this new rule is something to expect.

“I’ve encouraged my school year to follow this rule and find other methods of entertainment during the school day… everyone is talking, playing sports, cards and trading their ‘laminas’,” said Rosario Villegas, 7th grade Stuco at TCS

Middle School’s Stucos have attempted to calm students and get positive things out of this new implemented rule. Mind the less, not everything about the banning of cellphones is so positive for the schools environment.

“This has created a problem in the [social] environment because everyone is being rebel about the situation,” said Valentina Mesa, 8th grade Stuco at TCS.

Students tend to “ignore” this rule and challenge it by bringing their phones, or saying they need to make an urgent call when they simply need to text or check their social media through the school day.

“All of the stucos of Middle School have concluded that this is not the solution, other strategies can be taken instead of this one. We’re trying for this to change,” stated Ivana Mejia, 6th grade Stuco at TCS.

From the beginning of implementing the banning of cellphones in school, Middle School stucos have come up with alternating ideas for avoiding cyberbullying and expanding socialization at school without the extremes of not bringing their phones to school. These ideas include, assemblies and activities where students learn how to properly use social media.

What’s more to come

High School students have been frightened of the possibility that this rule can be futurely implied in their school. The decision hasn’t been completely established, yet some feelings have accompanied with this idea.

“High School should not apply this method because as we start growing up we need our phones, this is the real world, ” said Mesa.

Implying the rule in Middle School means students would grow positively socially and academically. Then, making assemblies and other ways for High School students to keep learning how to properly use social media, would help them grow safely personally and socially.

“Cellphones can be a very good tool, for learning and communication purposes. We want to promote a healthy lifestyle and a higher level of well being, by helping students with those negative effect that cellphone usage brings to them,” said Vega.

Using smartphones the correct way, can provide a healthy and safe lifestyle for every student. By implying this rule in Middle School, and later on giving talks and tips on how to make the social media world safer in High School students can really learn and take advantage of the good things this tool can bring to them.

“Now I can see students actually paying attention in class, and interacting with one another in window. It was a hard change but at the end it was positive,” said Maria del Mar Jaramillo, 8th grader at TCS.