The majority of students at Morton East think teenage students (ages 11-18) should have cellphones.

People need to interact with family and friends, especially during this difficult pandemic.  But, some teenagers spend more time on phones than with their own families.  According to a random survey of 30 Morton East students, half of them agree to students having cellphones.  They think it’s good to have because of the pandemic.  But, other students disagree; they think younger kids (like 11-12 years old) shouldn’t have them because there is too much “bad stuff” on social media that could “ruin them at a young age.”

“I think that cell phones are useful tools, but I do think that we tend to spend too much time on our cell phones with various distractions,” biliteracy coach Ms. Lauren Keppler said.

It is true people do spend more time on the phone and do get distracted by social media. The more you spend time on the phone the more you get addicted to it.  The phone can mess your brain up and ruin your sleep schedule.

“I think that it is okay for a 12-year-old to have a cellphone, as long as the parents are involved in setting limits on cellphone use and know what the 12-year-old is using the phone for. As students get more involved in extra-curricular activities as teenagers, it can be beneficial to have a cellphone to be able to communicate. Parents have to decide if that benefit outweighs the cons of the distractions and potential dangers of having a cellphone. A 12-year-old has to be very mature to be able to handle a cellphone,” biliteracy coach Ms. Keppler said.

So, parents need to make sure what their kids are watching on their phones, and enforce strict rules when to use the cellphones and when not to. Usually, when teenagers act immaturely, it’s because their parents show too much affection in the form of leniency.