Cell phones, an issue for students and teachers alike. One side claims that if doesn’t distract anyone it’s not a problem, while the other wishes to be respected during teaching time.

Personally, I have to side with the teachers. They’re paid to teach us, and it’s just common courtesy to listen to whoever’s talking, especially if it’s to the student’s benefit.

However, when it’s work time, the student has completed their work, and the teacher isn’t trying to teach, there is absolutely no reason for you to seize the personal property of a student.

Very recently, I was told to “put it away or I wouldn’t see it until after 8th period”, while my work was complete, it had been checked by this teacher and was all correct, and I was actually texting my mother for a game plan of my evening in order to plan ahead.

Honestly, I think it’s a little uncalled for. This teacher had given my class the time to do our work, which I accomplished, but was then told my property would be seized and I wouldn’t have it until the end of the school day, despite the fact that it would inhibit communication that would help me figure out the layout of my currently busy life.

I see this often happen to my colleagues, who sometimes are doing it within the last five minutes of the period. Really? If there are five minutes to the bell and they’ve completed the tasks assigned to them, why should they be punished for a little relaxation?

My question to teachers is, how would they feel if they’re in a staff meeting, they’re told to do some kind of paperwork for the next 15 minutes, to which they finish with plenty of time, and the principal walked up to them, grabs their phone directly from their hands, and tells them it will become the school’s property for the next 6 hours?

Surely anyone can survive the day without their phone, but cell phones are now a vital part of the planning and communicating which can be crucial to school life and extracurriculars, and it’s sometimes more than an inconvenience without access to it.

Obviously, I’m not condoning cheating or ignoring the people here to help, but the use of a cell phone while everything else is done should be allowed, and frankly expected in our day and age without being scowled and ridiculed for.

In any case, please don’t take away my stuff when it’s being used appropriately.