The Hindu : Kerala News : Weighing the pros and cons of the mobile phone ban

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Wednesday, Jul 23, 2008
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Weighing the pros and cons of the mobile phone ban

The State government has disallowed the use of mobile phones by students on the campuses of schools. But issues of enforcement remain. How far should the authorities go to enforce the restriction? Our readers respond:

Permit judicious use

As a student, the mobile phone is very useful for me. These days, majority of the students attend tuitions along with their regular classes. Sometimes these tuitions go late into the evening and mobile phones help the students stay connected and keep track of each other’s whereabouts while travelling back.

But, technological change leads to a social change. Students with cameras and other technologies on their phones misuse them. Students should be allowed to use them, but only to stay connected with their home. Also, there should be a ban on swanky and camera phones on school campuses.

Prohibition is not a remedy for misuse; the best way is to trace and should punish those responsible.

Angel Anna Mathew

Akkulam

Issue guidelines

The State government has done the right thing in disallowing the use of mobile phones on school campuses. But, strict enforcement may be a problem; many children using them may belong to influential and powerful families. Government should issue guidelines to be followed in implementing the rule and parents should be made responsible and punishable. In fact, a comprehensive law could be enacted on the misuse of mobile phones.

A. Jacob Sahayam

Thiruvananthapuram

More abuse than use

Any technological innovation can be used or abused. Unfortunately, one observes that mobile phones are more abused than used, especially among youngsters.

As for the use of mobile phones by children of school-going age, a need for it arises only when they have to contact their parents or elders in an emergency. On school campuses, their safety and wellbeing should be the responsibility of the school staffs and hence the need for using a mobile phone should not arise.

This gadget has the potential to seriously detract them from their studies. Thus, disallowing the use of mobile phones on school campuses seems to be based on sound reasoning.

B.K.S. Nair

Thiruvananthapuram

Useful in critical times

The misuse of mobile phones holds a threat to peaceful, dignified human life. Unbridled indulgence in its use on school campuses and hospital premises is unethical.

Nevertheless, the mobile phone is no less useful in critical circumstances. It is handy in summoning emergency services in cases involving clinical urgency, robbery attempts, physical assaults and the like.

As any system or gadget, the mobile phone too has merits and demerits, especially in these days of abduction, child abuse and campus violence. Mobile phones must be allowed on school campuses under effective supervision.

N. Sadasivan Pillai

By e-mail

Lot of negatives

A mobile phone connection can be obtained only by those above 18 years of age as the application form is a legal document. For students using the device, parents or older friends take the connection in their names and lend it to the student.

It is very disturbing when we hear ring tones in the classes. Why permit the use of phones and be worried all the time. Research reports say that teenagers who use their mobile phones excessively are more prone to disrupted sleep, restlessness, stress and fatigue. Preliminary scientific evidence found exposure to radio frequency radiation might have subtle effects on biological functions, including the brain. Children may be more vulnerable because of their developing nervous system, greater absorption of energy in the tissues of the child’s head and a longer lifetime of exposure.

There are several points put forward by students favouring use of mobile phones at school including cheaper calls and easy access in case of emergency.

But, why do school children need camera mobiles? It is very disturbing when we hear of MMS scandals involving schoolchildren. Mobile phones create jealousy in young minds and disturb studies. Also, school authorities should hold meetings and create awareness among the students and their parents. Without the help of parents, school authorities cannot ban mobile phone completely.

Sowmya Narayan K.

By e-mail

Checks and controls

It is not practical for school authorities to check students always. Parents can do a lot by not giving mobile phones to students below eighteen years of age. They should be made aware of the harmful effects of mobile phones. Also, teachers should not bring mobile phones to classrooms.

Unexpected checks can be done by teachers and students strictly warned. Strict action should be taken against shops on school premises which store mobile phones for students.

Radhika Krishnan

Edayaranmula

Accept technology warts and all

Mobile phones have become so ubiquitous that life has become difficult without them. Students, and to a great extent parents too, consider mobile phones more important than textbooks because the child who sets out from the residence early in the morning returns home only at supper time. Concerned parents want to have their children on line whenever they like.

Are mobile phones weapons to be banned on the school campus? Are they not mere gadgets for easy communication? Is it detrimental to the decorum and discipline of the school if a student has a mobile phone on his person? It is infringement of his/her right to carry an electronic gadget that facilitates easy communication with his parents.

Also, banning of mobile phones in schools may not produce the desired result. The students will seek devious and dubious tricks to circumvent it and the fallout of this will be a hostile atmosphere on campus. Severe punishment will only make them more revengeful. With the mobile phone companies adding more attractions to the phones and the clients scrambling to possess them, the ban is nothing short of an anachronism and will find few adherents.

A.N. Balan

Thiruvananthapuram

Rational use

Mobile phones started as a very innovative and useful tool but have turned out to be a big nuisance, a danger and an addiction.

Its use, especially among youngsters, should be checked and reduced as much as possible. A complete prohibition of the gadget in schools may not succeed because of the passions and utility involved. A very effective procedure of penalisation of misuse and/or breaking the code of conduct may be to confiscate, switch off and deposit the gadget until next morning in a school locker.

This will also train the youngsters in a rational and controlled use of this gadget.

Abraham Karammel

By e-mail

Learn the etiquette

Banning the use of the mobile phone in the classroom is justified. However, to forbid the possession of mobile phones on the campus appears to be arbitrary and insensitive. In these uncertain times, the mobile phone is a vital link of communication between the students and the parents. Should the government waste its time in micromanaging issues which are best resolved by institutions themselves? The well-behaved majority is being punished for the mischief perpetrated by a minority.

The better option would be to inculcate cell phone etiquette, to educate the students to handle the phone in a non-intrusive manner and without disrupting the academic environment. We like to flaunt our gadgets in public and talk in a jarringly loud and obtrusive manner without caring for the sensibilities of others. This reminds us of a New York judge’s observation that “if adults cannot be fully trusted to practice proper cell phone etiquette, then neither can children.”

V.N. Mukundarajan

Thiruvananthapuram

Losing precious time

Mobile phones are of immense use to those who actually require them for their business, official and personal purposes. But, boys and girls in their teenage have very limited use of the instrument. They require it for informing their parents of their movements to tuition centres/homes. This is the period for them to concentrate on their studies. If they have anything to communicate with their teachers and classmates on lessons taught in class they can use the facilities available at home.

One can see that many boys and girls with mobile phones are tempted or forced to view pornographic pictures and films, photos of others and unwanted messages. It eats away at the precious time available for studies and spoils their tender and immature minds. Therefore, the move of the government to disallow mobile phones on school campuses is a right step. Parents and the teachers will have to play a supportive role in enforcing the proposed move. Awareness may also be created among the students about the loss of time and harmful effects, particularly of radiation on the human body, on account of use of mobile phones.

S. Paul Dhason

By e-mail

Controlled use

The government’s decision to ban the use of mobile phones by students on the campuses of schools is prudent and much-needed. Reported cases of abuse of mobiles phones inside the campuses are rife, let alone unreported ones. Of course the usefulness of mobile phones is apparent but it is the mischievous approach of youngsters that skews its utility to a dubitable state. With the rapid development of technology, this has become a serious moral issue among the students.

But, issues of full-fledged enforcement remain. Proper notifications and warnings about the ban on mobile phones while they are in the school should be given to the students. They might be permitted to bring mobile phones, if so keen about it, but should hand them to their class teacher or the respective departmental authority while they are in school. They can collect their cell phones after class hours or use them with the permission of the class teacher in his/her presence if the reason for the use is genuine. Inside the campus the mobile phones should be switched off uncompromisingly. Mobile phones with camera and mp3 playing facilities should be disallowed.

Harikumar J.S.

Thiruvananthapuram

Stop misuse, not use

Mobile phones have become an indispensable part of human life.

If students have started using mobile phones, there is nothing alarming in it. I think restrictions should be made flexible and no blanket ban would help the cause.

I think misusing of mobile phones must be stopped but students should not be stopped from using them in emergency situations. Recently a six-year-old child lost herself in a busy railway station while her mother was standing in the queue to buy tickets. The child was smart enough to call her father using the mobile phone. Let us not always project the negative aspects. Rules must be enforced but children should not be threatened.

Aiswarya Chandran

Changanassery

Supervise children

I think mobile phones aren’t a necessity for school children. No doubt if children have mobile phones with them, parents can always contact them or they can contact their parents. But nowadays these phones have become toys in the hands of school-going children. For the well-being of our children, it would be better to have control over the use of mobile phones by children not just in schools but also outside. I don’t advocate a ban but the use of mobile phones by children should be supervised.

R.K. Kuzhikatt

Thrissur

Role for parents

This issue is relevant only to elite schools having affluent students. Apparently, it is only the use of mobile phones in the classroom and campus that is disallowed, not their being carried around.

Preventing usage is as easy as asking for phones to be switched off, something not very difficult in any environment where discipline prevails.

Any such school should be in a position to have a suitable monitoring arrangement working, which, in fact, does work effectively in many cases. The negative aspects of usage, and of what students do outside school, are for parents to take care of. After all, it is parents or other family members that buy phones for the students. So regulation should begin at home.

Devraj Sambasivan

Alappuzha

Avoidable communications

The main purpose of a mobile phone is communication. But, most students use the mobile phone as a fancy item. That mobile phones may be helpful for students and parents to communicate in a needy situation is the main argument of all those supporting the use of mobile phones on campuses. If we accept this argument, why do we need a mobile phone with extra features like camera, MP3 player, Bluetooth etc. for a student.

Mobile companies give a lot of offers to students because of their business interest. In this issue the role of parents is very important. We should try to avoid a situation in which our children engage in unwanted communications at midnight. We cannot support such situations whether it is on campus, in hostels or at home.

Tiji Thomas

Thiruvalla

Not the answer

Students today have a myriad of tensions to battle with and I hope that “the banning of mobile phones and its strict enforcement” will not add to their problems.

During class hours it is understood (by both the teacher and the students) that the phone is best switched off. At other times, confiscating mobile phones or punishing the student will only inspire the student to find other ways to keep using the phone.

The use of mobile phones in crime is an issue. But, banning it is not the answer. It can be solved only at the social level or better, at the individual level. Supportive and encouraging teachers, loving and caring parents might just do the trick.

Jisha Das

Thiruvananthapuram

Welcome ban

It is better to ban mobile phones on school campuses especially the ones with cameras. Schools in the city realise this and have banned mobile phones already. We should try sensitising students as to why they are restricted from using mobile phones in schools. But there are instances when students disregard the rules. On such occasions, the phone must be confiscated and parents should be informed. Ban on mobile phones in school premises helps minimise students calling each other during class hours, circulation of obscene pictures and messages among students.

Laws should be made in such a way that both parents and students can understand the gravity of misuse and they themselves can sacrifice mobile phones at least in the campus.

Sreeni K.R.

Chalakudy

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