DON’T SILENCE US: WHY CELLPHONES BELONG IN SCHOOLS

Columbine, 1999. Marysville Pilchuck, 2014. Marjory Stoneman Douglas, 2018. Apalachee High, 2024. In each of these school shootings, students used their phones to call 911, text their parents, or whisper final words from where they were hiding. In all of these tragedies, these phones saved lives. They weren’t distractions. They were lifelines.

Administrators say cellphones cause drama, distraction, and disruption. But in a real emergency, they’re how we survive. Whether it’s reporting a shooter or sending your location in lockdown, phones are how students stay safe.

Some administrators say phones during a crisis clog emergency lines or create chaos. But in reality, those calls are often the first alert. At Marysville, a student’s 911 call sent the resource officer to the cafeteria in roughly two minutes, according to official timelines.

That didn’t slow the response; it started it.

During a lockdown, no one’s running to the office or searching for a teacher with a walkie-talkie. We do what we’ve been taught: stay low, stay quiet, stay hidden. A phone might be the only way to reach help—or say goodbye.

Taking away our voice doesn’t protect us; it shrouds us in silence.

Administrators also claim phones break focus. That students aren’t mature enough to handle them. But how are we supposed to become responsible if we’re never trusted to try?

Self-regulation isn’t automatic by the time we enter the real world after graduation. We learn it now in high school by making mistakes, getting distracted, and figuring out how to refocus. Locking away our phones during homeroom each morning—as our high school’s new policy dictates—doesn’t teach discipline. It removes opportunities to practice it.

And that’s a different kind of silencing.

When schools take away the chance to choose, they take away the chance to grow. That’s not education. That’s control. And it doesn’t prepare us for college lectures, workplace meetings, or real life.

And what about when we just need a break?

School is stressful. We’re “on” all day—academically, socially, emotionally. Sometimes powerblock—a 30-minute free period built into each day—is the only moment we have to breathe. To scroll. To laugh. To check in with a friend. To reset. Phones aren’t just distractions. They’re how we recharge.

A 2024 University of Wisconsin study found teens, ages 13-17, were in better moods while using their phones than when not. The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, which tracked over 11,000 U.S. teens, found that moderate phone use actually strengthened peer relationships and social functioning. Yes, excessive use can be harmful, but reasonable use can actually be beneficial. Sometimes it’s how we stay connected and relaxed.

While studies have shown that excessive cellphone use is harmful, other studies have found that moderate use can actually be beneficial. A University of Wisconsin study found teens were in better moods while using their phones than when not. The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD), which tracked over 11,000 U.S. teens, found that mindful phone use actually strengthened peer relationships and social functioning.

And for some of us, phones aren’t optional.

I have type 1 diabetes. My phone connects to my glucose monitor. It warns me if my blood sugar drops or spikes—a situation that could escalate quickly. I’ve always kept my phone on my desk, silent but visible. Missing an alert isn’t just unacceptable—it’s life-threatening. Still, one faculty member strongly advised me to keep my phone in my bag once the ban starts. That renders my phone useless. I shouldn’t have to choose between following a rule and protecting my health.

I hate feeling like the “exception.” I don’t want the stares or the questions. I just want to stay safe without feeling like I have to apologize for it.

Are we building schools that prepare us for the real world or ones that shut it out?

Cellphones aren’t the threat. Ignoring why we need them is. And silencing us when it matters most can be fatal.

DON’T SILENCE US: WHY CELLPHONES BELONG IN SCHOOLS