“My teacher took my cell phone…”

It is not unusual for me to fall asleep at night my cell phone in my hand.  In fact, I overslept this morning due to the fact that I rolled on top of my Samsung Slider in the middle of the night.  Personally, I wouldn’t call myself a cell phone junkie.  I believe that I am merely a product of the technologically crazed world that we all participate in.

In a press conference at Anthony Hall yesterday, a panel weighed in on an array of ideas ranging from people who use no consideration when talking on their cell phones, to teens that are addicted to texting in class.

Throughout the seminar, I could almost hear the faint cheers of the Ithaca High School faculty as the idea banning all cell phones from school premises’.  There is no doubt in my mind that cell phones present issues in nearly every school around the nation, but I know firsthand just how troublesome they are at my school.  It is not uncommon to see our principal chase students who are chatting on their cells down the halls.  Almost every day, someone’s phone gets apprehended by a teacher; it is a never ending cycle.

Although many people blame these unavoidable problems on the technology of cell phones, I believe that it is actually an issue of respect.  These issues will never be resolved until students begin to respect the boundaries of the classroom.  As we live in a world that promotes instant gratification, we can never truly learn the rules of when and where it is okay to text our friends until we learn to value the art of face-to-face communication.

-Tyler Zuker