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Now that the majority of teenagers have their own cell phones, they have unprecedented instant access to friends and family. They can talk, text and surf the internet.
What are the potential dangers for teens’ educations and safety?
SCHOOL
As classes let out for the day at Nampa High School, students stream from the buildings and reach for their cell phones.
Nampa High, like other schools in the Treasure Valley and across the country, has strict rules against cell phones and other electronic devices — basically, they’re not allowed — but at the end of the school day, students use their phones, a lot.
When cell phones first became common among teens in 2003, they were a problem for school teachers and administrators, said Byron Holtry, lead building administrator for Nampa High School. Students would pull out their phones in the school’s classrooms and hallways, creating a disruption.
And they initially fought against restrictions.
“Now the kids are learning the etiquette,” Holtry said. “They raise to your expectations. Now they know why it’s not appropriate to have cell phones in school.”
Still, some students say cell phones are still a distraction at school. It’s not unusual for a student in the back of a class to surreptitiously send text messages.
“They’re doing it behind the teacher’s back,” said Monica Santos, a Nampa senior, who has made it a habit to leave her phone in her car so she won’t be tempted to use it during school. “I think you have to set your own guidelines so it won’t distract you.”
Holtry said students are taught that their phones, especially those equipped to surf the internet, should be used like a tool “to be used but not abused.”
Despite the obvious potential for phones to detract from education, Holtry also sees benefits.
The phones allow students, many of whom are “latch key kids” to keep in touch with their parents, he said. And for many students who don’t have a computer connection at home, their smart phones offer them a wealth of information, allowing them to conduct research for classes.
Caldwell High School junior Kelli Warwick, chair of the mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, said she also sees educational benefits to cell phones. She sends text messages and social media posts to keep other students abreast of important news and meetings. She can instantly reach dozens of her peers and receive feedback, more quickly than older forms of communication.
“It’s faster than email,” she said.
HARASSMENT
While bullying is hardly new among teens, cell phones have provided a new medium for such behavior. About a quarter of teens report being harassed through their cell phones, according to the Pew study. This includes prank calls, threats, insults and sexual harassment. In addition, almost half of teens report that they’ve sent text messages they later regret.
And now that more teens can access social media sites through their phones, the problem is further exacerbated.
Caldwell High School junior Heidi Olsen said instant communication with so many people allows gossip to spread quickly around the school. A minor incident can quickly grow out of control as stories circulate through texts and social network posts.
“We get news faster, but we can also get rumors faster. And they are usually false accounts,” Olsen said.
Nampa senior Monica Santos agreed.
“During school somebody might be starting rumors. Then all of a sudden it could cause fight at the end of the day because someone was texting something about someone else that is not true,” she said.
With the new technology, students are less likely to consider the consequences of their actions, Caldwell Safe Schools Coordinator Melinda Smyser said. With the press of a few buttons, they can impulsively publish their thoughts to a large group of peers on Facebook or other sites.
“Kids can be really mean, and everybody can get on the bandwagon in an instant,” Smyser said.
Educators in southwest Idaho are coordinating to offer better education to prevent bullying and provide support for students, Smyser said. In addition, the state Legislature will consider a bill that would strengthen anti-bullying laws.
Smyser said parents should teach their kids the “assertiveness skills” to stand up for themselves against bullies, and make sure kids know that they can get help if they ask.
DRIVING
Data from the Idaho Department of Transportation shows that up to 30 percent of accidents in Idaho are caused by drivers distracted by electronic devices, according to Dave Carlson, director of AAA-Idaho.
“Distracted driving is the new drunk driving,” Carlson said, noting that while drunk driving has decreased, texting while driving continues to rise. “It affects multiple performance factors behind the wheel — cognitive, manual and visual.” In other words, a texter’s mind wanders, while his hands leave the steering wheel and his eyes look away from the road.
About half of students report talking on their cell phone while driving, while about a third say they have texted behind the wheel. Meanwhile, about 40 percent said they had been a passenger in a car when the driver used a cell phone in an unsafe manner.
AAA-Idaho is pushing for legislative action to ban texting while driving. In a survey to Idaho registered voters, 87 percent supported such a ban, and 59 percent of voters support banning all electronic communications in a car. AAA has also looked at supporting a ban aimed at teen drivers who received their licenses in the last six months.
The Idaho Transportation Department initiated a high school education campaign, “Put it Down,” aimed at reducing distracted driving accidents. The campaign empowers students to educate their peers about the dangers of cell phone use while driving, through school assemblies, poster drives and classroom activities.
PARENTS
Chris McNaught, a school counselor and adjunct professor at Northwest Nazarene University, said parents should realize that teens have a different ideas about cell phones than do most adults.
“We see cell phones as mobile phones. They see cell phones as mobile devices that allow them to text, store music, take pictures, take notes, update their Facebook status, check sport scores, buy tickets for a movie, write on their blog - oh and make phone calls,” McNaught said in an online posting to the Idaho Press-Tribune. “Mobile devices are only going to become more ubiquitous and trying to keep them out of the kids’ hands is an exercise in futility.”
Caldwell students Heidi Olsen and Kelli Warwick said it’s important that teens and parents work together to set limits on cell phone use.
For Warwick, that means no texting after 10 p.m. and no texting or phone calls while driving.
Olsen suggested that parents keep tabs on the number of texts and make sure it’s not out of control; she also said parents should ask their teens to put away their cell phones sometimes and focus more on face-to-face communication.
Parent Stephanie Jacobson said she didn’t allow her children to have cell phones until they could pay for them themselves. She also prohibited phones that allow transmitting photos.
“It has seemed to work well, and we can always get ahold of them when when need to,” she said in her online post.
CarlyWells posted at 12:16 pm on Wed, Feb 15, 2012.
As the parent of a child with a cell phone, I take offense in people thinking I just gave it to her without any thought and no care as to how and when she uses it. First of all, my daughter does contribute to the payment of her cell bill because I chose a prepaid carrier that was cheap enough for her to afford with her monthly allowance - Tracfone. The aircards the phone she has uses last on a bi-monthly basis so she has the time to save up half the money for the purchase- they cost about $30 or so. Not only that, her phone was less than $50 and doesn't have half of the features mine does since I didn't think a 14 year old needed them. She also has to surrender her phone at 8 every night during the week since I don't want her talking or texting all night with her friends. I think as a parent you can set limits and see no opposition if you make them in a realistic way.
rcjava67 posted at 11:36 am on Mon, Jan 23, 2012.
As far as I'm concerned these kids having cell phones has completely destroyed their ability to look someone in the eye and actually carry on a conversation. I get so tired of seeing these little brats with the expensive phones doing nothing but texting. How many of you realized that the girl from Marsing was killed in an accident because of using a phone while "trying" to continue driving. When kids are made to pay their way for these "extra's" maybe we can have some responsible upcoming adults. Why parents have quit being parents and give in to all these things is far beyond me. We are to direct them and discipline them and as I've noticed parents have no idea how to that anymore.
solarimass posted at 9:13 am on Mon, Jan 23, 2012.
First off, as a parent you have to set limits- especially if you are allowing your child to have this kind of freedom. I waited until my daughter turned 13 before I even considered a cell phone and even then, I wasn't about to give in to her pleas for some expensive SmartPhone that she can't pay for and would become far too attached to. Instead, I decided that if the phone was a necessity, I was going to get her something as limiting and basic as possible and I mean no internet access and no apps to again try and limit her use of phone to just calls and some texting. I ended up buying her a prepaid cellphone for Tracfone and utilized these aircards that last 3 months at time - I think, at the time, the whole thing cost me about $40 total. She's 15 now and she's still with the same company and still allowed only 200 minutes of use - until she's capable of contributing to the payment, I don't feel it should change.
Sawtooth46 posted at 3:55 pm on Sun, Jan 22, 2012.
I've watched kids and young adults constantly looking at their phones for messages. From what I see, it's become some level of addiction for them looking for or wanting contact from someone, maybe anyone. I'm glad I was too old to get caught up in that environment. After spending some 40 years in management, I wonder how these individuals will communicate and interact in the work place. Look at the kids in the picture. All in a group but nobody is even looking at eachother.
ErikWood posted at 2:15 pm on Sun, Jan 22, 2012.
I think legislation has value in raising public awareness in forums like this one but it will be difficult to solely legislate our way out of this issue. I just read that over 3/4 of teens text daily - many text more than 4000 times a month. New college students no longer have email addresses! They use texting and Facebook - even with their professors. Tweens (ages 9 -12) send texts to each other from their bikes. This text and drive issue is in its infancy and its not going away.
I decided to do something about distracted driving after my three year old daughter was nearly run down right in front of me by a texting driver. Instead of a shackle that locks down phones and alienates the user (especially teens) I built a tool called OTTER that is a simple GPS based, texting auto reply app for smartphones. It also silences call ringtones while driving unless you have a bluetooth enabled. I think if we can empower the individual then change will come to our highways now and not just our laws.
Erik Wood, owner
OTTER LLC
OTTER app
bizzaromalverde posted at 12:54 pm on Sun, Jan 22, 2012.
Children should not have cell phone unless they can pay the bill. Why should a child have adult privileges?