My child will not get a phone until middle school. There is no need! In middle school they are not as supervised. Nobody makes sure they get on a bus, etc. Also in middle school, students who don't have phones do experience some social isolation. As a middle school teacher, I see how kids are left off the group text and the plans.
They should be banned. I can't see any reason why a kid that age would need a cell phone.
Is the question asking elementary aged students use of cell phones or elementary schools allowing students to use cell phones? If the question is around elementary aged students it is our family's opinion that age 13 is when our child will be able to get a cell phone if they want to. They will need to help pay for the monthly plan, they will have their screen time limited to certain apps. It is also situational specific on whether they attend a sport or activity after school and we need to pick them up or find them...
I don't feel that kids in elementary school really need phones. They aren't often left alone and are mostly going to be with a parent or another trusted adult so they don't need phones until they start staying after school and need to call for rides when another phone (school phone) might not be available for them to use.
I understand there are many families where because of the structure and work schedules they feel the need to have their child have a phone. However I do feel it is inappropriate and irresponsible to not have any smart phone that a minor child has to not be locked down from the internet. It’s frustrating that non smart phones aren’t much of an option anymore. Also that parents feel the need to be able to track their children which is only available on a smart device.
Shouldn’t have one in elementary - no need
I think it is completely unnecessary. There are enough responsible adults to help children with what they need during the school day (even those with life-threatening allergies, juvenile diabetes, etc...). Phones and smartwatches simply serve as distractions.
I feel that elementary school children don’t need a cell phone just yet. My fifth grade daughter has a gizmo. We use it to keep in touch with each other if she walks home off the bus by herself or if she had to cross the neighborhood to go to a friend’s house. A gizmo is a great way to be able to communicate with your younger child without exposing them to all the other facets of a cell phone.
I am an elementary school teacher and parent. I feel strongly that children do not need cell phones in elementary school. Especially, during the day. If they have one for after school contact with parents for safety reasons, then OK but giving them that much access at such a young age is crazy! Begin small and teach with incredible diligence.
The elementary school does a good job of enforcing cell phone policy (must be in backpack and not used at all during the day) but our Middle School and High School need to rethink their policy as students use the phone throughout the day. We are on Mercer Island.
I feel kids are getting smart phones much too early. When they enter middle school, perhaps a phone with 9-1-1 calling and texting capabilities should be all they need.
I would prefer they were banned from school and that you needed a license to purchase one- maybe age 16 - which meant you had to take a course on phone education- positives and pitfalls.
Kids in elementary school do not NEED a cell phone. They may want one, but they don't NEED one. It is up to the parents to begin the conversation early on why elementary age kids should not have a cell phone.
The school has told kids they need to keep cell phones in their backpacks throughout the school day.
I think cell phones are not needed in elementary school. My daughter got her phone in Middle School and she hardly uses it. I think that's in part to the strict rules and guidelines outlined in school as well as her lack of social media presence.
I don't think there is a need for cell phones in Elementary School. I don't think it would be healthy for Elementary aged children to carry cell phones or tablets.
My hope is that someday they will not be allowed K-8. There is no need - schools have landlines if parents need to reach their kids and vice versa.
Children this age have a strict schedule of where they are supposed to be when. It seems to me extraordinarily inappropriate for an elementary school kid to have or need a phone. The only girl we know that has a phone at this age (8) is because she is from a broken home and they say she needs a phone to communicate with both of her parents.
I am a kindergarten teacher. Cell phones are not encouraged and must stay in backpacks at our school. Some parents feel they need the phone there “in case of emergency”.
Elementary students do not need cell phones. However, my 4th grader reports that most of her classmates have them, and I don’t think she’s exaggerating.
I wish they were not allowed - at least to email a friend of communicate in google docs they would need to sit down at a computer and not have instant access in their pocket with phone. :(
I think it is unnecessary. They are too young to need cell phones.
Cell phones in Elementary schools are a problem for the classroom teachers, bus drivers and other school staff. Children in Elementary should not need a phone. How about a watch- Gizmo? where they can contact home and parents can no there location. I highly recommend this over a cell phone.
Honestly, in our situation, there would be no need for a cell phone for our kids in elementary. They have full access to a landline or teacher's cell phones if they need to reach me. They would likely not be in a situation on or off school property where they would be without access to a phone through an adult. There just isn't a need for one at this age. We do have a tablet for YouTube and videos and games, but it's monitored with parameters on it. At age 9, we just don't see a need for anything more. They do technology in school, they've been on an ipad since birth in small doses, they have an Alexa to play music and set alarms or ask questions, and they play lots of sports and are in lots of activities... no need for more distractions.
Cell phones belong in elementary school, need a text only device
In Canada. Elementary is from K-8. Middle schools exist as well. But cell phone policies in K-8 would need to be graduated or different than the middle school phenom noted by USA schools.
Children do not NEED cell phones, my daughter has a gizmo watch with GPS that she can call & text several preprogrammed numbers on. It would be nice if apple offered something like this, or if there were something less babyish looking on the market.
I do not see why a child this young needs a cell phone. My child does play games or watch shows on my phone occasionally but is monitored by me.
Elementary age kids are much to young for cell phones! Although several of my daughters friends have calling watches with a couple of preprogrammed numbers. We haven’t seen the need for this yet.
Other than the kids who need cell phones to monitor their blood-sugar levels (diabetics), I don't think kids should be allowed to have cell phones at school. They are hugely distracting, and I think they result in less interaction at recess.
I am against it. My kids have them for necessary comms outside of school, since pay phones are so hard to find now. Kids need to be interacting and playing during what little recess they have! They *certainly* shouldn’t be messing with phones during class time.
In my son’s class, he is one of only two kids who do not have a cell phone, so he wants one. I do not understand why 10-yr-old kids need phones and have few or no restrictions on screen use. I feel alone in this battle.
The cell phone only became convenient and helpful for our older kids when they started staying after school for activities and sports and we needed to communicate pick ups, etc. Their age was 14.
They are too young to be handed such a powerful tool. All day, kids are now staring at a chrome book or laptop for learning. At what point do we decide to decrease screen time ? I have also noticed parents are on there phones and oblivious too their children whom are very young . How do we expect our future children / youth / adults to know how to learn basic language skills ? To communicate, verbalize or socialize properly if it’s not being initiated or taught ? Kids seem to be holding a phone as soon as they can hold there baby bottle ! At what point do we seriously reconsider what we are doing ? The ads need to get out to parents ....”put your phone down and talk to your child!!” Regards
Best to not allow them - no need at this age.
Her elementary school has no cell phone policy! I think they assume that most kids don't have phones yet, however; she has a couple of friends who do have phones. There have been issues on the bus with phones and she has said that on more than one occasion, there have been cell phones ringing in backbacks during class. Our district has a policy starting in middle school (all phones have to stay off and in lockers during the day), but in this day of age, the policy unfortunately needs to begin in elementary school!
The only legitimate reason that I see for allowing younger children to have a cell phone is to make calls to their guardians when they’re old enough to have some independence — for example, to check in if they’re home alone after school or running late walking home from a friend’s house, etc. I’ve talked to many parents who seem to consider this a kind of necessary evil — they don’t really want their kids to have a phone, but they NEED to have it, they suggest. But I think we conflate convenience with need. It is convenient for our kids to be able to check in easily if they have a question or are running late, etc. We ought to ask whether that convenience outweighs whatever harm or disadvantages we think come with cell phones (whatever reasons these same parents claim they wish they didn’t need the phone...). Further, I think we ought to ask whether there are hidden costs to the ease of being in touch so quickly and easily (to children’s independence and ability to problem solve?).
Cell phones should be banned for elementary students. In my opinion, there is zero reason they need them IN school. My boys always call me using their teachers phone in the classroom, or going to the office. I can call the school or email the teacher directly to get in contact with my kids. My 6th grader still doesn't have a cell phone.
My younger kids ask for Cel phones. We have seen how poorly they behave after using electronics/video games so restrict their use to one hr per weekend day. Our oldest was given a hand me down phone at 12 (2 years ago) only because the school said it was needed for class work. It wasn’t because they had loaner devices to use at school. In the end, despite strict rules (no internet upstairs, Dad’s phone linked to the phone, no access to install apps, limited time on electronics) we still had a internet child predator again access to our son. We are not interested in going thru that again...kids don’t need phones. It just opens the door to strangers having access to your kids. Not with it, at all.
Come on parents, no need for cell phones at these precious ages!!
There's very little reason a kid that age needs a cell phone
I don’t believe kids need cell phones in elementary school and our kids will not be getting them.
I don't have a comment for everyone, but we don't feel our 10 year old needs a cell phone... They definitely don't need a smart phone. I consider it to be different but he does have a wrist watch phone that can only send and receive calls to his parents.
I am disappointed (more like disgusted, actually) that so many parents are allowing their elementary-aged kids to have/use cell phones. Way too young, and totally unnecessary in my opinion. How is it that they are able to distinguish that it is not healthy to allow their kids to drink alcohol, watch tv all day, or eat sugar at every meal, but they are fine feeding them access to a super-computer designed for hooking adults - addictive gaming, influential advertisements, distracting time-waster social media sites....only a mature adult could carefully navigate how and when to appropriately use this sophisticated tool to enhance their life, rather than let it diminish their quality of life. Many adults are not even capable of that! Public schools are the worst, because they hesitate to establish strict rules, lest they "offend" families who claim to "need" their kids to have a phone, citing fear of some potential emergency. Private schools seem to do better, parents trust them more?
Young children don’t need to grow up using screens to become proficient with them. Not having access to them is not going to be detrimental to them in any way. All of us need to learn to use and moderate the technology at our disposal. And I feel many of us as adults realize this from our own experiences with it. Introducing something that feeds the brain entertainment for zero work while they are young can have staggering consequences. Of them the inability to be creative to satisfy boredom and strengthen self control. This translates into adulthood. How can a child raised in this setting “grow to the age of mature accountability and prepare to affect the future and course of the world?” We are of the hypothesis that waiting to introduce devices of any kind till the child is well into the complicated process of the developing of the thinking brain and the forming of healthy coping pathways only benefits them. This introduction is much like learning to drive the family car.
Why, just why? I am a Girl Scout leader and had one of my 3rd graders bring her cell phone to an event. When I asked her why she thought she needed a cell phone she said "in case I needed to reach my mom." I told her that I was the adult responsible for her during the event and that communication with her parent was my responsibility. It worries and bothers me that children are given the tools to circumvent the adults in charge with these devices. I think at the least is diminishes the capacity for these kids to develop the skills needed to build relationships of trust with other adults. At the worst it perpetuates the culture of helicopter parenting that is so pervasive and debilitating to our young people.
It doesn't seem overwhelming in the school, but they are definitely starting to use their phones outside of school more and I know that my child sometimes feels (or her friends feel) that they can't communicate outside of school. That's not really true - they have a computer that they can use for school projects and we have a landline, but it's the sense that they cannot text each other, and so they can't communicate.... Its frustrating because we've told our daughter that she can have a phone when we need her to, but I am conscious of her not feeling connected to her peers when they are all getting phones.
I do not believe a child in elementary needs a cell phone. My 4th grade child only has one friend with a cell phone (an iPhone X) which I guarantee is not being used to make phone calls. As a parent, I work hard to limit screen time usage, so it is upsetting to know that friends have cell phones for using the internet, playing video games, and having social media content at their fingertips without parental supervision. At the appropriate time (middle school), I will get my child a cell phone, but it will ONLY be a cell phone for the purpose of making calls or texts.
Cell phones should not be part of elementary school life. Teachers and administrators should be the point of communication during school hours. If that isn't happening, then the school needs to address that. Young children should not be saddled with the responsibility of managing their cell phone use during school hours.
I don't think they are necessary or needed at that young an age.
my child probably will be getting a cell phone for 6th grade/ middle school as she needs to take the bus I need to know when she gets at home.
I don’t feel elementary school kids need their own cell phones or chromebook/laptop. Kids could have access to devices in school if they need them for a particular lesson, but they should not have one issued to them that they bring home. More trouble than they’re worth. My son has an iPod /itouch but I do not let him bring to school, even though he’s begging me to. Trying to delay it as long as possible.
I believe an elementary student should never have a cell phone on during school hours. The only need I can see is after school, if they walk to an after-school program without adults.
I see no reason why an elementary school age child should need a cell phone.
My daughter does not have a cell phone however has a gizmo watch with texting to a limited amount of contacts imported by me. It’s just the right amount of tech as we can contact each other if needed but does not give her internet surfing. Sadly, with such a crazy world at times, I like having the piece of mind that I can locate her and contact her and so far has been very beneficial with busy schedules.
Cell phones are banned in our school, but children still bring them. This baffles me. Today I had the chance to ask one student why he needs to keep his phone in his backpack. He told me that it is in case someone forgets to pick him up after school. Of course the school would make the necessary phone calls if this were to happen. My comment is that many students have a phone because their parents don't trust them to handle a problem on their own. They want to be able to step in and "fix" things for them.
Zero need for them. Landline telephone in every classroom already. All connected devices (IPOD, iWatch, iPhone) should be banned from classrooms. Lessons requiring technology should use school computers, not personal connected devices.
Monstrous disastrous horrible!! We would all be so much better off without them in schools. They do not make kids safer as the excuse of parents is always "But they NEED it to call me!" Make me utterly crazy. As you can see I am getting all fired up just thinking about it. If we want creativity and for our children to be able to GENERATE from themselves, we need to free their minds not imprison them by getting them hooked on insta-dopamine. Thanks for all the good work.
It can be useful when needed for communications. It’s very unlikely for a student to take their phone out in class because of teachers looking for that.
My opinion is under middle school, theres no reason a kid should have a cell phone. Its typically not needed and just distracts other elementary aged kids from school. Its usually brought to school just to make that kid look/feel “cool”
only kids with medical needs (diabetics for instance) should be allowed to carry one. All others need to be turned into the office upon arrival.
They should not be allowed! There is no need for them and they only cause problems when the kids are older. By then, they expect to have one - but they still shouldn't!
I think there is zero need for children to have cell phones in elementary. They are still required to have all changes in dismissal documented via email (at our school). I see if no other reason a parent would need to contact a child during the day.
I don't see why a child would EVER need a phone in elementary school. They are not cognitively ready yet to deal with all of the complexities of smartphone use, such as social media use, etc
My husband and I have been talking about finding a device that would allow our son to text or connect with us. We feel he’s old enough and responsible enough to get dropped off at a local field to meet friends, but would feel safer knowing he could tech us if needed. A friend having a phone can be helpful.
Why do they need cell phones at such a young age?
I understand parents like to be in touch with their child for convenience and comfort. I would say there was maybe one occasion when I wished my kids had a phone, because I wanted to remind one of them to bring something home, but otherwise, I have not seen a need. My kids' friends message me to reach them and the friends seem to use them responsibly. At this point, I think phones may be more of a distraction and/or time waster and we probably will not get them one until middle school. Phones are just too addictive and there are better ways for them to spend their time like reading paper books, creating art or playing.
For most elementary kids there is rarely a time when they are alone on their own and would need to contact someone or be contacted. That seems to start about 5th grade, but in our district that is considered intermediate school.
All schools need policies regarding not accessing phones during the school day.
I don't think cell phones should be used in elementary school unless students need them to contact family members and even then, the school office phone is available for that use.
Kids do not need and should not have their own phone in elementary school. Possibly they may need a communication device to communicate with parents, but not a smartphone. They are not mature enough to exercise the discretion needed for a smartphone.
I feel that cell phone use in elementary school (and middle school for that matter) is inappropriate and quite frankly very, very sad. No child that age needs one. They are detrimental on so many levels. Not just mentally & emotionally, but the actual physical ramifications of the EMF's that are emitted from the phones. I'm worried about the future of our youth and their ability to cope in the real world.
They really aren’t needed at this stage and their will power is not strong enough to avoid seduction.
I think that cell phones should not be used in classrooms or even on the school grounds. Schools should block access to anything other than phone service so they can connect with parents/guardians if needed.
I don't think elementary school children should have access to apps like snapchat, youtube, or instagram at all. I don't mind messaging apps but wish it was easier to set up parental monitoring of messages and contacts. In my experience a lot of drama is created through the use of both apps and messaging, and young kids need supervision with these things.
Cell phones could be helpful if your child(ren) walk to/from home on their own. The office staff can communicate any messages to the kids. I don’t want my child thinking about checking his/her phone when they need to be present for learning. I hear phones going off in backpack hallways all the time and the grade levels who own them are getting younger. I hear the Apple Watch is a better option where parents can control the numbers their children can use. No games. No camera just messages for important info. Kids can play cards on the bus, read, not necessary at this young age.
Not needed. They need to learn to learn that communication takes many forms in addition to devise driven ones
As a parent of two and an elementary school teacher I do not think kids this age need a phone that connects to the internet. The internet contains more content than kids this age need to have access to and more than they know how to handle. If a child needs a phone for safety purposes or to stay in touch with a parent while at the other parent’s house then a phone that simply calls and texts is sufficient.
No need for them to have one yet.
I do not feel children in elementary schools need a phone and if they do have one they should not be allowed to use it during school hours.
I do not think kids need cellphones in school
none needed. this is laughabl
It was interesting that you are asking this question. Please share the results in your newsletter. I fight and literally just had a conversation with my husband. Our fifth-grade child asked dad why she could not bring her cell phone to school. Our child told dad everyone has it. My husband can hardly believe that. Then my husband asked do your classmates pull it out in class. Our child answered no. So my husband said, you do not need it then.
At his age, I don't trust that he could be responsible enough to handle one. There are enough adults around who can make a call for him if he needs to get in touch with us.
It shouldn't happen. It's too early and they don't need it.
There really is no need for a cell Phone in elementary school at all. I wish all parents would get on board and just say NO!
I see no reason why an elementary school age child needs a phone - unless it is a case of divorce where a parent doesn’t have access to the child full time.
There is absolutely no need for elementary school children to have cell phones. If they do have them, they should not be allowed in the classroom.
Students need SO MUCH direct instruction with using the phone in a civil manner. The maturity level of a child seems to have a big impact on his/her ability to use the phone responsibly. Finally, we find clear limits on time spent on the device helpful, but there are still weekly conficts about usage.
Cell Phone May make sense if they are in after school activities where they need to communicate with a parent around logistics. I think a smartphone is irresponsible in elementary school.
According to my daughter EVERYONE except her has a phone. We have just gotten a "house phone" which is one of our "old" iPhone 7's that will stay in the house but can be used by our two daughters, as needed to communicate with us or with their friends.
I think cell phones should be kept in the kids' backpacks and only used before and after school. There is no need to access a cell phone during the school day.
They shouldn’t have them. Too young and no need.
Kids in elementary school do not need cell phones. By giving a child a cellphone (smartphone especially), you are beginning to inculcate them into the world of being attached to a screen. I have decided to give my 6th grade a stripped down smartphone (he only has texting and calling) and I am watching his phone behavior which is really only around his texting which comes and goes. On one hand he shows an age appropriate need to be private about his texting (even though he knows I read his texts), and I want to promote his need to separate and be more independent socially. On the other hand, I see that the phone is now a part of his routine...picking it up, bringing it with him on his walk to school, and forgetting to put it down when it is time to be face to face with us, friends, etc. But in elementary school, kids need to strengthen their in person, face to face experiences with peers and adults.
My opinion is kids have a phone when they need one. In our family, middle school is when they start walking to school on their own & going places with friends without an adult. Before that, no need for a phone.
I'm conflicted over this. I hold a strong value around limiting screen time significantly for my children, but this is a value that is welcomed in the school community that we have joined. In other school communities, where many children do have phones and much more screen time exposure, I know that it can create cultural dissonance for the "one child" who doesn't. It really needs to be a community-wide commitment in my opinion to focus on not just how much, but how children are using devices.
It is an absolutely ridiculous prospect and should not be encouraged. The children see it as a toy not a tool. We do not encourage to bring their lego pieces to school so why would we encourage them to bring their phone? If communication with parents is a problem, schools need to get together which parents and figure out a process that supports everyone to get home safely, not just the kids who have phones. The harms far outweigh the benefits.
They can be used effectively for taking pictures of homework or recording a video, but most times they are a distraction and students have trouble regulating it, especially if they get free rein with it at home. I think the regulation needs to come from home as well.
I believe that Elementary students should need cell phones in school ONLY to contact/be contacted by parents/caretakers. All other functions are not necessary in school. If there was a way to enforce that, of course...
They should not have smart phones at that age. My son has had friends who had smart phones from the age of 7! When his friends come to our house they put their phones on the counter and I contact the parents and let them know to call me if they need their child. The parents are always relieved and appreciative of our cell phone policy for elementary age. It’s a safety issue...I have no idea what type of parental controls are on these kids phones...or lack of.
It's inappropriate for children so young to be handed cellphones with the potential to expose them to more content than they can handle. Many parents who do so, do not even monitor their children's online activities. If parents will be honest with themselves, they will see that children do not need cellphones. The patents, for the most part, are only looking for something to keep their children entertained for long hours other than actual play. No one gets a cellphone in our home before they turn 14.
I am a teacher and there is no reason to need a cell phone in elementary school..
They don’t need them. Nor should their be “BYOD” (bring your own device) days.
Totally not a need in elementary school
On one hand, I feel elementary school children do not need cell phones and should not have them. On the other hand, in today's day and age, it's difficult to deprive that a child from having direct communication with their parent(s). But I personally still stand my ground with my child that he does not need a cell phone until they go into middle School (My oldest child did not get a cell phone until 7th grade & had very strict restrictions). This is just my opinion & what I do.
we use Ourpact and limit time and use. it was a game-changer in terms of arguing about use and now she rarely even thinks about using her phone unless she needs to communicate with people, which IMO is the only thing she should be using it for:)
Should only be used in emergencies or to contact a parent. Fundamentals of education are still being learned. Distractions lime phones and tablets should wait until they have a need for them in the school setting.
There is no need for cellphone use in schools at this age.
I absolutely do not see the need for a phone in elementary school.
Not a good idea. If a child needs to have a phone a very basic one that can only call parents and 911. No other gadgets are needed at this age.
I'm a teacher and a parent. Beyond a communication means with parents, I don't see any reason why an elementary student should need a cell phone in school. (Of course, I am also a loyal follower of Tech Talk Tuesdays from the people behind Screenagers.)