A Cell Phone Ban May Be Imminent At Toms River, NJ Schools

Cell phones in schools have been at the center of controversy for a while.

On one side, it's important for kids to be able to contact their families in case of emergency, or if something happens during the day that they need to alert home about.

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On the other side, cell phones can cause big distractions; from social media to students recording other students, to cell phones being the cause of distractions in the classroom, there are a lot of reasons cell phone bans are becoming more commonplace.

A Cell Phone Ban May Be Coming To Toms River, NJ, Schools

Now, it looks like Toms River schools may be next to implement a cell phone ban.

Patch reports that the new policy was brought up in an October meeting, and still needs to be voted on, but would out strict ruels in place or cell phone usage in Toms River schools.

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What Would A Toms River Cell Phone Ban Look Like For Students?

Students would have to have their phones off or away from the time they stop on the bus until the time they get home.

Cell phones would have to stay in lockers or in backpacks, and would also be banned from use during after-school programs or extracurricular activities.

Students would also have to make sure their phones are password-protected to prevent anyone besides them from accessing the phone, which is pretty standard in smartphones nowadays.

Are There Exceptions To Cell Phone Bans In Schools?

There are exceptions to the rule, however, like if a cell phone is part of a student's individual educational plan, or if students need to use their phone to monitor health issues.

And if there's an instance where a student has to call home, the call must be taken in the main office of the school, with teacher permission.

Cell Phone Bans In Schools Should Be The Norm In This Day And Age

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Personally, I'm all for a cell phone ban, or at least a restriction. I spent my public school years smartphone-free, as did a lot of people my age and older, and I feel as though it helped us develop better relationships with our classmates, kept us more focused and less distracted during the day, and honestly made school more enjoyable.

Is The Toms River, NJ, School District's Cell Phone Ban In Place Now?

The Toms River cell phone ban isn't in effect yet, and still has to be voted on during the next school board meeting.

Then again, phones were a little different when we were in high school.