School lesson No. 1: Turn off the cell phones

There’s a time and place for everything -- and that includes

cellular phones.

Cell phones should not be used while watching a movie, attending

church, looking for a book at the library or book store and sitting

in classrooms. Such devices -- when on -- simply don’t belong in the

classroom.

Seems like common sense, right?

While we believe cell phones have no place on school grounds, it

would probably be difficult to ban their existence entirely. So, it

is not unreasonable for school officials to insist that during the

school day, cell phones should be off and safely stowed away.

Educators have their hands full enough in teaching tomorrow’s

future -- they don’t need yet another distraction or obstacle.

As we said, it’s common sense and Newport-Mesa school trustees

should use it when deciding how they want to deal with the handy

devices now that the state has placed the decision in their hands.

We understand how convenient the phones are. There are few without

them these days.

But there exists no real need for the phones to be used during

school hours. If parents need to get ahold of their children, they

should do so as it always has been done: call the school’s office and

have them pass a note.

There’s nothing wrong with that system, but there is something

wrong when phones interrupt classroom discussions.

In the off-chance a dire school-wide emergency arises, the schools

should then make the rare exception in allowing the students use of

their phones. In that case, the devices can indeed prove useful in

contacting families or finding help.

But school trustees must set a firm rule immediately that the cell

phones need to remain in the off position during school hours.

Conversations should be limited to the campus as they always have

been.