The world of communication has become mobile in the last few years.  Texting allows people to communicate with others in ways that were not possible before cell phones. Sadly, the benefits are being overshadowed by one area of mobile communication that has forced its ugly head to the forefront.  Text messaging is becoming one of the main ways in which some people communicate; however, it is destroying other communication, including e-mail, instant messaging and talking face-to-face, according to a study released April 20 by researchers at Pew Research Center and American Life Project.

The study found that three-quarters of teens, ages 12-17, own cell phones. This is up from 45 percent in 2004. Of those who own cell phones, 88 percent are text messengers, up from just over half in 2006.  Despite the media attention to texting, schools often prohibit the use of cell phones from classrooms, and some even ban the devices from school grounds entirely, seeing them as disruptive.  Still, more than half of teens who own mobile phones said they have sent a text message during class, even though their school bans mobile phones.

Our staff at School Announcement wants to know if your school welcomes this form of communication into your classrooms.  If not, please share your policies regarding cell phones.  If your school does have a policy against the use of cell phones and you object, make an effort to enlist other like-minded faculty and student parents to join you at board of education meetings and lodge formal protests.  Of course, don’t forget to stress the safety factor of having cell phones as student’s right.