Cell Phones and Headphones at ACE

What are the advantages and disadvantages of cell phones and headphones at ACE in Danbury, CT and should they be allowed in the school?

Well, there are many different opinions regarding this topic at ACE. Some students believe they should be allowed with no questions asked. Others, including a couple of the teachers at ACE, believe cell phones and headphones should be allowed in the school with the condition they are used responsibly and in ways in which they are not disruptive nor distracting from or towards the class. For example, when asked if ACE should ban the use of phones and airpods in school, Tyler – a student at ACE who believes cell phones and headphones should be allowed in the school with the condition that they are used appropriately – stated “No, I don’t feel like they should ban phones [nor] airpods at ACE but I feel like if anything students should learn when and where [to and not] to use their phones [and airpods].”

Rodney – a teacher at ACE – when asked about how he feels about the use of cell phones and airpods around the school, also stated, “there are times when students can use their cell phones. If it is for educational purposes, I am not against it. If the students are watching sports [or other shows during class] which distracts the student from their work then I am against it. I tell my class all the time to put their phones away while doing schoolwork but once they’re done I tell them they can use them.”

Unlike Rodney, Tyler and some of the other students and teachers at ACE, not everyone agrees with cell phones and headphones being allowed in the school. A couple of students and teachers at ACE actually believe cell phones and headphones are not only a distraction to students’ ability to learn, but also their classwork – and that they should not be allowed in the school. For example, when asked about how she feels about cell phones and headphones being allowed in school, Ariel – a student at ACE – expressed her concern of technology and the impact it has on students including herself and their ability to learn. “I believe it would be way better and easier for kids to focus on their classes and school work if our phones were taken away in the morning like they used to do at Reach, another alternative school in Danbury, Ct.” stated Ariel.