This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Written by Gennah Penolosa
Back in the early 1900’s, when you heard the word “telephone”, you would think of it as a convenient way to communicate with other people across the nation. Today, when you hear that same word, pictures of young adults scrolling down the touch screen for nearly the entire day may come flashing before your mind.
Today, more than 73% of teenagers have access to a smartphone, according to a 2015 survey from the Pew Research Center. With statistics like those, it comes as no surprise that you find teens with smartphones in their hands everywhere you go. Nevertheless, the effect of pop culture has shaped our perspective of how we visualize teenagers today, as compared to a century ago.
According to a poll for Common Sense Media, that involved 1,240 interviews with parents and their children (between the ages of 12 and 18), 66% of parents feel that their teen sons and daughters spend too much time on their mobile devices. In reply, 52% of teenagers agree with the statement.
Since more than two-thirds of parents show that they are aware of the influence smartphones are having on their children, some of them are also concerned about their teen's screen time when pertaining to school. The extended use of phones can distract a teen from doing homework or even paying attention in class, making these devices a priority over school.
According to the St. Vrain Valley School District Behavioral Code of Conduct, “The Internet and electronic communications have vast potential to support curriculum and student learning. The Board of Education believes they should be used in schools as a learning resource to educate and to inform.”
The SVVSD Behavioral Code also goes further to claim that “Use of the Internet and electronic communications demands personal responsibility and an understanding of the acceptable and unacceptable uses of such tools. Student use of the Internet, electronic communications and district technology devices is a privilege, not a right.” As we can observe in the teen world today, this regulation may seem like a challenge for some.
What do high school students in St. Vrain Valley School District think about teen smartphone use?
According to Grace, a freshman, she provides the positive advantages of having cell phones:
“I think that cellphones have definitely helped teenagers meet more people, spend more time with friends, and learn more information. With social media, teenagers are able to develop friendships with people all over the world. We are able to contact each other when we otherwise would not be able to. Finally, cell phones make us more aware of what’s going on in the world with being able to get the news and learn more about our local community.”
Erika, a sophomore, gives us a descriptive opinion that contains both the pros and the cons of smartphone use:
The pros:
“I need a GPS when I am driving. It is very helpful and safe to simply tell Siri where I need to go, and she gives me step by step directions orally. It is also easy to research something or see a grade anytime quickly, and then return to the previous activity.”
The cons:
“Teenagers check out on their phones, not really knowing how to go an hour without at least checking the time. While this could be a similar problem on a watch, for some reason, psychologically it feels more distant when someone checks their phone rather than their watch. Teens don’t learn the patience of waiting to answer a note. They are less engaged both in texting and writing on their phone, as well as in their offline lives; thus, they are more distant in general.”
As social networking sites such as Instagram and Snapchat are gaining popularity across the nation today, teens are more likely to take the time to set aside homework for their mobile devices. Rather than using their phones for educational purposes, high school students in Longmont may be using social media as a direct alternative, thus affecting their academic performance.
Noticing that their children may not be doing very well in school because of their phones, some parents try to keep their teen away from such devices by limiting their screen time or by physically taking phones away.
In the poll, this influence from teens is evident when 27% of parents feel that they themselves are addicted to their phones.
What do both parents and teens really have to do to fix this problem, do you ask? According to Child Mind Institute, parents should only pose a punishment for their children if it’s related to their misbehavior, and instead of taking away the entire phone, parents should just limit their teens’ phone privileges, which can be done by prohibiting texting for a certain period of time, or by deleting a certain addictive app.
Gennah Penalosa is a volunteer for the Longmont Observer. She is currently a high school student at Twin Peaks Charter Academy. Her interests include reading, art, and especially writing.
This is an opinion piece that was submitted to the Longmont Observer. It does not, necessarily, represent the views of the Longmont Observer. To submit an opinion piece, please visit our Submit An Opinion page on our website.
