Text 1
Cell Phones Raise Security Concerns
at Schools
M
any people think that students having cell phones in school is
a great idea. Many parents feel that they don’t have to worry as
much about their children if they have a cell phone. They feel
if they need to reach their child or their child needs to reach them, the cell
phone can help them get in touch with each other right away. However, cell
phones in school can lead to problems.
One problem is theft. Cell phones can be stolen. In January 2012, police
arrested 13 high school students in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. People
accused them of stealing more than $4,000 worth of cell phones and tablets
from their classmates. An undercover investigation by police found that at
least 24 devices had been stolen over two months at the school, according
to nbcphiladelphia.com. Theft is a real concern when cell phones are
allowed in schools.
Another problem is cell phone use during emergencies. Many people
want students to have cell phones in emergencies. But this might not be
safe. The National School Safety and Security Services (NSSSS) says that
people in charge should have cell phones during emergencies. But it may
cause harm if students use their phones in emergencies. If thousands of
students make calls at the same time during an emergency, that could slow
down the phone system. The NSSSS website says, “The use of cell phones by
students could . . . decrease, not increase, school safety during a crisis.”
When students use their cell phones during emergencies, another
problem can be caused. Students’ calls may cause their parents to rush to
the school during an emergency. Emergency workers might not want to
have tons of parents running to the school. All those parents might get in
the way during an emergency. They might make things less safe.
Many parents want their children to have cell phones. They want to be
able to reach their child at any time. One survey by vouchercloud.net found
that of the 2,290 parents they asked, most of the parents got their kids their
first cell phone when the child was six-years-old. 31% of the parents said
they got their child a cell phone for “security reasons, so my child could
always contact me.”
Text 1: Cell Phones Raise Security Concerns at Schools ◆
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But there are safety problems that are caused by cell phones in schools.
Schools must think about these concerns. They must think carefully about
security. Only then should they decide what to do about cell phones.
C. J. Perkins
School safety officer in Walmouth County
Text 1: Cell Phones Raise Security Concerns at Schools ◆
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Text 2
New York City Mayor Changes Cell Phone
Policy in Schools
Mayor reverses a ban on cell phones that has existed
since 1988
1
I
n January 2015, students in New York City received some happy news.
Mayor DeBlasio changed the policy about cell phones in schools. Now,
students could bring their phones to school. Now, school principals
could decide the rules for using cell phones in their schools.
Some of the options that principals can consider are:
5
• ask students to store their phones in backpacks or another place during
the day
• say that cell phones can be used during lunch time or in special areas of
the school
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• allow cell phones to be used in classrooms for instructional purposes
“Parents should be able to call or text their kids,” the Mayor said when he
announced his reform. “Lifting the ban respects families.”
Prior to this change, some had claimed that the “no cell phones in
school” policy was not enforced fairly. Some schools enforced the ban
strictly. Some schools with metal detectors could easily find out if students
had cell phones. In those schools, which were mostly in low-income areas,
students were having their phones taken away or having to pay each day to
store their phones in vans parked outside of the schools. But other schools
ignored the ban. As long as teachers did not see the phones, they were okay
with students having them.
Many students are happy to be allowed to bring their phones to school.
But not everyone agrees with this ruling. Many argue that phones are a
major distraction in class. In an op-ed piece for The New York Post, Naomi
Schaefer Riley argues it is a “terrible idea to allow cell phones in school.”
She claims that students already spend too much time staring at screens.
She says students will now spend their class time looking at their phones.
They should be paying attention in class instead. Teachers could make cell
Text 2: New York City Mayor Changes Cell Phone Policy in Schools ◆
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phones part of the lessons for student. But Riley says they will have to check
kids’ phones. They will need to make sure kids are doing educational work
and not texting or visiting social media sites. Riley says, “Where once kids
might have been using their phones to do some texting or even calling each
other, now they can spend hours on social-networking sites, ignoring their
[math] lessons.”
Cell phones can be a distraction in class in another way. A phone
ringing during a lesson can distract the other students and the teacher.
Students report that when this occurs, the ringing is very distracting. In
addition, some teachers argue that when mobile phones are banned in their
classrooms, bullying decreases.
But other people say this change is a good thing. Yin Cherd, a parent
from Jamaica, Queens, talked to The Wall Street Journal. She said, “When my
daughter gets off of school I want to text her and she texts me.” Cherd said
she would worry about her children if they didn’t have phones.
And some teachers are excited to bring cell phones into learning. Many
apps can help students learn. There are apps that let students work on
collaborative projects. There are apps that let teachers poll their students.
Teachers can quiz students using their phones or let the class play games
related to the lesson. There are even apps to support study skills and
resources for history. Still, not all students have cell phones and that could
be a problem.
Schools will have to think very carefully about how to make good rules
for cell phone use. Schools will need more training on how to identify and
prevent cyber bullying. And all schools will require that no phones can be
out during tests.
Whatever rules are made about cell phones, though, some students
might still find ways to break them. Lucia Paz, a 14-year-old from Brooklyn,
told The Wall Street Journal, “At lunch I’ll just play music,” she said. “It’s like
a relaxer for me sometimes.”
What do you think? Should your town allow cell phones in schools?
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Article from NYBeat
Text 2: New York City Mayor Changes Cell Phone Policy in Schools ◆
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Text 3
Cell Phones Should Be in Schools
E
very day when kids go to school and they have to leave their cell
phones behind them at home, that is a huge problem. Everyone has
cell phones today (well, everyone over the age of 8). And telling kids
that just because they are kids and in school that they can’t bring their cell
phones is not fair. Kids need their cell phones for the same reasons that
adults need their cell phones. They want to keep in touch with their friends
and check the Internet, too.
Sometimes after school we have play dates. That means we might need
to use our phones and check with our parents that it’s okay. If we don’t
have our phones in school, what are we supposed to do? They don’t let
you use the office to call home just for any reason. You have to have an
emergency and they don’t think a playmate is an emergency. But what if
you forgot you had a playmate and you really needed to call home? You
need your cell phone.
Also, if we could have our cell phones in school, we’d probably do a
lot better in school. Like you could use your phone to look up how to spell
words and to look up information like if you didn’t know the capital of a
country.
In addition, sometimes parents have to text or call their kids. For
example, I had a dentist appointment two weeks ago and my mom forgot
to tell me. She didn’t have any way to let me know about it until the end of
the day so I didn’t know I had to go until school was over. If I could have
had my cell phone in school, then she could have texted me so I would
have been prepared.
This is why it is very important for schools to change the rules and let
students bring their cell phones to school. Right now, in my school, if you
bring your cell phone to school and your teacher sees it he or she has to
take it away from you and your parent has to go to school to get it back.
This is a very unfair policy which should be changed. Students should be
able to have their cell phones in school.
A blog post entry, from Jeremy, age 11
Text 3: Cell Phones Should Be in Schools ◆
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Name: ______________________________________________ Date: ________________________
Grade 5: Reading to Research
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Unit 3 Assessment
Readers, today you will read three texts about cellphones in schools. Read “Cell Phones Raise Security
Concerns at School” and answer questions 1 and 2. Then read “New York City Mayor Changes Cell Phone
Policy in Schools” and “Cell Phones Should Be in Schools” and answer questions 3 and 4.
1. Summarize “Cell Phones Raise Security Concerns at School.”
When summarizing, remember to:
 Write about more than one main idea.
 Include carefully selected details to support each main idea.
 Write about the ideas in the text, not your own opinions.
2. Read lines 6-8 from “Cell Phones Raise Security Concerns at Schools.”
An undercover investigation by police found that at least 24 devices had been stolen over two
months at the school, according to nbcphiladelphia.com.
Why is this line important to the text?
When writing about how one part of the text fits with another, remember to:



Explain how the part in question fits into the whole structure of the text with the main ideas.
Use academic language: This part explains/describes/supports/introduces …
Include evidence or details from the text to support your explanation.
3. What is the author’s point of view in “Cell Phones Should Be in Schools”? How does your knowledge of the
point of view help you think about the text’s contents?
When analyzing point of view, remember to:



Name who the author is, as well as his role/age or the group he belongs to.
Discuss how the author’s points are influenced by the above.
Write about why the narrator probably thinks or feels the way he does.
4. Based on this packet of texts, decide whether cellphones should be banned or allowed in schools. Imagine
you are going to write a letter to your mayor and convince him or her that your position makes the most
sense. Map out a plan for your persuasive letter to the mayor, making sure you reference the texts.
(You do not need to write the actual letter, just your plan.
When synthesizing among text, remember to:
 Pull together relevant and important information from different texts.
 Organize the information.
Answer Key
Question #1: Summarize “Cell Phones Raise Security Concerns at School.”
1 Point
Responses in this level:
 Identifies the main idea with
no supporting details from the
text.
2 Points
Responses in this level:
 Name the main idea of
the text and also provide
details to support the
main idea.
 The summary often
reflects the structure.
Example:
This is about how cell phones in
school are bad. One reason is
because they could get stolen.
Another reason is students using
their phones during emergencies.
You wouldn’t want a ton of
parents to come to the school in
an emergency.
3 Points
Responses at this level:

Will refer to multiple main
ideas and will give specific
details from across several
parts of the text as
support.

Although students at this
level often quote the text,
they need not.
Example:
The author argues that cell
phones in schools can cause
problems. One problem is theft.
Another problem is that if too
many students call during
emergencies that can slow down
the phone system. Also, students
can all call their parents and their
parents would come to the
school, which might be unsafe.
Question # 2:
text?
Read lines 6-8 from “Cell Phones Raise Security Concerns at Schools.” Why is this line important to the
1 Point
Responses at this level

Explain not just
connections in content
across parts but how
one part fits with the
rest of the text
structurally.

The writer is apt to also
discuss how the part
relates to the main
idea of the text. If the
text is an argument,
the writer will point
out how the author
uses reasons and
evidence to support
points.
Example:
I think they put this line in to
show a reason why cell phones
are bad.
2nd Example:
This part is important because it
shows a reason why cell phones
should not be in schools.
2 Points
Responses at this level

Point out how one part
fits with the text
structurally and with the
author’s main ideas. This
may involve discussing
how the part in question
connects to a main idea
of that section of the
text.

Additionally, the writer
will use more academic
language. If the text is an
argument, the writer will
point out which reasons
and evidence support
which points.
Example:
This line is important because it
helps support the point that cell
phones in school can lead to the
theft.
2nd Example:
The author is making an argument
that cell phones should not be in
schools and this line is important
because it supports one of the
author’s reasons. It shows that cell
phones can be stolen.
Question # 3: What is the author’s point of view in “Cell Phones Should Be in Schools”? How does your knowledge of
the point of view help you think about the text’s contents?
1 Point
Responses at this level:

Only identifies the point of
view.
2 Points
Responses at this level:

Tell whether the account is
firsthand or secondhand (or
whether the account is
written in first person).

Discuss how the author’s
point of view affects the
way the information is
presented.
Example:
The author is writing a first-person
blog post. He wants cell phones in
schools so he is saying good things
about them.
3 Points
Responses at this level:

Discuss how the author’s
point of view affects the
way the information is
presented and also includes
reasons the author or
narrator might think or feel
a certain way.
Example:
The author is an 11-year-old boy
writing a blog post. This is
important because since he wants
cell phones in schools, he is only
saying good things about them like
that they can help you arrange play
dates.
Question # 4: Based on this packet of texts, decide whether cellphones should be banned or allowed in
schools. Imagine you are going to write a letter to your mayor and convince him or her that your position
makes the most sense. Map out a plan for your persuasive letter to the mayor, making sure you reference
the texts.
1 Point
Responses at this level:
 Includes information from
only one part of the text.
OR

Does not take a stance on
the topic.
2 Points
Responses at this level:

Include ideas that are
sparked by information from
several parts of the text(s).

When possible, readers do
not just repeat the
information, but they do
something with it (compare,
connect, wonder,
reorganize.).
Example:
Cell Phones Should Be in Schools
•
They help you make play dates.
•
Parents won’t worry about
their kids if the kids have
cell phones.
•
Teachers can use the
phones to help kids learn
more.
3 Points
Responses at this level:

Tend to organize information
about the subtopic by
putting information into
larger categories.

They often create their own
headings for the categories.
Responses at this level might
include more text detail than
other levels and may
highlight different
perspectives, when
applicable.
Example:
Cell Phones Should Be in School
• You need them in emergencies.
• To make play dates.
• To make appointments to go to
the dentist.
You need them to help you to
succeed in school.
• Apps can help students
work on group projects,
take quizzes and play
games.
• You can look up how to spell
words and capitals of
countries.