Should mobile phones be used in school to promote learning and fit into 21st century education? Using cell phones at school would be safer and would allow parents to be able to contact their children immediately in the event of an emergency. It can also be used for educational purposes, to contact others and to complete online assignments. Many students own smartphones, which are more available and have more advanced technology than many schools have. Schools that have started using cell phones in school are seeing success and students are more engaged in class. Schools should allow cell phones for safety and educational purposes because they are convenient and cost little or no money to the school. Parents are more comfortable if they can contact their children at any time. Students can connect with their parents or family members whenever they need to, whether it's a problem at school or at home, or just to feel safer. The 1999 Columbine High School shootings and the September 2001 terrorist attacks triggered policy changes to ease restrictions on cell phone use at school (Ballaro). This has fueled a national debate about the safety benefits and distractions of cell phone use at school. If parents and students can contact each other during the school day, this could notify students of an emergency or potentially help prevent an emergency. Most students already carry their phones with them during the school day, giving us the opportunity to use them to benefit their education and safety. Mobile phones can be used as a learning tool to complete homework and communicate with others, allowing them to complete group assignments. . Smartphones are one of the newest pieces of technology, so they are extremely demanding...... middle of paper..., giving us little reason not to use them in the classroom. Although cell phones can be a distraction during class, many schools have had success using them for educational purposes, which could potentially spread across the country, allowing cell phones in schools in all 50 states. There are many pros and cons to using cell phones in schools, but overall the pros outweigh the cons and it would be a good idea to start using cell phones in the classroom. Works Cited Ballaro, Beverly. “Cell Phones in School: An Overview.” » Point of view reference center. EBSCO Industries, 2013. Web. November 4, 2013. Higgins, Josh. “More schools are allowing students to bring smartphones and tablets to class.” The United States Today. August 7, 2013. Gannet. November 4, 2013. Watters, Audrey. “Why schools should stop banning cell phones and use them for learning.” Change of media. PBS. PBS, August 29, 2011. Web. November 4. 2013.