To the editor:

The cellphone: a communication device that has recently been bestowed the academic title of "classroom tool" by many students, teachers, and administrators alike.

Quite an incredible feat for something that was once deemed a distraction in the classroom.

It was just two years ago that every student at the Barrington High School and Barrington Middle School was provided with Chromebooks, a small laptop device that exposed students to a lush library of resources ranging from convenient, education web services such as Google Classroom to online forms of scholarly articles and literature that would otherwise not be readily available to the typical student. 

However, despite this expensive and drastic measure, cellular devices still have a visible presence in the classroom, most of the time sitting within arms reach of a student on their desk.

But this simply does not make sense.

Before there were Chromebooks, students made countless excuses for actively using their cellular device in a classroom setting: "I'm doing independent research" or "I need to take a pic of the homework assignment written on the board."

Now that they are equipped with Chromebooks, which offer access to the internet and a pre-installed camera application within its hardware, there is no need for cell phones. And even if a student's Chromebook battery runs out midway through the school day, there is still a solution that does not require their resortment to a cellular device: They can simply borrow a charger from the teacher or their classmates and connect their Chromebook to the nearest outlet. That way, as their Chromebook recharges, it can still be used.

With all of these conveniences provided to students with Chromebooks, why do they still rely on their cell phones as a "classroom tool?"

Perhaps it is because Barrington High School and Barrington Middle School have been lax on their cell phone policy for too long, and there is little hope for it to be reformed and better enforced. Teachers have grown accustomed to the glaring presence of cellular devices, and students have grown dependent on them, even though they are provided with a Chromebook, which is a far more practical classroom resource.

But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to resolve this issue.

With relentless effort and perseverance, students, teachers and administrators can push back, maybe even eliminate the invasion of cell phones in the classroom.

Administrators can revise or re-emphasize the Barrington High School cell phone policy. Teachers can create a classroom environment in which any form of cell phone use is prohibited and Chromebook use is encouraged. And students must learn to resist the urge of reaching for their cellular devices when they're in a pinch, especially if they are in a classroom setting.

It's about time that we strip the title of "classroom tool' from cellular devices. It will not be easy, but it is a necessary measure that has been avoided for too long.

Amanda Vesey

Barrington