The Goodness and Badness of Students in Using Cellphones at School

The present is very much that explores the discourse of prohibiting students from bringing mobile phones back to school. This is because recently there was an immoral act committed by a pair of junior high school students in Jakarta in the classroom and watched by friends while being recorded. This, of course, tarnished the good name of our education world. Moreover, this is done in the classroom. It does not mean that doing outside of school is good but just giving a picture of the freedom of our young generation today. Hopefully, this is not a reflection of the bad moral of our young generation as a whole. Because I believe there are still many of our young people who are good and straight.

Prohibition of carrying a cell phone for students is actually not a new thing because, in the Bulukumba area, South Sulawesi, banning carrying mobile phones for students has been implemented since two years ago. And I am sure that many regions have also implemented it a few years ago. As a policy, it will definitely give birth to pros and cons in society. For those who have this policy, because indeed as a technology, mobile phones in addition to having a positive impact, namely the ease of communication, also have a negative impact, namely the easy access to things that are negative (pornography, etc.). Well, this is what the pros are worried about because these students are still young so they cannot think clearly about what the effects of their actions are so they can abuse the features of their mobile phones. Especially now, the average cell phone that is owned by students is a high-tech cellphone which means that the cell phone is not just used for communication and texting but more than that. So that the opportunity to abuse the function of the cellphone is wide open. As for those who contradict this policy, they reasoned that if students were forbidden to bring their mobile phones to school they were worried there would be anything with these students, they would have difficulty contacting their parents or family. And also parents are easier to monitor their children if school children are allowed to carry cell phones to school.

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But the truth is that despite the reasons held by the pros and cons of this policy, each of them still has weaknesses on the other. Because if students are forbidden to bring cell phones to school and suddenly there are sudden additional activities at school until the afternoon, for example, they will find it difficult to contact their parents to inform them. And of course this will make parents worried at home but if students carry cell phones then it will make it easier for parents to know the whereabouts of their children. And if there are things that are not desirable such as kidnapping, etc., then the existence of the cell phone will be very helpful for these students to report the matter to the authorities and their families. Whereas if students are allowed to carry a cell phone, their chances of taking immoral actions through cellphone gadgets will be high. Because young people usually are still very young and still in search of identity so sometimes they are trapped in negative behavior for the sake of a self-popularity and generally they are not aware of it. Later after everything has happened and their shame is revealed, then regret. And it is also possible for students who bring cell phones to school to lie to their parents by calling that they have not returned home because they have group assignments with their friends even though they may be going with their friends.

For me as a teaching staff, the solution that can be given is to give students the freedom to bring mobile phones to schools with limited freedom. That is, the cell phone that the student must carry must be a pure cellphone that is truly true, it can only be used to call and send messages. Cannot have additional features such as recordings, photos, etc. Because these additional features are actually the most damaging to the morale of our young generation. So the role of parents is also important here, in the sense that if you buy a cell phone for a child it doesn't need to be too "wow" even if for example the child insists. Parents must be firm here for the good of the child himself. Second, the teacher must be proactive in doing periodic sweeping to the class to check whether there are students who have committed violations. And thirdly, the teacher besides being a teacher must also be a close friend with students and become a role model for students in his school. And the last is the role of parents at home as a stronghold of moral defense for our young generation. Don't be too busy pursuing material and neglecting the responsibility to provide moral education for our children at home. It must be remembered, for whom we are looking for material if not for our children, so take the time to be a great parent in the eyes of our children, namely by being parents and friends to them. Don't let them look for exemplary figures out there who are not in accordance with our nation's religious and moral norms. I am sure this can reduce or even eliminate the negative behavior that appears in our young generation. That is my opinion, if anyone disagrees with my opinion, please forgive because this only shares my advice.