It depends on the teenager.

If you are responsible, by all means: have a phone, keep it on silent during the day, and use it when you need to.

If you can't stop texting during class? Don't bring it!

My school district that I teach in went "open technology" this year, meaning students could carry and use whatever kind of technology in the halls and in the classroom.  Although many teachers, myself included, were more than a little worried about managing student use of phones, iPads, and laptops during class, the new open technology policy turned out to be great.  We all knew that the students were carrying and using cell phones before the rules changed; the only difference now is we can incorporate more technology into the curriculum. 

When I asked, "okay, who has a cell phone?", every single hand shot up.  The students are so tied into their phones as part of their social life, it almost seems a cruelty not to let a kid have a phone. 

It would be fighting a losing battle to say no, although I see six and seven year olds with phones and I think we can easily get carried away, or buy into the idea that kids of all ages are "entitled" to one.  While they are certainly handy, I don't know that I would say they are necessary, and kids are pretty plugged in as it is.

I know cell phones are dangerous for students who text while driving. I know many students who have recently had accidents because they were texting while driving. I am not sure how to keep students from texting while driving. It is a serious issue that needs to be addressed by parents. Parents should take cell phones from students who do not use them wisely. That is my belief. 

Cell phones are such a distraction when the teacher is trying to teach and needs participation. It's also distracting to other students who are trying to listen and the person in front of them is being sneaky and not paying attention. That's when cell phone use in class should be out of the question. However, my students would love to use their phones for assignments, too. If it weren't for the fact that no every student has a cell phone, or a cell phone with video or camera abilities, I'd have the students using whatever technology they have to make up creative assignments. It's a big debate, that's for sure.

The circumstances under which a cellphone is being used certainly make a difference in the acceptability of its use, but I don't think there is any chance that use of such communication devices will ever be completely taken away from students. I think there is real potential for benefits in terms of research capabilities, instant contact to report observations and share data, and so forth when cellphones are used appropriately. There are also real concerns regarding the need to identify reliable sources of information and to safeguard concerns for personal security and individual privacy.

Yes, I do.  However, they need to be monitored until they can show that they're using them wisely and judiciously.  I don't think they need to use them during school.  Where I teach there is a strict policy about using electronic devices on campus as they are considered disruptive.  If a student tries to use an ipod, mp3 player, or cell phone the device is confiscated for the day.  The student gets it back at the end of the day, with a warning not to do it again.  "Three strikes-you're out" ultimatums are given with the understanding that if a student violated the policy three times, the device got kept and the parents got a phone call. 

The nice thing about our children having cell phones is the ability to keep in touch with them. 

I would follow the grain of other posts on this issue and answer by looking at the counter-point: Why shouldn't teenagers be allowed to use cell-phones? 

If this is a health issue related to either addiction to cell-phone use or emissions related hazards, there would be grounds for restrictions. However if the issue is a purely social one, I have a hard time understanding how age restrictions can be justified. 

People don't needcell-phones, just like they don't need pizza. Banning either seems rather silly. 

As the first post points out, perhaps narrowing the context of the debate would yield a more two-sided conversation on this topic...

I don't see any reason to keep teens from having cell phones in general.  I do, however, question the idea that every teen needs a smart phone.  I think cell phones are important for keeping in touch with parents and even with friends, but I think smart phones are a luxury.

The answer to this depends on the context of using a cell phone. Do I think that teenagers should be able to use them in general? Yes. Should cell phones be allowed in schools? It depends. During tests and quizzes? No. To conduct research within the classroom? Sure. But, this poses a problem. What about the students who do not have cell phones?