For the following reasons and many more, Norte Dame Preparatory students should be allowed to use their cell phones during school in the Lenten season  

1. Many students coordinate with friends and family. Especially in times of emergency including the things that happened this year in schools nearby, we should be updated on this and be allowed to contact out parents if needed. If we have friends at neighboring schools, we should be allowed to check up on them and socialize via the internet since it is a main component of our daily lives. Also, many of the athletic teams use group text threads to relay information through the team. These threads are very important, because there are often changes to practices and training sessions during the school day. They also allow athletes to ask and answer questions with a quick response time and minimal confusion. As the internet and technology continue to advance, we need to learn alongside it and evolve with our society. 

2. Lent is meant for us as an individual person to give up something meaningful. If we idolize something that is getting in the way of our faith, we should sacrifice that to prove we can sacrifice as Jesus did. If we give up our phones and don’t feel that we are idolizing them as much as something else, it is meaningless. Lent is a time of sacrifice to prove to ourselves and God we are good Christian people. Getting rid of them without a purpose does not seem meaningful. 

3. Many kids at Norte dame come from different cultures, backgrounds, and religions. Many of these are influenced our parents and allow for us to have a diverse environment. With different ethnicities come different religions. As NDP is a catholic school and follows catholic rules, we shouldn’t get rid of phones especially for those who don’t believe in God or fulfill another ritual during this Lenten season.

This, along with many other reasons, contributes to why Notre Dame Prepatory students should not be stripped of their phones during the Lenten season.