As a student in a British Columbia school, I will soon become personally affected by the upcoming ban on cell phones in classrooms. Our school, like many others, does not have enough adequate technology readily available immediately when it's needed. We don't even have paper dictionaries. How are we supposed to learn new words without having access to their meanings? Are we expected to line up at the teacher's desk every time?

The government claims that cell phones distract students, but they fail to recognize their educational value when used responsibly. In fact, according to a study by the London School of Economics (2015), schools that restrict access to mobile devices subsequently experience an increase in educational inequality.

Cell phones can be powerful tools for learning if used correctly and responsibly. They offer quick access to information and provide an alternative way of learning for those who may struggle with traditional methods

As an example, Students use resources such as dictionary.com, Duolingo, Quizlet, and Kahoot from their personal devices. The purpose of these digital learning resources is to diversify the learning styles in the classroom to adapt to individual student's learning styles. Some of them also further provide teachers with an effective way to create class discussions.

We urge the government of British Columbia not only to reconsider this ban but also to invest more resources into providing adequate technology for all classrooms across our province. Please sign this petition if you believe in equal opportunities for education and technological advancement within our schools.