There’s a lot of talk lately about whether or not children should have smartphones at school. As someone who went to school long before the internet, I’m struggling with how this is even a discussion. When I was growing up, I loved watching television. If I had a TV that fits in my pocket back then that I could take to school and check every few minutes, I would have been glued to the screen. I’m pretty sure this would have led to me learning about 90% less in class.

Schools have enough trouble dealing with the diminished attention spans of our children. Children are in school for a specific purpose: to get an education and learn information that can help them succeed in life. It is hard enough to keep their attention when they are so used to multimedia shows on their computers and smartphones. Allowing them access to something that has diminished their attention spans isn’t good. It can also get in the way of children's developing social skills, such as making friends and interacting with others in their........

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