When a Book Meets Pop Culture

By Elaine L. Orr

I'm not sure pop culture is the accurate word for the debate about cell phones in high schools, but it's a topic that has interested me for a couple of years. 

As a fairly regular substitute teacher, I appreciate having access to the outside world. However, I don't appreciate kids hiding cell phones behind books they are supposedly reading or staring into their laps for a minute or more at a time. And try explaining to students why they should read in study hall rather than play games on a phone.

I probably sound like a curmudgeon, but I actually feel sorry for kids whose worlds seem to revolve around posting comments on a photo someone else took or taking photos of themselves with their tonsils showing. Boring, boring, boring. Plus, think of all the bullying that takes place on phones. Who needs that?

Sure, some kids (and adults) create interesting travel logs or talk about more than shoes to buy (athletic or spike heels). Most just scroll and comment and resent it when teachers have a wall hanging with slots to deposit phones as students arrive in class.

So when I was figuring out who to kill for the 14th Jolie Gentil Cozy Mystery, I first thought of creating an older student who annoyed the...daylights out of teachers with his/her phone use. Then a teacher snaps and a high school senior ends up stuffed in the janitor's closet. That would lead to lots of syrupy statement about a life ending before fulfilling its promise and good business for the local florist.

But, killing kids (no matter how annoying) would not set a good example. And some PTA could lead a boycott of the book -- though that might increase sales.

Instead, I created Henry O'Halloran, a high school band teacher who has had it up to his ears with cell phones going off during rehearsals or -- horrors -- when playing the national anthem on the football field. Everyone is up in arms after Henry cancels band practice the week before a big competition. At a hastily called meeting, families say they spend a lot of money renting instruments and ferrying kids to practice or concerts. 

Henry will not apologize or commit to holding practice. As expected (in a mystery) he's soon six feet under. Or at least on the band room floor with a hole in his neck. Check out Phoning in a Murder to see whodunnit.

Tongue in cheek, I would say great minds think alike. The Los Angeles School District just banned cell phones in class as of January 2025. Some think it will aid in learning and some think it's a security risk. (See an article on pros and cons.) No doubt there will be several dozen lawsuits that will eventually be consolidated and in 2029 will make it through the courts.

In the meantime, the only reason I can see to have phones in the classroom is to address fear in this age of school shootings. That doesn't mean the phones need to be in students' pockets. They can be in shoe organizers on the wall -- designated slots for each student, perhaps the organizers in two places in the classroom for easy access in the event of an emergency.

Any school activity that can be done with a phone can be done on a laptop. Rather than complain about keeping phones out of classrooms, perhaps parents and students can help raise money for schools in economically disadvantaged areas to have a laptop for every student. It would give people something to do besides post pictures of their tonsils.

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