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Middle schools are ususally localized enough to where its within reasonable walking distance, or they will take care of you if you can't get a way home or something

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Huh?

Walking distance?

*questions the girl who had an hour bus ride from her home to her elementary/middle/high schools*

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*Forever & Always...Yours*

The youngest I've ever seen with a cellular was 6 years old. I crap you not. I'm sorry, but what does anyone under 10 need a cell phone for?

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*Forever & Always...Yours*

Anyhow, that's definitely helped form my opinion on cell phone usage. Especially around such a city-atmosphere as the LA area where you don't have to travel far for school (and since EVERY classroom has a phone) I really see very little reason for anyone under the age of 18 to have a cell phone. Cell phones give freedom, and I really don't feel like a high schooler needs the freedom to roam around town at their own discretion.

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So when you're happy (Hurray!), or sad (Aw!),
Or frightened (Eeek!), or mad (Rats!)
An interjection starts a sentence right.

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I'm watching you.
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I didn't get my first cell phone until I went to college. Most of my friends were the same. Granted, that was way back in the day, so perhaps it was simply because they were too new?

Anyhow, that's definitely helped form my opinion on cell phone usage. Especially around such a city-atmosphere as the LA area where you don't have to travel far for school (and since EVERY classroom has a phone) I really see very little reason for anyone under the age of 18 to have a cell phone. Cell phones give freedom, and I really don't feel like a high schooler needs the freedom to roam around town at their own discretion.

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This is the best answer I've seen. :) And I agree with it. Though, I wish every classroom here had a phone. We had the office phone. One student phone. And you had to sign a paper, with the date and time, as to who you were calling, and why. Sometimes, there would be a thirty minute line, b/c of that. And they never let the students use the other phones, that the office workers used, even if they were puking their guts out. They had to wait.

My parents survived without a phone/cellular/outside school communication of sorts. I think we can, too.

And, while I do agree that too much freedom for a high schooler is a bad thing...what does having a phone have to do with 'roam around town at their discretion'? We can't lock up high schoolers. They're going to date. They're going to go see movies, and hang out. I'd honestly feel better, as a mother, if my kid had some sort of external communication with me, at times like that.

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*Forever & Always...Yours*

Having a cell phone, having a credit card, having a car, those are all things that in a metropolitan city most people don't deserve until they are a bit older. I dunno, maybe that's just because it's what I'm used to. If my situation were different I may agree with most saying that 11-13 is the perfect time for a cell phone.

Having a mobile phone just seems like quite an adult thing for me, so I don't feel it's something that non-adults should have.

That being said, when I was younger (when I was in high school) my family had ONE cell phone (like I said, I grew up with them being a bit newer). Whenever someone went out (mom to the grocery store, me to the movies, etc.) that person would take the phone. So although I did not have a personal phone, I did sometimes have use of one. Not sure how well that would work nowadays though, and when I have kids it may be commonplace to have a cell phone in their pacifier!

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So when you're happy (Hurray!), or sad (Aw!),
Or frightened (Eeek!), or mad (Rats!)
An interjection starts a sentence right.

I think, up 'til at least 16, yes, the parents should know where the kid is going, and who they're going to be with. I never had to be asked to tell that information. Heck, I'm 20 years old, and I live away from the house, and I still tell my mom, "Hey, going out to a bar, probably going to come back a bit tipsy." :P But, I think once you hit that age of having a car, you should be granted a bit more freedoms with that. 16 isn't 2, and it's 16 for a reason.

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*Forever & Always...Yours*

Anyway, I don't want to go derail this topic with what I approve of and what I don't, because that could get quite long-winded. :P

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So when you're happy (Hurray!), or sad (Aw!),
Or frightened (Eeek!), or mad (Rats!)
An interjection starts a sentence right.