Debating Thread!

Chatterbox: Down to Earth

Debating Thread!

Debating Thread!

 

Yeah, probably no one knows who I really am. If you do, don't say. Anyways, this is a thread for Debating! I'll let you guys do the rest! I have actually seen something that could be debated!

The word SUS. Some people find it annoying, some people don't. Debate that if you want. I will never take a side of that.

submitted by Missing, age Missing, Missing
(November 14, 2021 - 7:36 am)

Thank you! 

submitted by Phoenix Tears, age 12, Revolutionary Grape Jelly
(November 18, 2021 - 2:21 pm)

You wrote that really well! Now I want to send it to my principal! I agree with everything you said.

I am writing this a few minutes later, but I just found something I wrote about homework a bit ago! It's a wild rant because I was supposed to be writing a reflection about time managment but anyway I thought I'd post it: 

One thing I could improve on is time management. Even though I did get better at it after starting middle school, I am still not getting enough sleep so obviously I need to improve on it. But honestly we have waaay to much homework. School is from 8-3. We are supposed to have 2 hours of homework, right? At least, 30 minutes for each class, 4 classes, so 2 hours. But sometimes its more. Anyways, add 2 hours to 3, you get 5. 8-5. They always say a full time job is 9-5. So we kids have school for as much time as a full time job! Even if we shave off an hour for lunch and recess, which is why some adults say, "Oh, school is fun!" Well its great and all, but its still hard and its not actually that fun . Not only should a 12 year old spend the same amount of time as an adult with a full time job on school, but we also have sports! And, yes, we pick our sports, but a lot of time they aren't playing at all, they are practicing and working hard.
And I know that we procrastinate for half an hour, watching videos, but we should be allowed to relax at some point. Because of homework, we can’t spend as much time with our family, we don’t get enough sleep, and we start abandoning hobbies that give us joy, because we spend the tiny amount of free time we have actually relaxing. Then we have less motivation and joy in life- we become hopeless! We sometimes don’t even have time for chores. We don’t want to do favors for people, knowing we will have to sacrifice sleep time. We don’t do the things we love.

Not only is this because of the time it takes, but also because of the stress it puts on us. We get punished for relaxing after school, instead being told we need to study even more. How, when we grow up, are we supposed to have this, “Work-life balance” everyone is always talking about, when the message of, “Relaxing is bad and slacking off” is imprinted on us at an early age? When we don’t have any, whatsoever, school-life balance?

As for family time, knowing we have all these assignments resting on our chest puts us in a bad mood, and, even when we are having a great time with our family, we know we should really be working. From now on, will we always feel as though we are resting on thin ice when joking and talking with our family? When we know that we should really be back in the hell of our computer, drilling ourselves on the gender of a raincoat in French? (It is masculine, by the way).

I am not blaming the teachers or the school. The teachers are wonderful, great people, and I know they try to make it as easy as possible. And, I know they have to teach us lots of things and we can’t learn them with less time. But I think we can without homework, none whatsoever. In my opinion, I’d rather do 2 extra years of high school, just to not have homework. This heavy burden that society has placed on kids chest needs to be lifted. We will do better in school if it is. Sometimes, I am stressing on homework when I have only finished the first class of the day. We will have more passions, our dreams will stay alive, we’ll be happier. Wonder why so many teens are depressed and anxious and moody? Not only is it all the stuff people talk about, it is probably also homework and schools stress, and as a result of the sleep we miss because of it. In addition, we cant fall asleep because we are stressed and sad.

I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY ADULTS GET WORK-LIFE BALANCE BUT WE DON’T GET SCHOOL-LIFE BALANCE

submitted by Caroline
(September 18, 2022 - 7:15 pm)

YES

OH MY GOSH

EXACTLY

YOU READ MY MIND 

submitted by Tsuki the Skywolf
(September 20, 2022 - 7:04 am)

One of the many reasons I'm homeschooled.

great argument! It's amazing.

(I know I'm not really active on this thread, and this is random, but seriously.) *awkward types* 

submitted by Darkvine
(September 24, 2022 - 10:28 am)

I'm going to argue that mobile devices should be banned from schools.

First, they distract students from both learning and interacting with others. Although students may not use them much during classes, they do so obsessively during lunch and recess, which has a negative effect on their posture, eyesight, and social health. Instead of physically talking with others, playing real-life games and enjoying the sunshine, fresh air, bird songs, or just their lunch, they are single-mindedly bent over tiny screens, which may contribute to the social awkwardness and anxiety everyone complains of. This is natural - social media, for example, is proven to have addictive qualities - but it is important for students to learn how to enjoy real life on a daily basis, and the best way to do this is to ban phones from schools.

Silver Crystal argues that phones are useful in class when laptops die. However, schools should take the opportunity to teach students how to learn without the use of a device or the internet. This is another useful skill for real life; it is good to know how to use an encyclopedia, physical dictionary, or another resource. By making cell phones unavailable, schools can contribute greatly to students' education.

Silver Crystal also argues that a cell phone ban would not work, using the example of banning alcohol, which led to higher alcohol consumption than before. However, a cell phone ban is quite different. Drinking alcohol is usually done by students who want to be lawless and rebellious, even without a ban. On the other hand, no one looks at phones to challenge social rules - quite the contrary. The ban would also have to be properly enforced and regulated.

Feel free to argue!

 

submitted by Poinsettia, age whatcareI, nocellphoneland
(September 17, 2022 - 11:03 am)

The problem is I agree... but! Arguing! So.

I agree with Silver Crystal in that phones are useful during class if your computer or other device suddenly dies, as it provides you with an easy and accessible foundation of information (that rhyming souded cool...). You said that students should be taught 'useful skills for real life,' such as encyclopedias or physical dictionaries. But in the up-and-coming modern world of today, everything is a lot more tech-based than it used to be. So while those skills might have been useful many years ago, now it is way easier to search it up on a digital encyclopedia or dictionary. What might have been useful years ago is rapidly turning archaic as new technology boundaries are reached and crossed. Who knows? Maybe in 20 years we'll all experience life through a holographic virtual reality in which we don't move our physical bodies. Teaching students good digital skills will help prepare them for later life in a way physical dictionaries can't. Also, I'd much rather lug around a phone than a dictionary...

I also disagree with your argument that banning cell phones would not lead to more cell phone usage because being on your phone is not seen as "lawless and rebellious." I think students are sometimes desperate enough to challenge authority, to control something in their life, and to disobey the otherwise followed rules such that they will be on their phones even more. Things appeal even more when they are forbidden, and students will invent creative ways to get around a ban. For example, my school banned certain google gaming extensions, forcing kids to find numerous random websites containing games, all of which are more addicting and less secure than what was banned. 

Additionally, you said "The ban would also have to be properly enforced and regulated." How would that be possible? You can't prevent every incident, and once something happens once, it's way more likely to happen again. For example, my dog. She once stole a shoe from the hallway. We chased her, telling her it was wrong. But instead of it stopping, she now snatches shoes whenever possible, enjoying the chase and our reaction of "bad girl!" It's exciting to disobay, and she knows it works, so she's going to do it whenever possible. The same would happen with phones. It's not practical to try what would, ultamitely, be a failing endeavor.

Finally, communication. Have you ever needed to text your parents/guardians to see who was picking you up after school or to have them bring you a forgotten item? I know I have. Phones are a way to ensure that this essential communication is happening.

Sorry, that was kind of long. 

submitted by Hex
(September 17, 2022 - 4:06 pm)

YES

I AGREE

ALL OF MY CLASSMATES WOULD HATE ME FOR AGREEING BUT STILL 

submitted by Tsuki the Skywolf
(September 18, 2022 - 9:55 am)

tippity-toppity!

submitted by Poinsettia
(September 17, 2022 - 12:06 pm)

*surprised gasp* Everyone thinks the same way! However, I'll try to disprove Hex's arguments.

It is true that many more things are possible today than many years ago. However, here we should ask ourselves: Do we want to live a life completely dependent on cell phones and computers? It isn't necessary - just having a real dictionary would have been the height of luxury at a different time in history. Moreover, as I pointed out before, a real dictionary has no adverse effects, while the things students are likely to be looking at on their phones (social media) have negative and addictive effects.

A life spent looking at a screen is neither healthy, fulfilling, or enjoyable. Compared to the joy of hiking in the woods, going to a good old party with friends and family who care about you, or just watching a sunset, it's just a shadow of life. (We all realized this during the pandemic, when talking to our loved ones on Zoom was the only option and still is for many. Although better than nothing, Zoom was unlike seeing people in person.) Because of this, it is important to encourage young people to put down their phones and live the wonderful life waiting for them... socializing, playing, and doing the thousands of fascinating things that can be found to do. It might even reduce depression, anxiety, and social awkwardness to give them a true community and life, and would certainly be worth a try. Taking into account the fact that they can easily learn any digital skills they may need at home, rather than school, we see that it is more important to teach them how to live in real life than to encourage them to sit around in front of a screen.

Enforcing a ban in schools would be quite simple. It would be easy enough to ask students to leave their phones at home, and then if a teacher sees a student using a cell phone, merely take the phone away for the remainder of the school day. Furthermore, if students spend their day at school studying and socializing face-to-face, they are likely to focus more on their studies and friends, and be less unhappy (and thus less eager to defy rules). The communication problem is easily solved as well - if a student's parents need to be contacted, they can be called using a school telephone.

Another reason is that students will see a lot of horrible stuff if
allowed to roam freely on the internet (violence, pornography, for
instance) which is perfectly dreadful, especially for younger students
and is another excellent reason for banning cell phones. There is no
need for them to see these things, and it is better if they never do.
Protecting young people from it should be a prime concern today, and it
can be partially addressed by keeping them off the internet when not
under adult supervision. For al these reasons, cell phones should be banned in schools.

submitted by Poinsettia
(September 19, 2022 - 8:05 pm)

Oookay. I think that phones should be banned during class, obviously. (A certain teacher of mine doesn't agree though, so his class is a madhouse) But there's a big difference between watching inappropriate things during lunch and checking in with worried parents. Also, banning phones during lunch would be very hard to do. Some parents, like mine, give their kids regulated phones where you can't do bad things on your phone. If not, the parents will probably instill values in their kids that teach them not to look at bad things on their phones. 

Thanks for reading my rant. 

submitted by Avara, she/her
(September 21, 2022 - 12:15 pm)

There's no reason kids should be on their phone during lunch.  And, the regulated phones don't work.  Every control setting you could possibly install is very easy to bypass.

And, the instilling values thing?  I'm sorry but- HAH YEAH RIGHT

My classmate has been able to watch something uh A LIL SILLY GOOFY THATS NOT CB SAFE since she was very young, and I see toddlers with their own phones and even online accounts, scrolling through whatever people dump there.  And as for kids whose parents did try to instill those values, then especially at our age that means nothing, and the parents really cannot stop them if they dont tell what theyve been doing.  You have no idea what people are looking at during class.  Its actually rather traumatizing

Even with regulated phiones that you don't try to bypass they're very addictive, not good for your health, it cuts off your connection with the world and people around you, etc. etc.

submitted by Tsuki the Skywolf
(September 22, 2022 - 8:56 am)

@ Tsuki: I think you're a kindred spirit! :) I couldn't agree more with what you said.

@Avara: Yes, phones are useful for communication, but there's no reason for parents to be checking on you while you're at school - it's just "helicopter parenting", and is just stressful for kids, aside from keeping them from feeling independent and mature. IF something does happen to you, which is pretty unlikely, I think your school should be able to call your parents using a telephone.

submitted by Poinsettia
(September 23, 2022 - 2:26 pm)

Has anyone debated wether or not Bedrock or Java is better yet? Cause if not I will be arguing For Java.

submitted by Pancake, age Fresh, On A Plate
(September 22, 2022 - 10:30 am)
submitted by top
(October 11, 2022 - 9:07 pm)
submitted by toppity we go toppin
(March 19, 2023 - 8:29 pm)