No cellphones for kids under 21 years old?

[plennis]

no that doesn't even make sense. in most if not all states you are a legal adult at 18.

 A lot of families also have very good reason to use, to see when and where kids are after school, if there is an emergency, to keep in contact when they are not with parents.  Change of schedules, when and where to pick up.  You can do all sorts of things to block the kids just horsing around or playing games.

[ancmetro]

   Kids should be allowed to have their own cell phone. Why?
What about if they need to call 911 to summon some help?
Having a cell phone may save their lives!

[UGetPaid]

 A lot of families also have very good reason to use, to see when and where kids are after school, if there is an emergency, to keep in contact when they are not with parents.  Change of schedules, when and where to pick up.  You can do all sorts of things to block the kids just horsing around or playing games.

I can see both sides of the story, but still fall on the side that this proposal is idiotic.


We chose to get our daughter a cell phone for her 12th birthday - primarily for the reasons cited by plennis - in coordinating her school pickups and all of the other activities she is involved in. She has, like many other kids at that age - gotten herself into trouble by putting too much time and effort into using her phone for social interaction. And I will admit right off that we didn't do as good of a job as we should have (or that we thought we did) in setting the parental limits.  It has resulted in her being grounded a few times because of it, and she also has had one school detention for being on her phone while she was not supposed to be... But it still has been well worth the times that we need to stay in touch with her or keep tabs on her through location sharing apps.


There was a 14 year old boy nearby to the area we live who went missing in the end of December. Zero traces of him other than a security camera that appeared to show him on his way to school the day he went missing. Maybe some of you heard about it as it made national news. He had been extremely active online posting dozens of videos on YouTube and many people were very critical of his parents for allowing that - a lot of them speculating that he had been lured or abducted by a predator who befriended him online.


None of that seems to have been the case. They finally found his body a week or two ago, stuck in the chimney of a vacant house across the street from his own. He had tried to get into the locked house via the roof and chimney - got trapped - and ultimately died of suffocation. Turned out he was upset with his parents who decided to not replace his cell phone that he broke or damaged somehow. I'm not sure if this was his way of acting out, or what. I believe he had some issues with autism and had "gone missing/run away" a few times before but just overnight.


It's probably unlikely that he would have been found in time had he had a working cell phone and I am in no way suggesting any fault or blame on the parents, but still a tragic situation that may have been avoided with a cell phone.  ...or they at least may have found him sooner.

[pstovall]

I don't have children in school any more, but from what I've seen through my grandchildren, schools are relying more and more on modern technology to teach our young people.  I can foresee a cell phone being more of a necessity than a luxury. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to grow up without them.  I loved my childhood and the closest I got to today's modern technology was reading the *bleep* Tracy comic strip. (He had a two-way wrist radio back in the 40's)!

The fact that this popular comic strip hero's name got bleeped just illustrates my point. It was a simpler, more innocent time back in the 40's!

[sdenimandlace1]

If kid use the phone just for what they need to do, should not be a problem.

[elvisdo]

Let kids have only a working cell phone and not a smart phone. Then they will cry foul.

[kvanwert]

I don't think that is accurate at all but that is also never going to pass. It doesn't even make sense.

[countrygirl12]

I don't think that is accurate at all but that is also never going to pass. It doesn't even make sense.

It is accurate.  If you google you can find it. No it won't pass.  And it could never be enforced if it was.  I would not say it would "never" pass.  A lot of idiots vote.  I have seen a lot of things happen that I NEVER every would have thought could or would.  People are stupid.  People are throwing our freedoms away every day.  Too many also want to control what others do and are too stupid to see it will lead to them being controlled as well.  IF something like this were to pass then it is just a step away from other forms of control.  Look at some of the other countries where the government controls what websites you can look at.

[rghvac69]

The people of Vermont need to vote this blank-hole out of office.

[Sawman214]

I would say no unles they just got one that could dial 2 to 3 numbers

[aflyingmonkey]

If they want to pass these 21 year old restrictions, then they need to legally change the 18 year old being an adult.... which I do agree on.  But if 18 year olds are required to sign up for selective service, ie The Draft, & if 18 year olds can be charged as adults in crimes, vote, & go into the volunteer military service, then they surely should be allowed to use a cellphone.

[nickylanena]

I just read about this. There's more to the story. A senator in Vermont proposed the bill to ban cell phones for people under 21, knowing that it won't pass, and he even said he wouldn't vote for it. It's illegal for someone under 21 to buy a gun in VT. So, it was to prove a point that cell phones are just as dangerous, because of texting and driving, bullying, mass shootings and suicide on social media, etc.

Ohhh ok! I was definitely thinking this seems way too outrageous.

[fjaz1]

I watch a lot of news and current events and haven't heard anything about this, sounds like FAKE NEWS and good luck trying to do that.

[nmbrown863]

I do not agree. Even though cell phones can cause trouble I still want a way to get it contact with my child. Safety reasons.

[minioncookies]

For one its not gambling . No need to ban it from a 18 year old. That is down right dumb. IF your going to make it 21 before they can have a phone might as well put a ban on kids from ever being on the net til their 21. More fair that way if you ask me but seriously still dumb. I do believe parents should be made to monitor there kids time on phones.  Have the ability to set guidelines to keep there kids safe even if the parent doesnt have the phone on them at the time. Make that remotely