Picture this- a student is in class, and he is on YouTube while he is supposed to be learning. He gets up to go to the bathroom and most of his classmates are playing games or watching videos. He returns back to his classroom and continues watching his YouTube video but he is caught by his teacher. He continues watching the video anyway. Seems shocking, right? Why would someone take advantage of something that is there to help them?. Sadly, this is the reality of the problem that many schools are facing, and giving kids their own laptops seems to be the cause of this problem. 

There are many benefits to giving students their own Chromebooks. First, laptops allow students to collaborate more effectively and can make researching and communicating with their teachers easier. For example, “The Speak Up Survey, a national initiative that reached almost 341 thousand students reports that high schoolers assigned a laptop or a Chromebook were more likely to take notes in class, do internet research, create documents to share, collaborate with their peers on projects, check their grades and get reminders about tests or homework due dates'' (Mathewson). The problem with giving students their own Chromebooks is that they abuse their privilege of having Chromebooks and instead of working on their Chromebooks in class, they watch videos and message their friends. It is clear that students' Chromebooks are not being used for their intended purpose.  For instance, in my school district, websites such as YouTube and Google Chat, which allow students to chat with their friends in other classes, can be accessed by students.  When I was doing research by observing children in their classrooms, I saw that many students were on different tabs such as the ones previously mentioned, instead of using their  Chromebooks to be productive. This leads students to pay less attention in class and could make their grades drop.  

Furthermore, giving students their own Chromebooks does not just cause problems with their academics, “Organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Pediatric society suggested that children and teens get no more than two hours of screen time each day” (Poncia).  Therefore, because of Chromebooks, multiple students, myself included, are spending well over that recommended amount because in most classes we are required to do our work online. Having this much screen time is detrimental to our eyes because “...digital eye strain often leads to dry eyes and puts an extra burden on the muscles that help the eye focus” (Eye).  Hence, not putting effective restrictions on Chromebooks is not only dangerous to our future but also to our bodies. This does not mean that students have to give up working on Chromebooks. Many teachers have admitted that they prefer when students do not have their own personal Chromebooks. A possible solution is that Chromebooks should be returned to Chromebook carts and Chromebooks should be available when teachers need them, and they should always be accessible in subjects where computers are required, such as Robotics and Coding.  However, a less extreme solution would be to not allow students to go on certain websites that distract them in class, such as snake games, or slope. 

Our students are extremely important, and we should not neglect them. Our school administration has to act fast and put proper restrictions on our laptops. If we do not solve the crisis that Chromebooks are causing, a new generation of adults will be in huge trouble.