This week Picayune Memorial High School announced changes to their cellphone policy, which previously limited the use of these devices by students while on campus.

The change allows students to use their cellphones while on break, at lunch, in between classes and before and after school.

Over the course of covering news stories I’ve heard some discussions about parents being concerned they could not contact their child while in school.

I agree parents should be able to get in touch with their children if they need to, especially in instances of a family emergency.

Looking back at my own grade school years, cellphones were a relatively new technology, only affordable by those with extra money to spare.

In fact, students in the 80s and 90s weren’t even allowed a calculator in most math classes, much less a device with the power of smart phone.

A cell phone first took residence in my pocket when I was in my mid 20s. Before that my only means of communication was a landline and a dial up Internet connection.

If someone wanted to get in touch with me, they called my home. And if I wasn’t there, they left a message, or I saw their number on the Caller ID device.

Now I carry around a collection of small electrical boards, glass, plastic and a lithium ion battery that not only allows people to reach me almost all the time, but also provides access to the Internet.

The question pertaining to cellphone use by children is what influence will this have on our progeny?

To me, access to information leads to the discovery of more information, which in turn is shared to even more people.

But naturally, I expect teachers to still restrict the use of smart phones during class, especially on exam day.