Once again the debate about whether students should be allowed to carry cellphones in school has become an issue.

According to a page one article in yesterday's Gleaner, The National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTA) said students should be allowed to take cellphones to school as it was an important tool for communication.

While the association noted that it was against cellphone use in the classroom, it said that it was an important way for parents to contact their children after school.

The story also reported that some school administrators including Minister of Education, Andrew Holness, said they supported the ban on cellphones in school.

Holness declared his support following the recent incident in which a student of a St. James school was killed, when he refused to hand over his phone to a thief.

This is just one of many cases across the island where students are being attacked and targeted by cellphone robbers. Certainly there needs to be some consensus on the issue among school officials.

We agree that the cellphone does have its benefits and does come in handy in times of emergencies. However, is it that important that children should risk their lives and being robbed to take it to school? Couldn't alternatives be found?

Parents and school administrations need to decide what is more important and how much they are willing to risk for the privilege. What is it going to be - the children's lives or the cellphones?