The advent of the cell phone has fueled a change in the civilization of adolescent social interaction. Gone are the days of seeing teenagers playing imaginatively alongside each other with the only restriction being their ability to communicate effectively. Virtual conversations, text messages and online social networks have replaced the development of social skills through personal interactions. Some educators insist that cell phones offer a unique opportunity to take advantage of the learning experience in modern classrooms. Unfortunately, cell phones also offer teenagers the opportunity to compromise their ethical values ​​and moral standards. Adolescents are known to be a source of cheating on exams, disrupting the classroom, and promoting inappropriate behavior. The distracting characteristics of cell phone use have shown a negative effect on adolescents' reading/writing ability and their subsequent readiness for higher learning. School administrators are challenged to find a balance between adolescents' right to own devices and monitoring/controlling the school environment during a crisis. A school administrator named Patrick Gabriel highlights the point when he says, “The constant use of cell phones, perhaps a symbol of life made virtual by all technology, appears to exacerbate the problem. It has a powerful pull on so many people. From my office window, I see students leaving school early or arriving late, texting and calling with virtually every step they take. The need to stay connected at all times prevails over any other behavior” (38) . Educators, parents, and students must not ignore the temptation to let the addictive behavior associated with cell phones dictate the learning environment of classrooms. Value... at the center of the paper... ProQuest.Parette, Howard, Amanda Quesenberry, and Craig Blum. “Missing the Boat with Technology Use in Early Childhood Settings: A 21st Century Vision of Developmentally Appropriate Practices.” Journal of Early Childhood Education 37.5 (2010): 335-343. Academic research completed. EBSCO. Network. July 31, 2011. AN 48449670. Need to cite for Sparks, Sarah D. "Studies shed light on how cheating impedes learning. (cover story)." Education Week 30.26 (2011): 1-16. Professional development collection. EBSCO.Web. July 31, 2011.TRUMP, KENNETH S. “PROFESSIONAL OPINION: Is It Safe to Allow Cell Phones in School?” District Administration 45.10/11 (2009): 38. Academic research completed.EBSCO. Network. July 31, 2011.Weir, Kirsten. "Bad teenagers." Current Science 96.7 (2010): 6-7. Academic research completed.EBSCO. Network. 31 July 2011. AN 55415325