Local School Bans Phones

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

Kings of Wessex Academy, in Somerset UK, shall from September enact a blanket ban on mobile-phones in the classroom. Not sure if this is a first in the UK, but I also hear it will soon come into effect in France. In my opinion this is refreshing news, although many of the pupils will disagree! (in the short term). For their education, it can only be a good thing.

Is this happening anywhere else? Hopefully, this idea may spread.

Executive Headteacher Gavin Ball outlined his proposal (which has gone through) in a recent blog post. I personally agree with all of it. Phone addiction is damaging this generation, and something needs to be done to mitigate it.

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We are finding that young people are permanently glued to their phone, including during school hours. This presents several concerns:


Students find it impossible to break the loop of ‘returning the message’. A never ending spiral of messages via text, messenger, WhatsApp, Snapchat and so forth


This is leading to high levels of anxiety for young people, leading to an erosion of emotional well-being and the development of mental health issues


This includes an undermining of self-esteem and self-belief. This could revolve around exclusion from friendship groups on social media or the perception of this, a comparison of how many ‘likes’ someone has on Facebook, hurtful messages being relayed at lightning speed, relationship issues, friendship group issues and so forth


This then leads to the school dealing with issues / perceptions of bullying


Mobile phones out in lessons unnecessarily so with students messaging each other or on inappropriate Apps or web sites is the single largest behaviour issue in classrooms today. Teachers are also continually dealing with phones buzzing or pinging. This is a continual disruption to the classroom


Mobile phones increasingly present problems in test and exam rooms due to the current culture


The quantity of ‘screen time’ is also highly concerning. It is habitual for many young people to have their phone out constantly. This is eroding face-to-face conversation


We are also concerned that some young people find it necessary to photograph or video anything that may be deemed ‘difficult’ in school. This may include friendship issues or even the ‘behaviours’ of some children that are vulnerable. This footage ends up on media outlets such as You Tube immediately. These incidents represent child protection infringements, personal identity infringements, serious safeguarding infringements and wholly interferes with the daily running of a school of a thousand teenagers


Mobile phones can connect to the internet using the 4G phone signal. This means that we cannot safeguard our children and your children against inappropriate web sites. The school network uses a filter system to protect young people, a critical part of our safeguarding procedures


We do promote the use of personal mobile devices (such as iPads etc) in school as long as they are not 4G enabled


http://www.kowessex.co.uk/menu/news/headsProps/headsProps.php

[onawah]

Not to mention how damaging microwaves, EMFs are, especially to the young. (Funny they didn't mention that in the article :tsk:) See:http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?93953-Barrie-Trower-The-Increase-In-Brain-Tumours-In-Children-IS-Down-To-Smart-Phones-WiFi&highlight=microwaves%2C

[Mark]

At the High School I teach at, in central Texas USA, the use of phones is banned in classrooms unless the teacher has specifically scheduled their use for a classroom task in their syllabus and class plan, which is submitted to their departments at the beginning of each semester.

Does it work out this way? No, not in all classes. Teachers are generally more or less lax in following the school rule and when students have time on their hands, which they very often do in classrooms, it is invariable that the phones are pulled out. Day after day, month after month it is very difficult for teachers to say no and to take phones from the students as they are addicted to them and often behave and lash out in very visceral ways when the loss of their phones is threatened. I've had students curse and rail at me, and then the Assistant Principals or Monitors who then come to the classrooms to take the phone or the student to the office.

There is also a fee associated with the phones that are taken and parents have to come in to pay it. It's nominal, about $15. This last year was the first year under this policy so we'll see how it goes this upcoming year. But last year it was tough, but not as tough as it could have been. Those students who are generally invested in their education for whatever reason comply by the rules mostly while those who are disenchanted with education or do not see their future the same way don't really care one way or another what teachers or anybody else says to them or does to them.